What are the standard licence plate number patterns for each state?
This will help you avoid a toll invoice/notice or paying for someone else’s trips.
Tips:
- The vehicle’s state of registration might be different to the state you plan to travel in. Check the plate—particularly if it's not your vehicle—so the state you enter and the plate pattern match.
- Check that the letters and numbers have been entered correctly. The letter O and the number 0 can sometime look alike on certain licence plates; so can the letter I and the number 1.
- In the table below, A = a letter and N = a number. (E.g. AAANNN would represent a license plate number like ABC123.) If a different character is shown, it represents that specific character, like in South Australia.
- These patterns don’t apply to custom plates, motorcycles or taxis, and not all licence plates will follow these patterns. The following table is a guide only.
| Vehicle's state of registration | Standard number plate patterns A = letter N = number If a different character is shown, it represents that specific character. |
|---|---|
| New South Wales (NSW) | – AANNAA (two letters, two numbers, two letters) – AAANNA (three letters, two numbers, one letter) |
| Queensland (QLD) | – NNNAAA (three letters, three numbers) |
| Victoria (VIC) | – AAANNN (three letters, three numbers) – 1AANAA (number 1, two letters, one number, two letters) |
| South Australia (SA) | – SNNNAAA (letter S, three numbers, three letters) |
| Western Australia (WA) | – NAAANNN (one number, three letters, three numbers) |
| Australian Capital Territory (ACT) | – YAANNA (letter Y, two letters, two numbers, one letter) |
| Tasmania (TAS) | – ANNAA (one letter, two numbers, two letters) |
| Northern Territory (NT) | – CANNAA (letter C, one letter, two numbers, two letters) |
Check your number plate here.
