What Ukrainian License Plates Mean: A Guide for Car Renters

Understanding car number plates Ukraine is important for anyone planning to rent a car in Ukraine. Car numbers contain information about the region, type of car and its owner. This knowledge will help you navigate the roads and avoid misunderstandings. In this article, we will tell you about the different codes, license plates by regions Ukraine and types of numbers, you will get a complete understanding of how Ukrainian car numbers are arranged and what they mean.

History of License Plate Development in Ukraine

Let's start the history of license plates from the 1980s. During this period in Ukraine (then the Ukrainian SSR), old license plates from the 1960s can still be found. These plates had four digits and three letters, made on a black background, with white letters and digits. It can be said that the plates were “white on black.”

License Plates of Ukraine in the 1980s

License plates issued in the 1980s were made with black letters and digits on a white background, similar to modern ones, but lacked a state standard and were simple metal plates with 3 letters and 4 digits.

The plates of the 80s were divided into state (for vehicles belonging to state enterprises and authorities) and private (for individuals).

A license plate on a state vehicle in the 1980s looked like this: 9210 ДПА, where 9210 is the number, and ДПА is the series. The first letters (ДП in this case indicate the Dnipropetrovsk region) indicate the region, while the letter "A" (which could be any letter) stands for the series.

The same license plate on a private vehicle looked like this – “А9210 ДП”, with the same series and numbers as on state vehicles. The difference was that on state vehicles, the letters were always placed together, while on private vehicles, the series letters were separated from the region letters.

The form of license plates in the 80s was mostly rectangular, unlike the black plates of the 1960s, which were often square.

If you look at the old Road Traffic Rules from the Soviet era or watch films from that time, you will often read or hear the term "state license plate." This term existed as a foundation of the Soviet Union, where the foundation was state, not private property, so the number on a private car was still called a "state registration license plate."

License Plates of Independent Ukraine

Until 1993, Ukraine used the Soviet standard for its license plates. The main differences were the addition of Ukrainian letters, such as "і", in the plates. All car plates did not have any identification of the state of Ukraine.

Since 1994, a yellow-blue designation (Ukraine's flag) and the code “UA” appeared in the left corner, while the plates remained the same with 3 letters and 4 digits. Additionally, the regional designations changed; for example, in Dnipro, the regional designation “ДП” was replaced by “ЯА”, so the license plate could now look like this: “А 9210 ЯА”, where “А” is the series, “9210” is the number, and “ЯА” is the regional designation. These plates slightly shocked ordinary drivers who had become used to the fact that “ДП” stood for the Dnipropetrovsk region, and “ЗП” stood for Zaporizhzhia, and so on.

The 1994 license plate reform included:

1. The addition of the state flag
2. The addition of the "UA" code on the plate
3. The use of Ukrainian letters, such as "і," as well as Cyrillic letters that had rarely been used or did not exist before, such as "Я"

In 1995, another license plate reform was introduced, with 5 digits and only 2 letters. A license plate on a car now looked like this: “014-04 АВ,” where “014-04” is the number, and “АВ” is the series. The regional designation now moved to the left corner under the flag. However, under the flag, there was no "UA" code, but only a number. For example, “01” meant Kyiv, and “05” meant Donetsk region. The numbers were assigned to regions according to the alphabetical list of regions, which included 24 regions, the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, and two cities of national significance: Kyiv and Sevastopol. Starting from 1995, the plates no longer used letters that existed only in Cyrillic and were absent in Latin, so letters like "Я," "Г," "Д," and others disappeared, and "А," "В," "Н" were used instead.

The 1995 license plate reform brought:

1. 5 digits and 2 letters, with a hyphen
2. Added digital regional codes in alphabetical order
3. Only Latin letters, removing Cyrillic letters such as "Я," "Д," and others

The 1990s were also the time of the emergence of the first "special" plates. For example, in Dnipro, for a while, the number series "АВ" was considered a government series, meaning that a plate like "014-12 АВ" could indicate that you were a local government employee, and the State Auto Inspection (DAI at the time) had to stop these cars less frequently.

Later, there was the “20” series, which indicated that you were from the police (the equivalent of the modern police). For example, a plate might look like "020-56 АА" – a number of a typical police chief.

Plates with a lot of zeros, such as “000-01 АА”, were considered "special," and the numbers were often distributed like this: “000-01” was assigned to a governor (Head of the Region), “000-02” went to the regional prosecutor, “000-03” to the head of the regional court (now – appellate court).

