The Australian state of Victoria requires its residents to register their motor vehicles and display vehicle registration plates.http://www.worldlicenseplates.com/world/AU_VICT.html Current regular issue plates are to the standard Australian dimensions of in length by in height, but Victoria has used its own serial dies since 1977.
Issuing authorities Victoria Police: originally Transport Regulation Board: prior to 1982 Road Traffic Authority: 1982–1989 VicRoads: 1989–present
Previous general series Cars 1910–1939: nnn·nnn - Numerals only, not letters. 1939–1953: AB·nnn – AA-000 to ZZ-999, I and Q are not issued. 1953–1977: GAB·nnn – GAA-000 to LZZ-999, I and Q are not issued until the I series plates 1977–1994: ABC-nnn – AAA-000 to FZZ-999; RAA-000 to RBZ-999 1994–2013: NAB-nnn – NAA-000 to QZZ-999; RCA-000 to UZZ-999; WAA-000 to ZZZ-999
Trailers 1910–1930: nnn·nnn 1930–1963: Tnn·nnn – T-1 to T31-999 1963–1977: Tnn·nnn – G00-000 to M36-999 1977–1994: Tnn-nnn – A00-000 to E55-999 1994–2022: Tnn-nnn – E56-000 to Z99-999 then reissues from B00-000 to D99-999
Motorcycles 1910–1953: nn·nnn 1953–1977: AB·nnn – AA-000 to DZ-999; GA-000 to HZ-999; JA-000 to LZ-999 1977–1994: AB-nnn – MA-000 to PZ-999; RA-000 to WO-999 1994–2010: AB-nnn – WP-000 to ZZ-999; AA-000 to JZ-999
Registration plates have been issued in Victoria since 1910. Like other Australian plates, these are usually particular to a vehicle, changing hands with it, and are generally permanent (yearly registration is required, however). Victorian registration plates are manufactured at Hopkins Correctional Centre in Ararat, Victoria.
Initial Victorian plates, issued from 1910 to 1939, were in numerals only, from 1 to 285-000. From 1930, "Vic" inserts were added vertically down the left-hand side of the plate.
In 1939, Victoria switched to a two-letter, three-number scheme (AA-000 to ZZ-999) of which also bear "Vic" down the left-hand side. This format was later used for motorcycles. In 1972, the two-letter, three-number scheme was reintroduced as an optional, personalised plate style for cars. These had an embossed "Vic" above the plate's embossed characters in full length.
From January 1953, owing to the Federal number plate system, Victorian plates switched to the three-letter, three-number standard: GAA-000 to HZZ-999, and JAA-000 to LZZ-999, coloured white lettering on a black background, and a "Vic" insert on the top of the plate.New Number Plate Issue for NSW, Vic Cars Truck & Bus Transportation January 1951 page 64 The first three-lettered plate, GAA-000 was issued on 27 January 1953. The letters "I" and "Q" were not issued in any combinations, due to these being easily mistaken for "1" and "O" or "0". For the same reason, In 1964, Victoria skipped the I-prefix series and went straight from HZZ-999 to JAA-000. However, having reached the end of their Federal allotment of letters, Victoria in 1974 commenced from LZZ-999 to IAA-000 (in some later plate sequences, the capital I had noticeable staves to tell them apart from the number 1. The earlier sequences did not, due to the I-series plates being made by two different manufacturers, who used different dies for the "I"). This was only a temporary measure, naturally, as Victoria faced the same problem having proceeded through the I-series three years later.
Having exhausted the I-series plates, in November 1977, reflective green-on-white plates were introduced, beginning at AAA-000 and running to FZZ-999, and then skipping to a brief run of RAA-000 to RBZ-999 in 1994 (free issued as a replacement for defective A and B series plates), bearing the slogan Victoria – Garden State at the bottom of the plate initiated by premier Rupert Hamer.Registration Plates Fleetline issue 29 December 1977 page 11Registration Notes Fleetline issue 236 May 1995 page 96 In the early 1990s, it was discovered that the reflective properties of many registration plates in the range from AAA-000 to EZZ-999, and principally the C-series, were defective and this had coincided with the rapid introduction of traffic enforcement cameras in Victoria. Due to the number of plates which were unidentifiable in photographs, all defective plates were recalled and new plates issued free of charge. This caused the rapid consumption of the plate stocks especially late in the F-series and some plates (those were starting with FVA-000 to FVZ-999 and FYA-000 to FYZ-999) were produced in Queensland to meet demand. These plates are identifiable by their different embossed dies and vertical diamond separator (as opposed to Victoria's horizontal diamond). It is a popular myth that the defective paint was caused by prisoners manufacturing the plates urinating in the paint mixture.
To commemorate the 150th anniversary of European settlement in Victoria, plates from late 1984 to 1985 bore the slogan Victoria – 150 Years across the bottom. These plates were issued for the CBK-000 to CDZ-999 range and were the same green colour. In 1985, some of the CGI-000 to CGQ-999 or CGZ-999 series plates bore the slogan Vic – Nuclear Free State across the bottom, also in green initiated by John Cain the premier at the time. The Vic - Nuclear Free State slogan was also available on some ordered plates in 1985. For the Australian Bicentenary in 1988, plates in the DJE-000 to DRZ-999 range bore the "Vic" insert vertically down the left-hand side and the slogan Australia 1788 – 1988 in green across the bottom. In 1992, the EWA-000 to EYF-999 plates were produced with the slogan Victoria – Drive Safely across the bottom in green.
