Number plates in Ireland conform to the European standard, with a blue band and the stars of the European union. The numbers on a plate follow the following format reading from left to right:
- A two-digit year identifier.
- A one- or two-letter county identifier.
- A sequence number, starting with 1.
Typically, a populous area with many registrations has a one-letter code, with others getting two letters.
The general rule for two-letter codes is: The initial letter of the county name (in English) is used, followed the final letter. Exceptions where ambiguous.
The changed specification is given in Irish Statute Statutory Instrument No. 432 of 1999 titled "VEHICLE REGISTRATION AND TAXATION (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1999." The original SI 318 of 1992 should also be consulted.
The letters are as follows:
- County Carlow - CW
- County Cavan - CN
- County Clare - CL
- County Cork - C
- County Donegal - DL
- County Dublin - D - by far the most common
- County Galway - G
- County Kerry - KY
- County Kildare - KE
- County Kilkenny - KK
- County Laois - LS
- County Leitrim - LM
- County Limerick - LK
- Limerick City - L
- County Longford - LD
- County Louth - LH
- County Mayo - MO
- County Meath - MH
- County Monaghan - MN
- County Offaly OY
- County Roscommon - RN
- County Sligo - SO
- County Tipperary - TN for North Riding, and TS for South Riding
- County Waterford - WD
- Waterford City - W
- County Westmeath - WH
- County Wexford - WX
- County Wicklow - WW
Full specification is in the Statutory Instruments of 1999:
and 1992
