License Plate Sizes: US, Canada, Europe, UK and Worldwide
The dimensions of car and motorcycle plates in North America and around the world, the bolt-hole pattern, and what to check before fitting a frame, bracket or imported plate.
A standard US car license plate is 12 × 6 inches (305 × 152 mm), the same size used in Canada and Mexico. Motorcycle plates in most states are 7 × 4 inches (178 × 102 mm). The common European plate is 520 × 110 mm (20.5 × 4.3 in), and the usual UK plate is 520 × 111 mm.
- US / Canada car
- 12 × 6 in (305 × 152 mm)
- US motorcycle
- 7 × 4 in (178 × 102 mm)
- EU standard
- 520 × 110 mm
- US hole spacing
- 7 in horizontal
On this page
Standard license plate dimensions
North America uses one plate size for every car, while Europe and most of Asia use long, narrow plates. These are the formats you are most likely to need.
| Plate | Inches | Millimeters | Used in |
|---|---|---|---|
| US / Canada / Mexico car | 12 × 6 | 305 × 152 | All passenger vehicles, light trucks, most trailers |
| US motorcycle | 7 × 4 | 178 × 102 | Motorcycles in most states |
| EU single-line | 20.5 × 4.3 | 520 × 110 | Most EU countries |
| German two-line | 13.4 × 7.9 | 340 × 200 | Cars whose recess cannot take a long plate |
| UK standard oblong | 20.5 × 4.4 | 520 × 111 | Most UK cars |
| UK motorcycle | 9 × 7 | 229 × 178 | Motorcycles |
| Japan (medium) | 13.0 × 6.5 | 330 × 165 | Standard cars |
| Australia | 14.6 × 5.3 | 372 × 135 | Standard cars |
| China | 17.3 × 5.5 | 440 × 140 | Small passenger cars (blue plates) |
US license plate size and mounting holes
In 1956 the United States, Canada and Mexico agreed with vehicle makers and safety bodies to fix passenger plates at 12 × 6 inches with a common bolt pattern. The SAE J686 standard records those dimensions. Every state still follows it, which is why a frame, bracket or plate cover from any state fits any car built for the North American market.
The four holes are usually slots rather than round holes, which absorbs small differences between car brackets. Many cars only have the two upper holes threaded; the lower pair is there for frames and states that require four fasteners.
Motorcycle, moped and trailer plates
- Motorcycles: 7 × 4 in (178 × 102 mm) in most states. A few states issue different small formats, so measure before buying a frame.
- Mopeds and scooters: often the same 7 × 4 in plate or a smaller decal-style plate, depending on the state.
- Trailers: most states use the full 12 × 6 in plate; some issue motorcycle-size plates for small utility trailers.
- Commercial, dealer and temporary plates: metal versions are 12 × 6 in. Paper temporary tags vary by state, but they are generally printed to fit the same recess.
About 30 states plus the District of Columbia require a plate on both ends of a car; the rest issue a single rear plate. If you move from a rear-only state, you may need a front bracket, which is often supplied with the car but not fitted.
European license plate sizes
EU law sets the format (the blue band with the circle of stars and the country code, under Regulation 2411/98), while each country sets its own dimensions. The great majority use a 520 × 110 mm single-line plate, and all of them allow shorter versions or two-line plates when a car's recess is designed for a smaller plate.
| Country or type | Size (mm) | Size (in) |
|---|---|---|
| EU standard single-line | 520 × 110 | 20.5 × 4.3 |
| Germany two-line | 340 × 200 | 13.4 × 7.9 |
| Square two-line (e.g. Latvia type B) | 280 × 200 | 11.0 × 7.9 |
| Italy front | 360 × 110 | 14.2 × 4.3 |
| Switzerland | 300 × 80 | 11.8 × 3.1 |
| Finland | 440 × 120 | 17.3 × 4.7 |
| Germany light motorcycle | 255 × 130 | 10.0 × 5.1 |
Germany allows single-line plates shorter than 520 mm when the registration has few characters, but the character size must stay the same. That is why German plates of the same car model can differ in length.