Plates with zeros at the end were also considered “special,” but less valuable, such as plates like “100-00 АА.”

In 2004, another reform of plates took place, and now in Ukraine, plates with 4 letters and 4 digits were introduced, such as “АА 1245 АВ.” In this case, “АА” (the first letters) indicate the region, in this example, “АА” stands for Kyiv; Dnipro, for example, received “АЕ,” Donetsk region – “АН,” Lviv region – “ВС,” maintaining the alphabetical division principle. The number “1245” followed, and after it, there were two letters for the series, in this case, “АВ.” Also, during this period, the regional code under the Ukrainian flag was removed, and the two-letter designation “UA” for the state returned.

In 2004, "special" plates continued to evolve, but the love for zeros was accompanied by a love for specific series, such as the series “МІ” for the police, “МР” for the city council, “ВР” for the Verkhovna Rada (parliament), “КМ” for the Cabinet of Ministers (government), and “АП” for the President's Administration. Of course, the regional designation played a role. For example, “АА 0012 ВР” would be a plate for the Verkhovna Rada, and if it was “АЕ 0012 ВР,” it would mean nothing because it's a Dnipropetrovsk region plate, not Kyiv. At the same time, the series “МІ” or “МР” worked in all regions. For example, “АЕ 1212 МІ” meant that the car belonged to a police officer from Dnipro, and the plate “АН 1220 МІ” would indicate a police officer from Donetsk. The series “МІ” did not have any official status, it was just a choice and an unofficial guideline for the registration authorities. Similarly, “АЕ 1212 МР” would indicate that the car belonged to the city council of Dnipro.

Around the 2000s, the concept of a "state license plate" disappeared, and the term "Vehicle Registration Plate" emerged.

In 2004, individual license plates also appeared, which we discuss a bit further below ⬇️

The 2004 license plate reform brought:

1. The return of the “UA” mark under the flag, replacing the regional digit
2. Plates now have 4 digits and 4 letters
3. The first two letters now correspond to the region, not the regional code under the flag

Since 2013, series of license plates have been added, so the first letter “А” changes to “К,” and plates starting with the letter “В” are replaced with “Н.” Now, a Kyiv plate is not only “АА 1245 АВ” but also “КА 1245 АВ,” and a Lviv plate is not only “ВС 1245 АВ” but also “НС 1245 АВ.”

In 2015, a new license plate reform was conducted, after which, in the left corner, instead of the yellow-blue marking, a blue stripe was made like the license plates of the European Union, and the Ukrainian flag was placed on the blue background, with the “UA” mark underneath. Now, plates in Ukraine resemble European ones.

Structure of Modern Ukrainian License Plates

Vehicle license plates by region in Ukraine follow a standard format that includes:

• Region code (first letter)
• Letter series (two letters)
• Number (four digits)

For example, a plate such as "AA 1234 BC" indicates a specific region with the code "AA," followed by unique letters and numbers. This reflects the Ukrainian number plate series system.

Regional Codes and Plate Series

Regional codes in Ukraine consist of two letters, each representing a specific oblast (region) or administrative unit. Some of the most common codes include:

• AA — Kyiv (city)
• AV — Vinnytsia region
• AE — Dnipropetrovsk region
• AI — Kyiv region
• AM — Zhytomyr region
• AO — Zakarpattia region
• AP — Zaporizhzhia region
• AT — Ivano-Frankivsk region
• AX — Kharkiv region
• VA — Kirovohrad region
• VE — Mykolaiv region
• VI — Poltava region
• VK — Rivne region
• VM — Sumy region
• VO — Ternopil region
• VT — Kherson region
• VX — Khmelnytskyi region
• DO — Donetsk region
• KR — Autonomous Republic of Crimea
• CH — Sevastopol (city)
• LO — Luhansk region
• SA — Cherkasy region
• SV — Chernihiv region
• SE — Chernivtsi region

!Each region has its own unique code, which allows you to determine the place of registration of the vehicle.

The two-letter series following the regional code can be random or assigned according to local administrative rules. These letters help group license plates issued in a specific region and are used for vehicle registration and record-keeping. Series rarely repeat within the same region, ensuring the uniqueness of each plate.

Types of License Plates in Ukraine

There are several types of license plates in Ukraine. They differ in color and purpose. Each type of plate performs its own function and helps identify cars on the road.

Blue Plates

Blue plates are used by police cars. They help to quickly identify law enforcement vehicles. Such plates demonstrate that the car belongs to the state service.

