Vehicle registration plates of Cuba

The current vehicle registration plate system of Cuba was introduced in May 2013. Current plates are European standard 520 mm × 110 mm, completely replacing the previous system introduced in 2002.[1] The international vehicle registration code for Cuba is C.

New Cuban licence plates that use FE-Schrift (since 2013)

1920s-2002

From the 1950s through 1978, and again from 2002 through 2013, plates were North American standard 6 × 12 inches (152 × 300 mm).

Image First issued Design Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
1929-1930
1935-1936
1939 July expiry
1950 official
1955 January expiry
1955 July expiry
1956 January expiry
1956 July expiry
1957 January expiry
1957 white on black July expiry-black version
1957 July expiry-green version
1958 January expiry
1958 July expiry-white version
1958 July expiry-red version
1959 January expiry
1959 July expiry
1960 yellow on light blue January expiry
1960 black on white July expiry-white version
1960 July expiry-aqua version
1961 yellow on black January expiry-last semi-annual plate[2]
1962 black on white
1974 municipal-colors varied
1974 municipal-colors varied
1978 black on orange-yellow
1978 black on white
1978 Government
1978 Diplomatic
1978 Company
1978 State
1978 Taxi
1978 Tourism

2002 format

Cuban vehicle registration plates contained three letters and three numbers. The colour of plates is also an important identification element. Ordinary (non-special) licence plates have also a number on the lower central part of the plate ranging from 0 to 9, denoting the type of the vehicle. As of 2016, some of these plates are still in use, but are being phased out. Particular refers to privately owned vehicles. The letter denotes the expiry month: E = Enero (January), J = Julio (July).[3]

The first letter denotes the province where the licence plate was issued. Until 2011, "B" was used by the former La Habana Province.

Province First letter of
licence plate
Pinar del Río P
Artemisa ?
Mayabeque B
Ciudad de La Habana H
Matanzas M
Cienfuegos F
Villa Clara V
Sancti Spiritus S
Ciego de Ávila A
Camagüey C
Las Tunas T
Granma G
Holguín O
Santiago de Cuba U
Guantánamo N
Isla de la Juventud[4] I

The second letter identifies the type of vehicle owner.

Second letter Colour Meaning
A white government ministers, provincial officials, and other important state persons
light brown authorised government and official persons of lower rank
E / F / G / H yellow private vehicles
K yellow vehicles and motorcycles owned by foreign natural persons
light brown vehicles and motorcycles owned by foreign and mixed companies, foreign journalists, religious institutions
R yellow private motorcycles and "cocotaxis"
D / S / T / U / V / W blue state owned vehicles
Y / Z state owned motorcycles

The vehicle type number can be found on the lower central part of the plate, it is a one digit number ranging from 0 to 9, it denotes the type of the vehicle. This is not used on special licence plates.

Image Design Notes
black on yellow private vehicle
white on orange private vehicle-note Cuban plates are often repaired and repainted by their owners as they become weathered
black on orange private vehicle
white on azure state owned vehicle
black on reflective green Ministry of the Interior
white on black diplomatic
white on dark red tourism
white on brown joint venture company

2013 revised format

Under the new system black characters on white background is the standard format for all licence plates. A letter is placed before six digits. The most common is "P", which indicates a personally owned vehicle. "B" government, "F" is for military FAR vehicle, "M" is for Internal Affairs Ministry, "T" for rental units, "D" diplomatic, "E" embassy, and "K" for foreign companies. The same system is used on all classes of vehicles, from lorries to motorcycles. However, to accommodate available space the motorcycle plates are square rather than the standard long rectangle.

Special licence plates
1961 Guantanamo Bay Naval Base plate

Cars of the Cuban Army and the Cuban Ministry of Interior use plates with one letter (A, B, C, F or S) followed by five digits. On the cars of the Cuban Army there is a "FAR" (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias) inscription in the central lower part of the licence plate. In the case of the Ministry of Interior, there is a "MININT" (Ministerio del Interior) inscription. Licence plates of the Army are always light green, while plates of the Ministry of Interior are dark green.

Diplomatic cars use 6 digits without preceding letters. There is a "D", "C" or "E" letter in the lower left part of the licence plate (D = diplomatic, C - consular, E - other status). They have a black licence plate.

Cars for hire have a dark red licence plate beginning with "T" letter (meaning turista), followed by five digits in white color. The border of the plate is also in white. [5]

Provisional licence plates are light red and have the normal code of the province followed by 4 digits and a "P" letter.

Cars of the United States military in the Guantanamo Bay use licence plates with one letter and four numbers, and texts "U.S.N.B." and "Gtmo Bay Cuba".

Notes
  1. La chapa que viene, Juventud Rebelde, 28.04.2013
  2. http://www.worldlicenseplates.com/
  3. http://www.plateshack.com/y2k/Cuba/cuba.html
  4. Special municipality
  5. https://www.matriculasdelmundo.com/cuba.html#COT

References
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