Ethiopia license plates
Format, region codes and a plate generator for Ethiopia.
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Custom text: real plates never carry this combination.
This image is not a license plate: it must not be fitted to a vehicle and does not mean the combination is available.
How to read the plate
The old-pattern Ethiopian plate has two lines. Top left, a coloured disc holds the vehicle-type digit (1 taxi, 2 private, 3 commercial, 4 government, 5 religious and non-governmental organisations); top right is the region abbreviation in two Ge'ez characters: አአ for Addis Ababa, ኦሮ for Oromia. Below are five or six digits. On the single-line plates of the 2000s the region was repeated in Latin letters (1 AA 123456). Since 11 June 2026 new national plates marked ETH / ኢት, with no region code, have been issued.
Region codes
12 regions| Region | Code |
|---|---|
| Addis Ababa Region code on old-pattern plates. Since 11 June 2026 new plates carry no region (ETH), but old ones stay in use; outside Addis Ababa regional plates may still be issued during the transition. | |
| Afar Region code on old-pattern plates. Since 11 June 2026 new plates carry no region (ETH), but old ones stay in use; outside Addis Ababa regional plates may still be issued during the transition. | |
| Amhara Region code on old-pattern plates. Since 11 June 2026 new plates carry no region (ETH), but old ones stay in use; outside Addis Ababa regional plates may still be issued during the transition. | |
| Benishangul-Gumuz Region code on old-pattern plates. Since 11 June 2026 new plates carry no region (ETH), but old ones stay in use; outside Addis Ababa regional plates may still be issued during the transition. | |
| Dire Dawa Region code on old-pattern plates. Since 11 June 2026 new plates carry no region (ETH), but old ones stay in use; outside Addis Ababa regional plates may still be issued during the transition. | |
| Gambela Region code on old-pattern plates. Since 11 June 2026 new plates carry no region (ETH), but old ones stay in use; outside Addis Ababa regional plates may still be issued during the transition. | |
| Harari Region code on old-pattern plates. Since 11 June 2026 new plates carry no region (ETH), but old ones stay in use; outside Addis Ababa regional plates may still be issued during the transition. | |
| Oromia Region code on old-pattern plates. Since 11 June 2026 new plates carry no region (ETH), but old ones stay in use; outside Addis Ababa regional plates may still be issued during the transition. | |
| Sidama Region code on old-pattern plates. Since 11 June 2026 new plates carry no region (ETH), but old ones stay in use; outside Addis Ababa regional plates may still be issued during the transition. | |
| Somali Region Region code on old-pattern plates. Since 11 June 2026 new plates carry no region (ETH), but old ones stay in use; outside Addis Ababa regional plates may still be issued during the transition. | |
| Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region The region was abolished: in 2020–2023 it was split into Sidama, South West, South and Central Ethiopia. The code survives only on old plates. | |
| Tigray Region code on old-pattern plates. Since 11 June 2026 new plates carry no region (ETH), but old ones stay in use; outside Addis Ababa regional plates may still be issued during the transition. |
History
In 1937–1941, under Italian East Africa, provinces were marked by Latin letters: AA for Addis Ababa, AM for Amhara, HA for Harar, SC for Shewa. In the 1950s Addis Ababa issued plates of the form AB 12345. The regional system with Ge'ez codes was used from roughly the 2000s until 2026; under directive 1050/2025 it was replaced by national ETH plates from 11 June 2026, while old plates remain valid — no replacement deadline has been announced.