Black Plates

Black numbers are intended for military vehicles. They indicate that the vehicle belongs to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. These numbers can be found on various military vehicles and official cars.

Yellow Plates

Yellow numbers refer to taxis and public transport. They help passengers easily recognize that it is a service taxi or bus. Such numbers of cars in Ukraine also help to comply with the rules of transportation of people.

Green Plates

Green numbers are used for environmentally friendly cars. These are primarily electric and hybrid cars. They show that the vehicle has a low impact on the environment.

Red Plates

Red numbers of cars by regions are temporary transit signs. They are often used for test drives or temporary registration of a car. Such numbers help to avoid problems when transporting vehicles.

Special and Personalized Plates

Special and custom license plates of Ukraine can have unique combinations. These plates appeared in the 2000s, and now car owners can choose the desired letters and numbers or simply create a personalized plate. These plates emphasize the individuality of the vehicle and its owner. Often, it's a special series of car plates that can be ordered separately.

What license plates can be highlighted as custom?

Plates with special numbers or series are entered into special official price lists for certain license plates in vehicle registration authorities. The most expensive are now plates from any region in the format 0001-0009, with the price of a plate reaching over $1000 USD (in equivalent).

Since 2023, the cost of a plate “0001” or “0007” has been set at 96 thousand UAH (approximately $2400 USD). The cost of the plate “7777” is 36 thousand UAH, while the cost of the plate “6666” has been reduced to 12 thousand UAH. The cost of a simple number selection is 360 UAH.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine reported that in 2023, 1110 plates with the combination "7777" were purchased, and only 206 plates with the combination "6666".

You can choose a license plate on the official website of the Main Service Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.

A custom license plate is a special inscription or image on the plate. Unlike digital plates, this plate will cost less. A custom plate can have both numbers and letters, as well as symbols or marks. The mentioned plates cannot replicate government or special license plates; for example, if the President of Ukraine has the plate "001АП", it is not possible to make the same custom plate, just as it is not allowed to repeat a regular plate, such as "АА 0001 АВ".

A custom license plate can be in the form of a word, name, or trademark, such as “НАТАЛКА” or “IBM 486”. A custom license plate can be made with the desired digits and cost much less than a regular one. For example, if you live in Uzhgorod and really want the plate "0001", then your plate will be "АО 0001 АС", where "АО" is the marking for Zakarpattia, "0001" is the number, and "АС" is the series. The cost of the license plate "АО 0001 АС" will be 96,000 UAH, while a custom license plate "А0001А" will cost only 570 UAH.

Requirements for custom license plates

1. They cannot be shorter than 3 characters
2. They cannot duplicate or repeat issued registration plates

Cost of custom license plates

Such a plate costs 300 UAH for the first three symbols (letters or numbers), and each subsequent symbol costs 90 UAH. The maximum number of symbols is 8 (since the license plate capacity is 4 letters and 4 digits, meaning 8 symbols) for cars, and only 6 symbols for motorcycles. If you want to add special features to the plate, it will cost an additional 228 UAH. Special features include certain symbols, such as a coat of arms, logo, or smiley.

Features of custom license plates for cars

1. A custom license plate can have any symbols, be written in Cyrillic or Latin, and have smileys, marks.
2. For any custom license plate, a regular license plate is always issued. For example, if your custom number is “ЮРА” and your car is registered in Lviv region, you will still have the regular plate "ВС ХХХХ УУ", where "ХХХХ" is any random number, "УУ" is random letters, and "ВС" is the Lviv region marking. Any plate can be used in Ukraine.
3. A custom license plate is not international and is only valid within Ukraine; when traveling abroad, you can only use the regular plate that comes with it, as described in point #2.
4. For a long time, custom license plates did not incur parking fines or fines from speed cameras, as they could not be recognized by the system.

Custom license plates in other countries

In other countries, the process of obtaining a custom license plate is significantly different. For example, in Georgia, custom plates are very expensive, with creating your own name costing from $1000-2000, while picking letters or digits costs around $100, regardless of whether it is “777” or “007” (in Georgia, there are 3 digits and 4 letters on the plate).

In Germany, a custom license plate with digits will not cost anything, but a custom one with letters is very expensive, so many people order digital plates. By the way, Germans do not like beautiful or "special" plates. In Germany, they are mostly used by people from Asia or the CIS.

License plates for the President, Verkhovna Rada

Currently, there are no special license plates on the vehicles of government bodies, but for security reasons of the country's top officials, "cover plates" may be used on the cars, plates that are not registered in any vehicle database.

