How to choose car plates in Cyprus?

It is really hard to live in Cyprus and not have a car.

That is why every Cypriot family usually has at least two cars. Foreigners who move to the island do not think twice before buying a car. Some prefer new cars, others used ones. It is interesting to note that locals often do not bother with car number plates, but this is not the case of newcomers, many of whom are willing to pay extra for a nice combination of letters and numbers on their car.

What is the principle of number plates in Cyprus?

Number plates in Cyprus are considered beautiful if at least two letters or numbers match. The more matches, the more memorable and presentable the plate. The most popular numbers on the island tend to end in 001, 777 and 999. Number plates in Cyprus are subject to certain rules. Only 12 letters from the alphabet are used: A, B, E, H, K, M, N, P, T, X, Y, Z. Incidentally, you will never see specific Greek letters such as Ω or Ξ on cars on the island's roads.

As for numbers, there are exceptions. As Cypriots are very religious people, the numbers 13, 69 and 666 will never appear on number plates. To keep them out of harm's way, so to speak. It should be noted that the ban on 666 was introduced in 1998 following numerous complaints from locals. Most of them pointed out that it was a bad omen to see a car with the number 666 on the road. A similar fate befell numbers 13 and 69 in 2002.

If you buy a used car on the local market, do not expect it to come with a nice number plate. On the contrary, it will be a complete "vinaigrette". Furthermore, you will not be able to change the number plate. According to Cypriot rules, it passes to the new owner "by inheritance". The situation is different if you buy a new car from a dealer or import a car from abroad and then register it. In this case, the buyer has the right to choose the number.

If you want a 'nice' number plate, buy it at auction

The sale of number plates at auctions in Cyprus began in 2016. Given the interest of the island's residents in acquiring plates with a "lucky" number combination, the authorities decided to monetise this process, which has allowed the state coffers to be replenished with several million euros in a short period of time.

The auctions are open only to owners of new cars. Bids start at 50 euros and can go up to infinity. The auction of each series of letters is limited in time. At the end of the auction, the "lucky" numbers go to the highest bidders. All others will be sold at 100 Euros.

To buy a "nice" number plate, you must buy a car and import it into Cyprus. Auctions are open not only to private individuals but also to car dealers. It is therefore possible to buy a car with a "lucky" number plate from a car dealer in Cyprus. As mentioned above, the number plate is assigned to a particular car for life. If the car is sold, the number plate remains with the car. It is not possible to change the number plate of a car registered in Cyprus.

Auctions for number plates in Cyprus are held on the website of the Road Transport Department. To see what is available and to buy your favourite number plate, you must register on the Department's portal. To do this, you must be a holder of a local licence. Otherwise, you will not be able to register and log in, even to see what is currently available. As a last resort, you could ask a friend who has a Cypriot licence. That way you'll at least know what to expect. There may be no point in overpaying for a combination of letters and numbers that does not suit you.

Incidentally, if you do not care what number plate your car will have, you will not have to pay anything. The Road Traffic Department assigns to the owner of a car registered in Cyprus a random number from the letter series currently in use.

How do I register on the website of the Cyprus Road Traffic Department?

To register on the website of the Road Traffic Department, you need to fill in a special form in which you should provide the standard information: first name, surname, identity card details, driving licence number, etc.

You will then receive an email with a link to follow in order to complete the registration process. Now you can not only participate in the licence plate auction, but also have access to various useful information.

What can I do in my user account?

In the user account you can:

1. Change the password of his/her account;
2. Change the address of his/her registration;
3. View all the data of the vehicle registered to him/her;
4. View personal information;
5. Register for a driving test (if you have a learner's licence);
6. Make an application for a vehicle conversion;
7. Buy a number plate for your new car at auction;
8. apply to have your car cancelled (for example, if it has been involved in an accident) so that you do not have to pay road tax.

Recall that in 2017, the Road Transport Department drafted a law allowing the use of plates like ANDREAS, NATASHA or ILOVEYOU. In many countries there is already a similar practice of selling unusual licence plates, which generates significant sums for the state coffers. But after a heated debate, the Cypriot parliament rejected the idea.

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