Vehicle registration plates of Trinidad and Tobago

Introduction

1980s passenger vehicle plate

Vehicle registration plates in Trinidad and Tobago or commonly called "Number Plates" locally, are categorized using prefixes based on the type of vehicle and feature up to four succeeding digits. Registration plates in Trinidad and Tobago are supposed to be either white figures on a black background or black figures on a white background. All motor vehicles that are operating in the roads of Trinidad and Tobago are required by law to have a registration plate affixed to the front and rear of the vehicle at all times except during very specific situations. This current system has been present for over 40 years.

Prefix

Each registration number begins with a letter designating type of vehicle.

Prefix: Type of Vehicle
P- eg: PCB 9629 Private Vehicle (Non Commercial)
D- eg: D 011 Demonstration Vehicle (usually used by Automobile Dealerships and RORO Car Dealers

after Importing a Foreign Used Car) Gives permission to drive vehicle on public roads, special permit is required.

R- eg: RDB 9629 Rental Vehicle
H- eg: HCY 9629 Hired Vehicle, bus, taxi, maxi-taxi.
V- eg: V 122 Visitors
X- eg: XCN 9629 Terrestrial vehicles e.g. Paver (vehicle), extra heavy cranes.
T- eg: TCR 9629 Transportation (Goods) Vehicles, Pickup Trucks, Lorrys and Trucks.

Plates for each type are issued in alphabetical order, with the letters CG, I, Q, and V excluded so as to avoid conflict with 1, O and diplomatic including the military and coast guard initials.

Special plates

Sequence number

Registration numbers have been issued in a prefix of letter "series", followed by the assigned numbers from 1 - 9999. When the number 9999 has been issued, the Licensing Authority then starts a new lettering "series" beginning from 1.The first registered vehicles bore the registration mark P 1, P 2, P 3 etc. Depending on the classification of the vehicle, the leading letter would reflect its use. A goods vehicle would have been e.g. T 567. A hired vehicle (taxi) would have been H 1998.

Upon the issue of registration number P 9999, a new "series" was issued; That was PA. From a goods vehicle TA. It started at PA 1 and ended at PA 9999. At the end of the end of that series, a new "series" was issued being PB. And so it continued. Upon the issuance of Registration number PZ 9999, The "series" then added a third letter and began PAA, or TAA for a goods vehicle, and HAA for a taxi. The first registration number in that "series" being PAA 1, and the last PAA 9999. The following "series" followed suit; PAB; PAC; PAD etc. Upon the issuance of the last in the PAZ "series" the new "series" began as PBA' followed by PBB, PBC, PBD etc. At the end of the PBZ "series", the new "series" began PCA, followed by PCB, PCC, PCD etc. With the noted exception of PCG, as this would have caused two main concerns, the first being the similarity to the Coast Guards registration mark of TTCG when issued for a goods vehicle, and the second being the similarity to the previously issued PCC "series".The final series for the "C" generation of series commenced in May 2013. The first series for the "D" generation commenced in November 2013.

Appearance

The Motor Vehicle Act of Trinidad & Tobago specifies the use of either "white letters and numbers on a black surface" or alternatively, "the letters and numbers shall be black on a white surface." In both instances the regulations states that "every letter or figure shall be indelibly inscribed or so attached to such surface that it cannot readily be detached therefrom" . The Licensing Authority is only responsible for issuing the registration number, it is the duty of the owner to get the license plate made in a graphic shop,

The choice of the colour scheme is left up to the owner of the vehicle. Most common is the white figures on black background style. Generally, vehicle owners tend to purchase a colour scheme that follows: White or light coloured vehicles get the white surface with black letters whereas Black or dark coloured vehicles get the black surface with white letters.

Apart from the colour scheme, various styles of number plates can be bought such as: "Embossed " which are a machine stamped type metal plate that usually cost approx TT$200 per pair, "Lenny's" a term derived based on the alleged inventor of the style, or "Bones" which are the 3D, bevelled letters that can be either black or white affixed to a white or black metal backing this usually costs approx upwards of $600TT per pair or the regular plastic plates that are made with graphics these usually cost approx $80TT per pair. There are also much other variants such as reflective backgrounds for both "Lenny's" or "Embossed" but those are a bit more expensive.

Further to this, there are also physical dimensions of the number plate that are important. Different vehicles may require different types of plates due to physical space available to mount the number plate. There are two types of number plates that are available: Rectangular and Squared plates:

The rectangular plates have all letters and numbers in one row.

EG: PCG 2344

The square plates have the letters and numbers in two rows:

EG:

.PCV

1234

Meaning therefore, to select a plate for your vehicle you have three different characteristics: Colour Scheme, Style and Type.

Current

The current series which became effective the week beginning April 22nd 2016 is "DM": Example PDM 1, HDM 868, TDM 2386, etc.

There has been officially over one million vehicles registered for use on the roads of Trinidad & Tobago.

Future

In April 2014, Transport Minister Stephen Cadiz announced that by September 2014, a newly-designed licence plate, drivers’ permit, and new centres for the registration and licensing of vehicles will become available. He added, the public will see the introduction of new number plates, which will come in 18 designs, with security markings to be manufactured abroad. New registration and validation certificates will be administered and each vehicle entering the country will be tagged with a radio frequency identification marker (RFID) for additional security.[1]

References

  1. ↑ The Trinidad Express Newspaper
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