Vehicle registration plates of Afghanistan were introduced in 1970. The current version was introduced in 2004. The dimensions of the license plates are approximately .
License plates are bilingual in Afghanistan; their general format includes the name of the province in either Persian or Pashto, with a corresponding Latin 3-letter code, a numerical code which ranges from 1 digit to 5 digits, and the class of the vehicle, identified by a Persian letter, and a corresponding Latin letter, or 3 in case of private vehicles.
However, the 5-digit code in the capital province of Kabul was exhausted. Thus, newer license plates have an additional extra digit, only in Persian, located separately from the actual numerical code. In addition, two hyphens are shown at the top and bottom of the 6th number.
Vehicle types Vehicle types Type Colour Sample Persian Code Latin Code Bus Yellow, black letters ب B Diplomatic Red, white letters None CD Governmental Black, white letters - - Lorry White, black letters ل L Motorcycle White, black letters م M Private White, black letters ش PRV PrivateDuplicate White, black letters ش م/ث DUPL PrivateTemporary(1) White, black letters, red letters ش - موقت TEMP Rickshaw White, black letters ر TRC Taxi Yellow, black letters ت T United Nations Blue, black letters None None Notes Temporary license plates began being issued by the authorities of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in September 2023. These license plates are valid for a period of three years, and are issued to vehicles that do not have official ownership deed and registration. They are mostly left-hand drive vehicles (steering wheel installed on the right-hand side of the car), imported from Pakistan or elsewhere, as they do not meet the basic requirement of legal registration. Nevertheless, installing license plates and keeping track of such cars, as well as facilitating their legal sale and purchase made it necessary to come up with a registration provision.
Provinces In Afghanistan, license plates indicate the province in which the vehicle is registered in, both in Persian or Pashto, and with a 3-Letter Latin Code. Below is the Persian/Pashto name of each province and the 3-letter code shown on the license plate for each province.
+ Provinces of AfghanistanReferences and details on data provided in the table can be found within the individual provincial articles.ProvincePersian/PashtoLatin CodeProvincePersian/PashtoLatin Code Badakhshan بدخشان BDN Kunar کونر KNR Badghis بادغیس BDS Kunduz کندوز KDZ Baghlan بغلان BAG Laghman لغمان LGM Balkh بلخ BLH Logar لوگر LGR Bamyan بامیان BMN Nangarhar ننگرهار NGR Daykundi دایکندی DYK Nimruz نیمروز NRZ Farah فراه FRH Nuristan نورستان NUR Faryab فاریاب FRB Paktia پکتیا PAK Ghazni غزنی GZN Paktika پکتیکا PKT Ghor غور GHR Panjshir پنجیشیر PJR Helmand هملند HEL Parwan پروان PRN Herat هرات HRT Samangan سمنگان SAM Jowzjan جوزجان JZJ Sar-e Pol سرپل SPL Kabul کابل KBL Takhar تخار TAK Kandahar کندهار KDR Urozgan اروزگان ORZ Kapisa کپیسا KAP Wardak وردک WDK Khost خوست KST Zabul زابل ZBL
Cross-border international plates Beginning in January 2026, plates bearing only Western Arabic numerals and category (e.g. BUS) were issued in Herat province to taxis, buses and cargo trucks operating between Afghanistan and Iran, with plans to further expand to other provinces.
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