Ethiopian Vehicle Licence Plates
Ethiopian vehicle registration plates follow a structured format of regional codes, serial letters, and numbers. The format was updated when Ethiopia introduced computerised registration, and plates now follow a consistent national system with regional identifiers. Ethiopia's vehicle registration plates use colour and prefix to indicate vehicle type, region of registration, and ownership category. Plates are issued by the Ethiopian Road and Transport Authority (ERTA).
This reference shows the current plate format, the regional codes for Addis Ababa and all major regional states, and examples of how the full plate number is composed. It is useful for anyone creating content that depicts Ethiopian vehicles, verifying the format of a plate number, or understanding the administrative geography reflected in the regional codes.
Plate Types
Private Passenger
Yellow background, black text. Used for privately owned cars and SUVs. Region code prefix (2 letters) followed by 5 digits.
Commercial / Taxi / Minibus
Blue background, white text. Used for taxis, minibuses (weyane), and other commercial vehicles for hire.
Federal Government
White background, blue "ET" prefix with registration number. Used by federal ministries and government agencies.
Military / Defense
Olive-green background, white text, "ETH" prefix. Used by the Ethiopian National Defense Force and police.
Diplomatic Corps
White background, red "CD" (Corps Diplomatique) prefix. The first number is the country mission code, the second is the vehicle serial.
International Organizations
White background with organization prefix. UN, AU, ICRC, and other international bodies use specific prefixes.
Transit / Temporary
Orange background, white text. Issued for newly imported or transferred vehicles until permanent registration.
Motorcycle
Same color as private passenger (yellow/black) but smaller plate with only 4 digits. Same region-code prefix system.
Regional Registration Codes
The first two letters on a plate identify the region where the vehicle is registered.
| Code | Region / City | አማርኛ | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| AA | Addis Ababa | አዲስ አበባ | City Administration |
| OR | Oromia | ኦሮሚያ | Regional State |
| AM | Amhara | አማራ | Regional State |
| TG | Tigray | ትግራይ | Regional State |
| SM | Somali | ሶማሌ | Regional State |
| SP | South Ethiopia (SNNP) | ደቡብ ኢትዮጵያ | Regional State |
| AF | Afar | አፋር | Regional State |
| BG | Benishangul-Gumuz | ቤንሻንጉል-ጉሙዝ | Regional State |
| GM | Gambela | ጋምቤላ | Regional State |
| HR | Harari | ሐረሪ | People's Regional State |
| DR | Dire Dawa | ድሬዳዋ | City Administration |
| SW | South West Ethiopia | ደቡብ ምዕራብ ኢትዮጵያ | Regional State |
| CN | Central Ethiopia | መካከለኛ ኢትዮጵያ | Regional State |
Diplomatic Mission Codes
Addis Ababa hosts the headquarters of the African Union and the UN Economic Commission for Africa, giving it one of the largest diplomatic communities in Africa. Diplomatic plates use the format CD [mission code] [serial].
| Code | Mission / Country |
|---|---|
| CD 01 | United States of America |
| CD 02 | Russia (Russian Federation) |
| CD 03 | United Kingdom |
| CD 04 | France |
| CD 05 | China (People's Republic) |
| CD 06 | Germany |
| CD 07 | Italy |
| CD 08 | Egypt |
| CD 09 | Sudan |
| CD 10 | Kenya |
| CD 11 | Djibouti |
| CD 12 | Somalia |
| CD 13 | South Africa |
| CD 14 | Nigeria |
| CD 15 | Japan |
| CD 16 | India |
| CD 17 | Saudi Arabia |
| CD 18 | Turkey |
| CD 19 | Netherlands |
| CD 20 | Sweden |
| CD 21 | Norway |
| CD 22 | Belgium |
| CD 23 | Switzerland |
| CD 24 | Spain |
| CD 25 | Canada |
| CD 26 | Australia |
| CD 27 | Israel |
| CD 28 | South Korea |
| CD 29 | Brazil |
| CD AU | African Union Commission |
| CD UN | United Nations (UNECA) |
Note: diplomatic code numbers are approximate; exact assignments may vary. Addis Ababa hosts 100+ embassies and international organizations.
Key Facts
- • Registration plates are issued and regulated by the Ethiopian Road and Transport Authority (ERTA)
- • Vehicles must display valid plates front and rear at all times
- • The plate number is tied to the vehicle, not the owner — it transfers with the car
- • Government and diplomatic plates carry special traffic exemptions
- • Plate numbers are searchable in the national transport registry
About Ethiopian Licence Plates
Ethiopia's vehicle registration and licence plate system is administered by the federal and regional transport authorities. Plates encode vehicle type, ownership category, and regional origin through a combination of letter prefixes, color borders, and number sequences. The standard Addis Ababa private plate uses a white background with two letters (region code), five digits, and one trailing letter. Government plates carry a red border with "ET" prefix; diplomatic vehicles use blue text and border with "CD" and country suffix. Regional plates outside Addis Ababa use different two-letter regional codes (e.g., OR for Oromia, AM for Amhara). This reference covers all active plate formats, their meaning, and visual specifications.