Current format Vehicle registration plates of Malaysia

1 current format

1.1 variants

1.1.1 extended kuala lumpur series , langkawi series
1.1.2 restriction of usage of q or s suffix
1.1.3 putrajaya series

current format

with exception of kuala lumpur, putrajaya , langkawi plates, , taxis, vehicle dealers , diplomats, peninsular malaysian number plates private , commercial type motor vehicles exceptions of used taxis, vehicle dealers , diplomats follow sxx #### algorithm.

s - state or territory prefix. (e.g. : w = kuala lumpur, = perak, b = selangor, p = penang)
x - alphabetical sequences. (e.g. : a, b, c ... x, y)
# - number sequence. (e.g. : 1, 2, 3 ... 9998, 9999)

the exceptions in algorithm follows:

there can no leading zeroes in number sequence.
the letters , o omitted alphabetical sequences due similarities numbers 1 , 0.
the letters z omitted , reserved use on malaysian military vehicles.

the algorithm started state prefix , number sequence ranged 1 9999. example, p 1 first registration plate of penang. once p 9999 achieved, alphabetical sequence added right of state prefix; pa 1 result. when pa 9999 reached, number sequence reset , alphabetical sequence progressed; pb 1 being outcome. after py 9999 achieved, second alphabetical sequence added right of first alphabetical sequence; paa 1 being outcome. when pay 9999 reached, second alphabetical sequence reset , first alphabetical sequence progressed; resuming @ pba 1.

variants
extended kuala lumpur series , langkawi series

as registered number plate series in country, w series traditional 7-character format became first in peninsular malaysia exhausted when wyy 9999 reached on 26 september 2013. allow further w plates, algorithm altered feature alphabetical suffix behind number sequence, resetting @ w 1 a. when w 9999 y achieved, second alphabetical sequence emerged between state prefix , number sequence, leading wa 1 a. when wa 9999 y met, first alphabetical sequence reset , second alphabetical sequence advance, giving wb 1 a. when wy 9999 y reached, third new alphabetical sequence spliced algorithm, between second alphabetical sequence , number sequence, resulting in waa 1 a. series end when wyy 9999 y reached. new format theoretically allow vastly larger number of registered plates, better addressing risk of exhaustion of numbers, subject of conflicts series of singaporean number plates (see malaysian vehicles in singapore)

on 18 may 2016, less 3 years implementation of extended w series, transport ministry, on request of road transport department, announced tentative retirement of w series in place of new v series revert regular sxx #### format. decision made in response massive declines in bidding extended w series plates public gauged favour sxx #### format on kuala lumpur s sxx #### x format. v series has launched on 1 october 2016 after completion of wd 9999 f , extended w series decommissioned. s being hinted kuala lumpur retain sxx #### format long time , other states adopt such format j #### , b #### when series reached jyy 9999 , byy 9999.

vehicles in langkawi, kedahan resort archipelago, issued kv series plates after islands achieved duty-free status. algorithm langkawi kv #### x, kv territory prefix # , x denoting number , alphabetical sequences respectively. prior kv series, langkawi-registered vehicles issued k series plates rest of kedah.

restriction of usage of q or s suffix

a quirk of kv series, present sarawakian plate format , present sabahan plate format restriction of use of q or s suffix, justified possible conflicts specific older east malaysian number plates ending q or s, sarawakian xx #### q format used between 1988 , 1991, , sabah s post-independence x #### s format; measures, however, have been taken restrict use of old sabahan format accommodate w series use of disused sabah x #### s numbers. similar restrictions may applied future extended plates johor, selangor, kedah , malacca series due overlaps plate formats kota kinabalu (j #### s), betong/sri aman (b #### q), kuching (k #### q), miri (m #### q) , beaufort (b #### s). however, present kuching plates follow extended w series format (qaa #### q , qaa #### s) instead of restriction.

putrajaya series

following founding of putrajaya in 1995, vehicle license numbers registered in territory, in fashion similar commemorative vanity plates, had territorial prefix incorporating name of territory stylised in oblique calisto followed number sequence of 4 digits (putrajaya xxxx). putrajaya format did not incorporate additional identifiers beyond four-digit number, limiting number of available plates original putrajaya series 9,999 vehicles.

in response restrictive format road transport department began issue f prefix plates (denoting federal ) new putrajaya-registered plates effective june 1, 2016. putrajaya series not being issued regularly instead being issued new series on beginning of ramadan (due hari raya aidifitri).

fa started issued on 22 july 2017 , exhausted on 28 august 2017. fb possibly issued next year instead of being offered.