In September 1994, in an initiative by Liberal Premier, Jeff Kennett, reflective blue-on-white plates were introduced, beginning at NAA-000 and ending at QDQ-999. The diamond-dot in the middle was changed to the state logo of a blue St Edward's Crown over an upside-down blue triangle with the Victorian Southern Cross in white inside. These plates bore the slogan Victoria – On the Move across the bottom. In 1996, shorter slimline plates which bear the "Vic" insert vertically down the left-hand-side, and use a different font were issued. These are usually the same width as regular plates and were offered as remakes of existing plates in either blue or green on white, all with the Victoria – On the Move slogan. Unlike slimline or premium plates used in other states, Victorian premium plates follow the same numbering as standard plates, meaning a slimline plate can be matched with a full-sized equivalent.
After the Labor Party headed by Steve Bracks was elected at the September 1999 state election, the Premier by press release on 4 January 2000 announced a public campaign to choose a new slogan that ended on 21 January. This was done because of the affiliation of the old design and slogan to previous government. The old state logo and motto were phased out in February 2000 to prepare for the introduction of a new one. Until the new design was finalised, interim plates in the QDR-000 to QNF-999 series reverted to the old diamond-dot with just Victoria stated across the bottom (for the regular size) and "Vic" vertically printed on the left-hand side for the slimline design.
On 18 May 2000, Bracks announced the winning slogan to be Victoria – The Place to Be, as nominated by three contestants. This was controversial as it was later learned that the government had paid an advertising firm associated with the Labor Party to assist with the slogan and updated plate design despite it being presented as a public competition. The first plates were issued on 17 October 2000 to the three winning entrants. Starting with QNG-000, these plates dispensed with the diamond-dot separator for the new state logo—an enlarged blue triangle containing the Victorian Southern Cross—the top of which merging with the upper border of the plate. The slimline version retained the previous interim design, which remains the current style.
In December 2010 the new Ted Baillieu Liberal government announced its intent to drop the slogan The Place to Be from the regular sized plates. On 10 June 2013 the Victorian government announced that the current series was exhausted with the final plate ZZZ-999 already purchased.
Current general series For information regarding skipped combinations please refer to Skipped Combinations section
Vehicles: 2GJ-1AA EJA·nnn Trailers: 700-00E Motorcycles: 3K-1AA
The new series utilises the format naa-naa starting from 1AA-1AA and was launched on 19 August 2013 using the slogan Vic – Stay Alert Stay Alive. The new format is estimated to last for 50 years. During the transitional period, Z-series stocks will still be available for motorists who lose or damage their plates, while the new series will be for general everyday issue. This combination with four separate sequences (one number, two letters, one number, two letters) is one of the most complex structure adopted for a vehicle registration plate around the world. It has also been suggested that the "1" at the front of the combination followed by two letters might be confused with "I", for example, making 1CE look like ICE. Another issue with the new series is that the letter "O" and the number "0" are the same shape in the font used on Victorian plates, so the combination ending in "4OW" for example, is more likely to be read as "40W". This mistake was less likely to be made on the older series as the letters and numbers were isolated by a separator. Progression: 1AA-1AA, 1AA-2AA...1AA-9AA, 1AA-1AB...1AA-9AZ, 1AA-1BA...1AA-9ZZ, 1AB-1AA...1AZ-9ZZ, 1BA-1AA...1ZZ-9ZZ, 2AA-1AA...9ZZ-9ZZ.
The older aaa-nnn combinations have been reissued to the public and dealers as a reflective white on black slimline on a limited but now expanded scale since June 2013 as demand for more white on black slimline plates grows. The plates were reissued from AAA-000, skipping those that are still in active registration. Particular serial combinations is manufactured then, customers receive them off the box at VicRoads service centres. As of May 2026, this numbering scheme has reached the EBA-000 combination.
As part of Labor's campaign for the November 2014 state election, the Daniel Andrews-led party announced its intention if winning office to replace the Vic – Stay Alert Stay Alive with the slogan Victoria – The Education State. After winning this election, the Andrews government honoured this pledge, with the new plates released on 16 October 2015, starting at 1GA-1AA. Unlike previous combinations, the "1G" combination was only produced in standard dimensions with the Victoria – The Education State slogan. Slimline plates continued under the "1F" series. In circa February 2016, the slimline plates progressed to the "1I" series, skipping "1H" which was allocated to the standard size plates from circa March 2016. Once VicRoads exhausted the "1H" combinations in early August 2016, the standard size plates recommenced from "1IE" onwards (with 1IA to 1ID used for slim plates). Starting 1 September 2016, plates bearing the new Victorian state logo replaced the previous Southern Cross design starting at combination 1IL-1AA. The Victorian government had earlier unveiled this logo on 12 August 2015. As of 31 December 2022, all plates are now manufactured with holograms as an extra security measure.
Allocated series + General issue combinations at the start of each year (cars and trucks) 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
Slimline allocations and combination skipping