Old South African Number Plates List Instant

In the early to mid-1990s, the system began to standardize ahead of the new political dispensation. The provincial boundaries were redrawn, creating nine new provinces. The numbering system shifted from prefix-based identification to a suffix-based system.

This guide provides a comprehensive list of these old number plates, helping collectors, history buffs, and curious locals decode the origins of vintage vehicles.

There were also special issue plates. For example, or Official vehicles had specific colorings ( old south african number plates list

As the economic heart of the country, Transvaal plates were ubiquitous. They typically started with the letter . As the volume of cars grew, they expanded to M , N , P , and R series for the Witwatersrand and Pretoria regions specifically.

Note: Road traffic regulations vary by province. While old number plates can be displayed on classic cars for show purposes, driving on public roads requires a current, SABS-approved plate with the correct reflective sheen and font. In the early to mid-1990s, the system began

The earliest of these transitional plates (1994-1995) used two-letter codes only (e.g., GP 12345 ). The three-letter codes (e.g., KZN 12345 ) appeared later. Plates with "TR" (Transitional) or "SO" (Southern) are extremely rare misprints/experiments.

Known for the simplest code: "O".

For a truly obscure list, you need the former "independent" and "self-governing" homelands. These issued plates entirely outside the South African system and are rare: