Vehicle registration plates of Pakistan
Vehicle registration plates of Pakistan are issued by an agency of the provincial or territorial government. Generally, the appearance of plates is frequently chosen to contain symbols, colours, or slogans associated with the issuing jurisdiction. All vehicle registration plates use the Latin alphabet. Every vehicle has a unique registration plate number in Pakistan.
Design
Vehicle registration plate numbers are usually assigned in ascending order, beginning with a starting point such as AAA-001. Thus, someone familiar with the sequence can determine roughly when the vehicle registration plate was issued. Depending on where the number plate was registered, the plate could have two to three numbers and three to four letters. The letters I, O and U are not used to avoid confusion with 1, 0 and V. Many provinces distinguish their vehicle registration plates through distinctive colour schemes and logos. For example, the Datura metel flower has appeared on every Punjab plate since 2007. In Sindh, plates have long featured the provincial coat of arms with a distinctive yellow background. Islamabad Capital Territory recently unveiled a new plate with Faisal Mosque in the background. Typically, the registration number is embossed. Other identifying information, such as the name of the issuing jurisdiction and the vehicle class, can be either surface-printed or embossed. The Government of Pakistan fixed the size for all their passenger vehicle registration plates at six inches in height by twelve inches in width, although these figures may vary slightly by jurisdiction. Smaller-sized plates are used for motorcycles, scooters and rickshaws.Ownership
Between 2024 and 2025, Pakistan's vehicle registration framework underwent a transition from a vehicle-based system to an owner-based system. Under the earlier model, number plates were issued to a specific vehicle and remained with it even after a change in ownership. New provincial and federal policies instead linked registration numbers directly to the owner's Computerized National Identity Card.In the Islamabad Capital Territory, the Excise and Taxation Department introduced a policy under which number plates are issued to individuals rather than vehicles. When a vehicle is sold, the seller retains the registration number for use on a future vehicle, while the buyer is required to obtain a new plate under their own CNIC. The reforms also introduced personalised number plates and digital registration cards to improve record verification and administrative efficiency.
The Punjab government implemented a similar policy, linking all vehicle registration numbers to the owner's CNIC. Under this system, legal responsibility for the registration mark remained with the registered individual even after the vehicle was sold.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the provincial government introduced "citizen-owned" number plates as part of a broader digital overhaul of the motor registration system. The policy granted lifetime ownership of a specific registration number to individuals, effectively ending the informal resale of so-called "fancy" numbers. The reforms aimed to establish a more consistent and secure registration database for administrative and law enforcement use.