Sabah Vehicle registration plates of Malaysia

1 sabah

1.1 current format
1.2 history of sabahan registration numbers

1.2.1 pre-1980s
1.2.2 post-1980s

sabah
current format










a sabahan number plate.

all registration plates of sabah (except labuan) private , commercial motorised vehicles exceptions of used taxis, vehicle dealers , diplomats follow sdx #### x algorithm.

s - constant prefix sabahan number plates.
d - division prefix. (e.g. : = west coast, t = tawau)
x - alphabetical sequences. (e.g. : a, b, c ... x, y, except q & s restricted use)
# - number sequence. (e.g. : 1, 2, 3 ... 9998, 9999)

letters i, o, , z not used , there no leading zeroes, in case of peninsular malaysian number plates. q , s restricted being used in suffix minimise confusion sarawak s 1988–1991 sibu sx#### q series, , sabah s post-independence x#### s format.

the current algorithm majority of sabah s divisions start constant s prefix, followed division prefix , number sequence. example sa 1 of west coast division. once sa 9999 reached, alphabetical sequence added , served suffix; sa 1 result. when sa 9999 y achieved, second alphabetical sequence placed right of division prefix , first alphabetical sequence reset; result saa 1 a.when saa 9999 y met, second alphabetical sequences,sab 1 outcome. on 20th october 2017, sandakan division exhausted ss 9999 y , being issued ssa 1 series. sandakan second division of sabah have completed 2 letter format, next division exhaust 2 letter format tawau division being issued st #### y.

despite measures minimise conflicts similar number plate formats, number of vehicles in sabah bear same number plates number of private vehicles registered in singapore due complicated history of plate s algorithm , arrangement of characters. in singapore, letter z allowed use , different colours issued such opc number plate (white on red background), whereas z reserved military vehicles in malaysia. allow usage of letter z singapore number plates (suffix f, n, q, v , w not used on singapore number plates), cars in singapore bears s , opc scheme number plate bears white on red background plates, minimises confusion of sabah , singapore number plates.

sabah registration plates popular , commonly seen in johor johor bahru due similarity singaporean private vehicle registration plates.

on may 19, 2016, deputy minister of transport introduced v prefix kuala lumpur, there possibility current sabah format replaced new prefix ensure current sabah number plates bears no suffix compared current format. historically sabah used e series e series bears no suffix, similar number plate algorithm in peninsular malaysia.

the west coast division encompasses densely populated cities of kota kinabalu , penampang. sa series has become numerous number plate prefix in state of sabah.

labuan, federal territory based on former sabahan territory, uses standard l series based on peninsular malaysian algorithm, unlike other sabahan divisions.

history of sabahan registration numbers
pre-1980s

historically, number plate formats sabah, known north borneo prior formation of malaysian federation in 1963, revised multiple instances. during chartered company rule north borneo number plates followed similar format of malaya, defined own set of regional prefixes based on capitals of state s current divisions. however, old algorithm exhausted combinations such d #### possible. following world war ii , declaration of north borneo british crown colony, e added registration number prefix, new registration numbers issued ed ####.

after north borneo s independence british rule , entry malaysian federation, e prefix replaced s suffix, altering format d #### s, response avoid conflicts singaporean e ez series used between 1972 , 1984; s suffix added avoid further conflicts peninsular malaysian formats. jesselton (j) division prefix dropped in favour of prefix representing west coast division following jesselton s renaming kota kinabalu in 1967.

labuan, part of straits settlements , had own l series plates, fell under jurisdiction of north borneo , vehicle plate reformatted after 1946 in line state s number plate formats (el #### , l #### s).

despite obsolescence, delisted ed #### , d #### s numbers, including using j division prefix, may still registered new vehicles, not conflict current number plate formats in rest of malaysia or singapore.

post-1980s

from 1980s, new sabahan vehicle number plates issued in current sdx #### s format.

following format change, labuan plates issued slx #### s format until format similar original straits settlements format, lx ####, reinstated in mid-1990s following labuan s separation state in 1984 independent federal territory.