Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Existing codes among the ordinary series – Cars – 1962-1973

2. Between 1962 and 1973

Codes 6 to 9 (XX.111, 1.XX.11, 11.XX.1, 111.XX):

The issued series are composed of any two letters except I, O and Q, and excluding series between EA and EZ, GA and GZ, LA and LZ, MA and MZ, and PA and PZ, all of which were reserved for the now obsolete motorcycle licence plates. (This implies that all red-on-white plates composed of two letters and three digits which start either by E, G, L, M or P are vanity plates.)
  • Issued series: AB, AC, AD, AE, AF, AG, AH, AJ, AK, AL, AM, AN, AP, AR, AS, AT, AU, AV, AW, AX, AY, AZ, BA, BB, BC, BD, BE, BF, BG, BH, BJ, BK, BL, BM, BN, BP, BR, BS, BT, BU, BV, BW, BX, BY, BZ, CA, CB, CC, CE, CF, CG, CH, CJ, CK, CL, CM, CN, CP, CR, CS, CT, CU, CV, CW, CX, CY, CZ, DA, DB, DC, DD, DE, DF, DG, DH, DJ, DK, DL, DM, DN, DP, DR, DS, DT, DU, DV, DW, DX, DY, DZ, FA, FB, FC, FD, FE, FF, FG, FH, FJ, FK, FL, FM, FN, FP, FR, FS, FT, FU, FV, FW, FX, FY, FZ, HA, HB, HC, HD, HE, HF, HG, HH, HJ, HK, HL, HM, HN, HP, HR, HS, HT, HU, HV, HW, HX, HY, HZ, JA, JB, JC, JE, JF, JG, JH, JJ, JK, JL, JM, JN, JP, JR, JS, JT, JU, JV, JW, JX, JY, JZ, KA, KB, KC, KD, KE, KF, KG, KH, KJ, KL, KM, KN, KP, KR, KS, KT, KU, KV, KW, KX, KY, KZ, NA, NB, NC, ND, NE, NF, NG, NH, NJ, NK, NL, NM, NN, NP, NR, NS, NT, NU, NV, NW, NX, NY, NZ, RA, RB, RC, RD, RE, RF, RG, RH, RJ, RK, RL, RM, RN, RP, RR, RS, RT, RU, RV, RW, RX, RY, RZ, SA, SB, SC, SD, SE, SF, SG, SH, SJ, SK, SL, SM, SN, SP, SR, ST, SU, SV, SW, SX, SY, SZ, TA, TB, TC, TD, TE, TF, TG, TH, TJ, TK, TL, TM, TN, TP, TR, TS, TT, TU, TV, TW, TX, TY, TZ, UA, UB, UC, UD, UE, UF, UG, UH, UJ, UK, UL, UM, UN, UP, UR, US, UT, UU, UV, UW, UX, UY, UZ, VA, VB, VC, VD, VE, VF, VG, VH, VJ, VK, VL, VM, VP, VR, VS, VT, VU, VV, VW, VX, VY, VZ, XA, XB, XC, XD, XE, XF, XG, XH, XJ, XK, XL, XM, XN, XP, XR, XS, XT, XU, XV, XW, XX, XY, XZ, YA, YB, YC, YD, YE, YF, YG, YH, YJ, YK, YL, YM, YN, YP, YR, YS, YT, YU, YV, YW, YX, YY, YZ, ZA, ZB, ZC, ZD, ZE, ZF, ZG, ZH, ZJ, ZK, ZL, ZM, ZN, ZP, ZR, ZS, ZT, ZU, ZV, ZW, ZX, ZY, ZZ.
  • Forbidden codes: AA, CD (reserved for diplomatic corps), KK (due to euphony with 'caca', 'shit' in French), SS (to avoid any bad memories with the WW II Schutzstaffel), VN (reserved for NATO personnel), WC ('toilets').
  • Codes that could/should have been forbidden: SB (already used by US forces in Belgium, SB for 'SHAPE Belgium'), SM ('sadomasochism'), SP ('Socialistische Partij' :: Dutch name of the Socialist Party).
  • Codes that can be read in a funny way: BB ('bébé' :: 'baby' in French), DD ('Dédé' :: diminutive of 'André', a French first name corresponding to 'Andrew/Andy'), HT ('acheté' :: 'bought' in French), KC ('cassé' :: 'broken' in French), NU ('nu' : 'naked' in French; 'nu' :: 'now' in Dutch), RV ('Hervé', a French first name), TE ('te' :: ± 'to' in Dutch), TT ('tété' :: '[who] drank milk'), TU ('tu' :: singular 'you' in French), TV, UN ('un' :: 'one' in French), UP, US, VA ('va' :: 'go [away]' in French), VC ('vécé' :: 'WC' in French), VS ('Verenigde Staten' :: 'United States' in Dutch), VU ('vu' :: 'seen' in French), VW ('Volkswagen'), WY ('wij' :: 'we' in Dutch), ZE ('ze' :: 'she' or 'they' in Dutch).
  • Total: +++++++++++

