Licence plateSweden

An introduction to the traffic rules and road signs of Sweden. Learn about driving, road safety and much more in our illustrated book, with answers to frequently asked questions.

For informational purposes only. Always follow official regulations. Some content and images were created with AI assistance.


29. Licence plate

A licence plate, also called a registration plate or number plate, is a plate displaying a unique registration identifier assigned to a vehicle by the competent registration authority. It allows the vehicle to be identified for purposes such as registration, traffic enforcement, taxation, insurance and parking control.

The appearance, format, placement and number of plates required vary between countries and vehicle categories. Drivers must ensure that required licence plates are correctly fitted, clearly visible and legible and must follow the local rules when a plate is lost, stolen, damaged or replaced.

Licence plate
What is a licence plate?

A licence plate is a plate displaying the registration identifier assigned to a vehicle. It allows authorities and other authorised systems to identify the vehicle's registration.

🔗 wetten.overheid.nl • Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, Articles 35–37 and Annex 2, vehicle registration and registration numbers; international framework subject to national law

Is a licence plate the same as a registration plate?

Yes. Licence plate, registration plate and number plate are different terms commonly used for the plate displaying a vehicle's official registration number.

🔗 wetten.overheid.nl • Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, Articles 35–37 and Annex 2, vehicle registration and registration numbers; international framework subject to national law

What should you do if a licence plate is lost or stolen?

Follow the local reporting and replacement procedure. For example, UK guidance says stolen plates should be reported to the police and DVLA, and replacement plates are needed before driving. Check the registration authority’s procedure for a lost plate; it may differ from the theft process.

🔗 gov.uk • UK Government, stolen registration plates

1 Sweden 2 Motorway 3 Residential area 4 Built-up area 5 Speed limit 6 Bike path 7 Shared-use path 8 Toll road 9 Quay 10 Slope 11 Bus stop 12 Stop sign 13 Give way 14 Roundabout 15 Pedestrian crossing 16 Railway crossing 17 Crossing animals 18 Roadworks 19 Height limit 20 Selective barriers 21 Traffic lights 22 Pedestrian lights 23 Traffic mirror 24 Cycling route 25 Parking 26 No parking 27 No stopping 28 Reversing 29 Licence plate 30 Charging station 31 Dangers 32 Bus 33 Police 34 Ambulance 35 European emission standard 36 Pothole 37 Path 38 Particulates 39 Air pollution 40 Rush hour 41 Road code 42 2+1 Road 43 2-1 Road 44 Street gutter 45 Cargo bike 46 Forestry vehicle 47 Construction vehicle 48 Semi-trailer truck 49 Trolleybus 50 Speed pedelec 51 Delivery vehicle 52 Idling 53 Tow truck 54 Four-wheel drive 55 Bicycle 56 Motorcycle equipment 57 Rail track 58 Caravan 59 Trailer 60 Tow hitch 61 Fire truck 62 Siren 63 Convoy 64 Emergency vehicle lighting 65 Agricultural machinery 66 Electric bicycle 67 Electric vehicle 68 Pedelec 69 Quadricycle 70 Microcar 71 All-terrain vehicle 72 Van 73 Recreational vehicle 74 Scooter 75 Trikke 76 Personal mobility device 77 Skateboard 78 Segway 79 Kick scooter 80 Roller skates 81 Mailman 82 Hitchhiker 83 Toddler 84 Child 85 Disability 86 Motorail 87 km/h 88 mph 89 Speedometer 90 Ride height 91 Dirt road 92 Driving 93 Start-stop system 94 Manual transmission 95 Automatic transmission 96 Throttle 97 Tachometer 98 Steering wheel 99 Power steering 100 Visual scanning ...