UK number plate size
The UK does not prescribe one plate size. The law fixes the characters, and the plate must be large enough to hold them with the required margins. With the standard font and spacing, a seven-character registration fits on the familiar 520 × 111 mm oblong plate.
| Item | Car | Motorcycle |
|---|---|---|
| Common plate size | 520 × 111 mm (oblong); about 280 × 203 mm (square) | 229 × 178 mm (9 × 7 in) |
| Character height | 79 mm | 64 mm |
| Character width | 50 mm (except 1 and I) | 44 mm |
| Space between characters | 11 mm | 10 mm |
On two-line car plates the gap between the rows is 19 mm. All plates fitted from 1 September 2021 must meet British Standard BS AU 145e, which also requires the supplier's name and postcode and the standard number on the plate. "Show plates" with altered spacing or 3D characters outside the rules are not road legal.
License plate sizes in other countries
| Country or region | Size (mm) | Size (in) |
|---|---|---|
| Mercosur (Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay) | 400 × 130 | 15.7 × 5.1 |
| Australia | 372 × 135 | 14.6 × 5.3 |
| New Zealand | 360 × 125 | 14.2 × 4.9 |
| Japan | 330 × 165 | 13.0 × 6.5 |
| China | 440 × 140 (480 × 140 for new-energy cars) | 17.3 × 5.5 (18.9 × 5.5) |
| South Korea | 520 × 110 | 20.5 × 4.3 |
| Taiwan | 380 × 160 | 15.0 × 6.3 |
| Thailand | 340 × 150 | 13.4 × 5.9 |
| Philippines | 390 × 140 | 15.4 × 5.5 |
| Saudi Arabia | 310 × 155 | 12.2 × 6.1 |
| South Africa | 440 × 120 | 17.3 × 4.7 |
Countries that import many used Japanese or American cars often allow a second, squarer size to fit those vehicles' recesses. Russia, for example, permits 290 × 170 mm plates for that reason, and the UK allows 300 × 150 mm plates on imports built for North American plates.
Fitting a plate, frame or imported plate
- Measure the recess, not the old plate. A US car's plate pocket is designed for 12 × 6 in with a little clearance. A European car's is about 520 mm wide but only 110-120 mm tall.
- Check the hole pattern. North American plates use holes 7 in (178 mm) apart. European plates have no standard holes at all; they are usually held by a snap-in plate holder or drilled to suit the car.
- Size the frame from the plate. A frame for a US plate has an opening of about 12 × 6 in and an outer size of roughly 12¼-13 in × 6¼-7 in, depending on border width. Many states prohibit frames that cover the state name, registration stickers or any character.
- Match the screws. Domestic US cars mostly use 1/4-in self-tapping screws; many imported models use M6 bolts. Stainless screws avoid rust stains on the plate.
- Keep the plate lit. The rear plate lamp must work, and many state codes require the plate to be legible from 50 feet. Tinted covers that reduce legibility are illegal in many states.
A US-spec car moved to Europe, or a European car brought to the US, will not take the local plate in its recess. A 520 mm plate overhangs a 12-in US pocket by about 107 mm on each side. Ask the registering authority whether a two-line or reduced-size plate is permitted before buying an adapter.
Other exterior dimensions that matter when buying parts are covered in the wiper blade size guide, the windshield size guide and the tire size guide. For the size of the car itself, see car dimensions, and for pickups, truck bed sizes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the size of a USA number plate?
12 inches wide and 6 inches tall (about 305 × 152 mm) for cars, trucks and most trailers in all 50 states. Motorcycle plates are usually 7 × 4 inches. The size was standardized across the US, Canada and Mexico in 1956.
Are all US license plates the same size?
All standard passenger plates are 12 × 6 inches and use the same four-hole pattern, so a frame or bracket bought in one state fits a plate from another. Motorcycle, moped and some trailer plates are smaller, and a few states issue reduced-size historic or vintage plates.
Which country uses a 340 × 240 mm license plate?
It is not one of the common national plate sizes. The closest standard two-line plates are Germany's 340 × 200 mm and the roughly 280 × 200 mm square plates used in Latvia and other European countries. A plate measuring 340 × 240 mm is most likely a custom or decorative plate, or a two-line plate measured including a frame.
Will a European license plate fit an American car?
Not in the standard recess. A 520 × 110 mm plate is 8.5 in wider than the 12-in US plate pocket, so it overhangs both sides and covers no mounting holes. Importers use an adapter bracket or a smaller two-line plate, if the issuing country allows one.
What size screws hold a license plate?
Most US-market cars use 1/4-inch self-tapping screws (often 1/4-14 × 3/4 in) into plastic inserts. Many European and Asian models use M6 machine screws instead. Take one screw to the store, because the two look similar but do not interchange.