Kraftfahrzeugkennzeichen#

Motor Vehicle Licence Plates were introduced in Austria on June 7, 1906, they were white, had a letter assigned to each province (e.g. A for Vienna, B for Lower Austria etc.) and registration numbers on them. In June 1930 they were changed to black plates with white numbers. From 1939 to 1945 Austrian cars had to carry German licence plates. From August 1945 onwards black plates with white numbers and with the federal coat of arms on the left and the provincial coat of arms on the right (both of them in colour) were in use in eastern Austria. In 1947 black plates with white numbers and the first letter of each province (e.g. W for Vienna (Wien), B for Burgenland etc.) were introduced. Since January 1, 1990 the Austrian licence plates have been white (reflecting colour), with red-white-red upper and lower edges and with black letters and numbers. On the left are one or two letters indicating the name of the registration office (districts), next to this is the provincial coat of arms followed by a combination of numbers and letters issued by the authorities. On customised licence plates the coat of arms is followed by letters (usually abbreviated names), then numbers.