(MENAFN- Swissinfo) They're so commonplace that we don't even notice them any more. Yet the number plates on our vehicles hold many surprises for the discerning eye – particularly in Switzerland. This content was published on November 1, 2025 - 11:00 8 minutes

I'm mainly in charge of translating, proofreading and publishing articles for SWI swissinfo. I also occasionally write press reviews and original articles on "Swiss oddities" - the things that make Switzerland unique. After studying history and religious studies, I began my journalistic career at Radio Fribourg. After a spell in the newsroom at the Swiss Telegraphic Agency, I joined SWI swissinfo in 2000, where I specialised in federal politics and history. I now translate, proofread and produce stories.

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1. The number plate is linked to the owner, not to the vehicle

In the vast majority of countries, number plates are linked to the vehicle. In practical terms, a plate number is created when a vehicle is first registered and then remains associated with the vehicle throughout its life on the road, regardless of who owns it. This number is generally destroyed when the vehicle is permanently withdrawn from circulation and will never be assigned again. This is the case in France, for example.

Switzerland, on the other hand, is one of the few countries where number plates are not linked to a vehicle, but to its owner. Much less widespread, this system also exists in Liechtenstein, Norway, Sweden and certain American states such as California and Oregon.

In practical terms, in Switzerland you receive a set of plates the first time you buy a vehicle, and you generally keep them for the rest of your life. These plates are transferred each time the vehicle is changed. It is also possible to use the same set of interchangeable plates if you own two vehicles.

For the more nostalgic, it's possible to transfer this number to a family member if you no longer drive, or reserve it if the plates are stored for a period of more than a year so that you can use them again later. If the number is not used permanently, it is destroyed or can be reallocated to a new user.

Practice varies from canton to canton because number plates are a cantonal issue. For car owners, this federal system has one very practical consequence: you can't keep your number when you move to another canton.

A change of nameplate is one of the most immediately visible signs of a change of canton, as was the case in 1994, when the region of Laufen, which had previously been part of Bern, became part of canton Basel Country. Keystone 2. Drivers can be easily identified

Standard Swiss number plates have a white background with black lettering. There are also variants for more limited uses, such as a black background with white lettering for army vehicles.

Military plates are among those that have a different look. Keystone / Christian Beutler

Standard plates are rectangular at the front and rectangular or square at the back. The lettering consists of two letters representing the canton (e.g. BE for Bern) and a series of numbers for identification purposes (maximum six). The rear plate also features the shields of Switzerland (on the left) and the canton (on the right).

In most countries, vehicle registers are not accessible to the general public but are reserved for bodies such as the police or insurance companies. In Switzerland, the practice is much more flexible: the data is available online and can generally be used to obtain the name and municipality of residence of the owner.

To preserve your anonymity, you can count on heavy snowfalls, but this is a very temporary measure, especially as the climate warms up. Keystone / Salvatore Di Nolfi

Here too, the rules vary from canton to canton, depending on how strictly they interpret the Federal Data Protection Act. Some, such as Ticino, do not allow the public to consult the directory online, while others, such as Fribourg, are very flexible. Still others, such as Bern, take a middle way by requiring online registration to consult the register and payment of a fee of CHF1 ($1.25) per result.

While practice appears to be very flexible in most cases, under article 89 of the Road Traffic Act it is possible to object to the communication of one's data by making a request. The various cantonal motor vehicle departments offer an online form for doing so.

3. A small canton in eastern Switzerland is popular on the roads

Some number plates are rare on Swiss roads. Those of canton Uri, for example. It's a shame, because they're so stylish, with their black bull's head on a bright yellow background.

On the other hand, it's much more common to come across a black bear on a white background with the letters AI, a sign that the vehicle comes from Appenzell Inner Rhodes. Yet, like Uri, this charming little canton is sparsely populated and far from the major urban centres. Does this mean that the people of Appenzell have an adventurous spirit that pushes them to take to the country's roads?

Not really: there's a very good chance that it's not someone from Appenzell who's driving but a tourist. In fact, a large proportion of hire cars are registered in Appenzell Inner Rhodes. There are two reasons for this: the canton offers very low road taxes and simplified administrative procedures for registering cars, which attracts rental companies.

This business generates stable income for this small canton. And it's a sure-fire success, with as many cars registered each year as there are inhabitants. It should be noted that this is not the only canton to do this. Schaffhausen also has a large number of rental cars.

4. 'Special' numbers can be lucrative

Perhaps you remember the EWING 1 number plate in Dallas, the American soap opera from the 1980s? This kind of fantasy could also have been realised in Switzerland. In the most populous cantons, the six-digit registration system is about to reach its limits, hence the idea of allowing the creation of personalised plates combining numbers and letters.

But it will be a long time before we see a“SWISSINFO 007” plate. At the end of last year the Federal Roads Office said it was abandoning the idea, as a complete overhaul of the system would be too costly, especially at a time when the government is tightening its belt. To solve the problem, the Federal Roads Office is banking on the transition to a seven-digit registration system, which could become a reality in canton Zurich from 2027.

This decision has disappointed some cantons – Ticino in particular – which thought they would be able to generate substantial revenue from personalised number plates. But fortunately for the cantons' finances, the current system already allows them to put a bit of money in their coffers.

Most motoring departments offer a choice of unassigned numbers for a fee. And even more cost-effectively, certain“special” numbers – for example, with a single digit or identical digits – are regularly auctioned off.

Special numbers are often sold at auction. In May 2017, the Ticino plate number 9 went for CHF80,000. Keystone / Ti-Press / Gabriele Putzu

The record is currently held by the ZH 24 (Zurich) plate, which was sold at auction for CHF299,000 in July 2024 as part of a sale to mark Euro 2024. The previous record was ZG 10 (Zug), sold in 2018 for CHF233,000. In French-speaking Switzerland the record is CHF160,100 for VS 1 (Valais) and in Ticino it's TI 10, which went for CHF135,000.

5. Swiss licence plates are not up to scratch when it comes to security

Whether it's safes, banknotes, passports or data storage, Switzerland enjoys a solid reputation when it comes to security. But number plates are letting the side down.

Unchanged since 1971, they no longer meet today's security standards and are easily falsified. Fake ones can be ordered from abroad via the internet.“When it comes to security, we're in prehistoric times,” said André Seiler, head of Plaques Suisses, the leading company in the market, which manufactures number plates for 20 cantons.

This issue was taken up by parliamentarian Werner Salzmann, who recently put a question to the government. In its reply, the government said that 20 cases of falsification had been discovered since 2024, but that there were no national statistics on the subject. During the last parliamentary session, Transport Minister Albert Rösti put the problem into perspective, claiming there was no major risk to national security.

Not satisfied with the response, Salzmann tabled a postulate asking the government to study the issue in more detail.

Edited by Samuel Jaberg. Adapted from French by DeepL/ts

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