Code 10 (X.111.X):

Warning: '111' stands for any combination of three digits except '000'. The letters I, O and Q were not used in any combination. Furthermore, the following series have never been issued:
  • Bewteen A.111.A and A.111.Z: the DIV simply skipped these series, perhaps to avoid any confusion with the ministers' "A plates" (e.g. A.53).
  • Between B.111.A and B.111.Z: these series were used on personal vehicles of Belgian troops in Germany, first as white-on-black plates with German-style characters, then as red-on-white reflecting plates with Belgian-style characters — although these plates are not mentioned anywhere in the law.
  • Between X.111.W and X.111.Z, between Y.111.A and Y.111.Z, and between Z.111.A and Z.111.Z because the DIV simply skipped them so as to start issuing the code 11 plates as of 1973.
  • Existing codes: C.111.A, C.111.B, C.111.C, C.111.D, C.111.E, C.111.F, C.111.G, C.111.H, C.111.J, C.111.K, C.111.L, C.111.M, C.111.N, C.111.P, C.111.R, C.111.S, C.111.T, C.111.U, C.111.V, C.111.W, C.111.X, C.111.Y, C.111.Z, D.111.A,D.111.B, D.111.C, D.111.D, D.111.E, D.111.F, D.111.G, D.111.H, D.111.J, D.111.K, D.111.L, D.111.M, D.111.N, D.111.P, D.111.R, D.111.S, D.111.T, D.111.U, D.111.V, D.111.W, D.111.X, D.111.Y, D.111.Z, E.111.A, E.111.B, E.111.C, E.111.D, E.111.E, E.111.F, E.111.G, E.111.H, E.111.J, E.111.K, E.111.L, E.111.M, E.111.N, E.111.P, E.111.R, E.111.S, E.111.T, E.111.U, E.111.V, E.111.W, E.111.X, E.111.Y, E.111.Z, F.111.A, F.111.B, F.111.C, F.111.D, F.111.E, F.111.F, F.111.G, F.111.H, F.111.J, F.111.K, F.111.L, F.111.M, F.111.N, F.111.P, F.111.R, F.111.S, F.111.T, F.111.U, F.111.V, F.111.W, F.111.X, F.111.Y, F.111.Z, G.111.A, G.111.B, G.111.C, G.111.D, G.111.E, G.111.F, G.111.G, G.111.H, G.111.J, G.111.K, G.111.L, G.111.M, G.111.N, G.111.P, G.111.R, G.111.S, G.111.T, G.111.U, G.111.V, G.111.W, G.111.X, G.111.Y, G.111.Z, H.111.A, H.111.B, H.111.C, H.111.D, H.111.E, H.111.F, H.111.G, H.111.H, H.111.J, H.111.K, H.111.L, H.111.M, H.111.N, H.111.P, H.111.R, H.111.S, H.111.T, H.111.U, H.111.V, H.111.W, H.111.X, H.111.Y, H.111.Z, J.111.A, J.111.B, J.111.C, J.111.D, J.111.E, J.111.F, J.111.G, J.111.H, J.111.J, J.111.K, J.111.L, J.111.M, J.111.N, J.111.P, J.111.R, J.111.S, J.111.T, J.111.U, J.111.V, J.111.W, J.111.X, J.111.Y, J.111.Z, K.111.A, K.111.B, K.111.C, K.111.D, K.111.E, K.111.F, K.111.G, K.111.H, K.111.J, K.111.K, K.111.L, K