Diplomatic or consular license plates

In Ukraine, there are special plates for diplomats or consular institutions. These plates are made with a white background and black letters, and have one or two letters, always "D" (diplomatic) or "CD", and 6 digits. The first 3 digits indicate the country or organization (the country or organization code, such as the UN), and the other 3 digits indicate the sequential, individual vehicle number.

History of cool, “special” plates

Ukrainians tend to choose a special number or series, something that is practically nonexistent in Germany. This is a cultural influence from Asia on Ukraine. We have already described the history of "special" plates, so we won't repeat it here. However, we note that Ukrainians prefer a regular digital plate with a nice combination over a custom plate.

DІA Plates

In 2025, cars in Ukraine appeared with license plates where the region is marked as “DI”, “PD”, “EC”, and “DC”, meaning instead of the usual "AA", "KE" for Kyiv, "АН" for Donetsk region, "АЕ", "КЕ" for Dnipropetrovsk region, these letters are used. For example, the plate could look like this: "DI 1245 YA".

The regional designation "DI" and "PD" is typical for cars that were re-registered from one owner to another through the "DІA" mobile application, without visiting the Ministry of Internal Affairs service center. The plates with the regions "EC" and "DC" were given to those who completed the re-registration through the driver's personal cabinet on the Ministry of Internal Affairs service center website.

According to reviews, people prefer regional plates more.

Disadvantages of having a regional designation on vehicle license plates

Such disadvantages started to manifest especially after 2014, although they existed before that. They appear due to the intolerance of some people who may point out that local residents from Lviv or Kyiv used to live on this street, and here you cannot park a car with Dnipro plates because "we live here". This situation existed before 2014 in Ukraine and is related to the attitudes of people, not the position of society or the state.

By the way, in Georgia, for similar reasons, codes marking the region were abolished, and for more than 12 years, there has been a system where you never know which region of Georgia a vehicle is from because the country is unified.

What Getmancar License Plates Look Like

Getmancar car numbers have a standard format accepted in Ukraine. The color of the numbers is white, with black letters and numbers. Sometimes special symbols may appear, for example, these may be additional letters. This is similar to car license plate series Ukraine used nationwide.                                                                                                            

Can You Tell If a Car Is a Rental by Its Plate?

Sometimes you can tell by the car number that it is rented. In most cases, rental companies use special series of numbers in Ukraine or stickers that stand out from the usual ones. However, a rented car may have a standard number that is indistinguishable from private cars. Therefore, it is not always possible to immediately determine by the number that the car is rented. Often it is better to find out by other signs, for example, by the company logo on the car or by information on the rental website. This applies equally to auto number plate series Ukraine.

Do License Plates Affect Parking and Driving Rules

License plates may affect parking and driving rules in Ukraine.

For example, some areas have restrictions for certain categories of cars. Cars with special plates may have access to designated parking lots or areas. Also, if the car has a company plate, such as a taxi or delivery service, special rules may apply.

What to Do If You Lose the Plate on a Rental Car

Losing a number plate on a rented car is an unpleasant situation, but it can be quickly resolved.

Action plan

1. Notify the company Getmancar — immediately after discovering the loss, contact the support service.
2. Follow further instructions — act according to the operator's advice.

Depending on the terms of the contract, the renter is responsible for the cost of replacing the number plate, except in cases of traffic accidents.

If you lost the number plate on your own car

1. Contact companies that produce number plates.
2. Your number plate will be restored in 30 minutes.
3. The cost of restoration is 295 UAH for one number plate or 550 UAH for a pair.

In Ukraine, such companies operate officially and produce plates according to the state standard.

It is definitely not necessary to contact the police or vehicle registration authorities. This is:

1. Expensive
2. Time-consuming
3. Creates a lot of problems

For example, if you contact the police, in addition to the same financial expenses, you will also waste time writing reports and explanations. Then, your number will be added to the lost database, and after the restoration of the number, it will still be in the database. As a result, at every checkpoint where "Rubezh" cameras (vehicle movement control system) are installed, your car will be stopped and checked.

For example, this process is different from other countries. For instance, in Georgia, to restore a number, you need to go to the police service center, and only there will the number be restored, but they will not stop you. In Germany, if a plate is stolen, you go to the police, and they do not provide a replacement of the same plate, but instead issue a completely new number plate because they believe the first one was stolen for committing crimes.

Contact Getmancar and we will make your Renting a car in Kyiv, renting a car in Dnipro, or renting a car in Lviv  more comfortable and safe.