.111.M, K.111.N, K.111.P, K.111.R, K.111.S, K.111.T, K.111.U, K.111.V, K.111.W, K.111.X, K.111.Y, K.111.Z, L.111.A, L.111.B, L.111.C, L.111.D, L.111.E, L.111.F, L.111.G, L.111.H, L.111.J, L.111.K, L.111.L, L.111.M, L.111.N, L.111.P, L.111.R, L.111.S, L.111.T, L.111.U, L.111.V, L.111.W, L.111.X, L.111.Y, L.111.Z, M.111.A, M.111.B, M.111.C, M.111.D, M.111.E, M.111.F, M.111.G, M.111.H, M.111.J, M.111.K, M.111.L, M.111.M, M.111.N, M.111.P, M.111.R, M.111.S, M.111.T, M.111.U, M.111.V, M.111.W, M.111.X, M.111.Y, M.111.Z, N.111.A, N.111.B, N.111.C, N.111.D, N.111.E, N.111.F, N.111.G, N.111.H, N.111.J, N.111.K, N.111.L, N.111.M, N.111.N, N.111.P, N.111.R, N.111.S, N.111.T, N.111.U, N.111.V, N.111.W, N.111.X, N.111.Y, N.111.Z, P.111.A, P.111.B, P.111.C, P.111.D, P.111.E, P.111.F, P.111.G, P.111.H, P.111.J, P.111.K, P.111.L, P.111.M, P.111.N, P.111.P, P.111.R, P.111.S, P.111.T, P.111.U, P.111.V, P.111.W, P.111.X, P.111.Y, P.111.Z, R.111.A, R.111.B, R.111.C, R.111.D, R.111.E, R.111.F, R.111.G, R.111.H, R.111.J, R.111.K, R.111.L, R.111.M, R.111.N, R.111.P, R.111.R, R.111.S, R.111.T, R.111.U, R.111.V, R.111.W, R.111.X, R.111.Y, R.111.Z, S.111.A, S.111.B, S.111.C, S.111.D, S.111.E, S.111.F, S.111.G, S.111.H, S.111.J, S.111.K, S.111.L, S.111.M, S.111.N, S.111.P, S.111.R, S.111.S, S.111.T, S.111.U, S.111.V, S.111.W, S.111.X, S.111.Y, S.111.Z, T.111.A, T.111.B, T.111.C, T.111.D, T.111.E, T.111.F, T.111.G, T.111.H, T.111.J, T.111.K, T.111.L, T.111.M, T.111.N, T.111.P, T.111.R, T.111.S, T.111.T, T.111.U, T.111.V, T.111.W, T.111.X, T.111.Y, T.111.Z, U.111.A, U.111.B, U.111.C, U.111.D, U.111.E, U.111.F, U.111.G, U.111.H, U.111.J, U.111.K, U.111.L, U.111.M, U.111.N, U.111.P, U.111.R, U.111.S, U.111.T, U.111.U, U.111.V, U.111.W, U.111.X, U.111.Y, U.111.Z, V.111.A, V.111.B, V.111.C, V.111.D, V.111.E, V.111.F, V.111.G, V.111.H, V.111.J, V.111.K, V.111.L, V.111.M, V.111.N, V.111.P, V.111.R, V.111.S, V.111.T, V.111.U, V.111.V, V.111.W, V.111.X, V.111.Y, V.111.Z, W.111.A, W.111.B, W.111.C, W.111.D, W.111.E, W.111.F, W.111.G, W.111.H, W.111.J, W.111.K, W.111.L, W.111.M, W.111.N, W.111.P, W.111.R, W.111.S, W.111.T, W.111.U, W.111.V, W.111.W, W.111.X, W.111.Y, W.111.Z, X.111.A, X.111.B, X.111.C, X.111.D, X.111.E, X.111.F, X.111.G, X.111.H, X.111.J, X.111.K, X.111.L, X.111.M, X.111.N, X.111.P, X.111.R,X.111.S, X.111.T, X.111.U, X.111.V.
  • Total: (23 x 23 x 999) – (4 x 999) = 524,480 plates.