Namibian Motor Vehicle Licensed Plates

Vehicle registration plates of Namibia are yellow fluorescent metal plates with imprints in black. The standard version is uniform throughout the country, and carries one of the following forms:

N 1 A	N 1 AB
N 12 A	N 12 AB
N 123 A	N 123 AB
N 1234 A	N 1234 AB
N 12345 A	N 12345 AB
N 123-456 A	N 123-456 AB

For many guest’s first time visiting Namibia the array of Vehicle Registration Plates could be somewhat confusing. Herewith our simple insight on how to understand each Vehicle plate. 

The first letter is always “N” for Namibia. The last one or two letters indicate the town or region the car originates from. In between, numbers are issued sequentially within each region, starting with single-digit numbers, and increasing in length as required.

The vast majority of vehicles are registered in the capital, Windhoek, and require six (6) digits; most other regions currently use three (3) or four (4) digits.

The vast majority of vehicles are registered in the capital, Windhoek, and require six digits; most other regions are currently using 3 or 4 digits. Shown below is a Registration Plate with two letters “N” and “S” which simply stands for “N – Namibia” and “S – Swakopmund ”. Selected locations carry their own letter, as listed further down below.

Personalised Number Plates in Namibia

Since 2007, personalised number plates are available at an extra fee. Such plates may carry up to seven alphanumerical characters, followed by the Namibian Flag and the letters NA.

They also differ in color and material, the personalised plates are made from acrylic white plastic and have light blue characters.

Number plates of Government vehicles in Namibia

Government vehicles use dark green number plates with white imprints. As with ordinary number plates, numbers are issued sequentially within each region, starting with single-digit numbers, and increasing in length as required. The Government vehicle plates are prefixed with the following letters:

• GRN – Government vehicles
• NDF – Namibia Defence Force
• POL – Police

Namibia License Plates and their town codes

The following list may be incomplete.

AR – Aranos
B – Bethanien
EN – Eenhana
G – Grootfontein
GO – Gobabis
K – Keetmanshoop
KA – Karasburg
KH – Khorixas
KM – Katima Mulilo
KR – Karibib
L – Lüderitz
M – Mariental
MA – Maltahöhe
ND – Ondangwa
OH – Okahandja
OJ – Outjo
OK – Okakarara
OM – Omaruru
ON – Otjinene
OP – Opuwo
OR – Oranjemund
OT – Otjiwarongo
OV – Otavi
R – Rehoboth
RC – Ruacana
RU – Rundu
S – Swakopmund
SH – Oshakati
T – Tsumeb
U – Usakos
UP – Outapi
W – Windhoek Capital of Namibia.
WB – Walvis Bay

Namibia South West Africa system of License Plates

From the 1970s to 1990, South West Africa used a system similar to that in use in South Africa, using the prefix S:

SA – Karasburg Now KA.
SB – Bethanie Now B.
SBA – Owambo
SC – Oranjemund Now OR.
SCA – Kavango
SDA – Kaokoveld
SE – Otavi Now OV.
SEA – Otjinene Now ON.
SEB – Okakarara Now OK.
SF – Grootfontein Now G.
SFA – Damaraland
SH – Okahandja Now OH.
SJ – Outjo Now OJ.
SK – Keetmanshoop Now K.
SL – Lüderitz Now L.
SM – Maltahöhe Now MA.
SN – Mariental Now M.
ST – Otjiwarongo Now OT.
SP – Karibib Now KR.
SR – Rehoboth Now R.
SS – Swakopmund Now S.
ST – Tsumeb Now T.
SU – Usakos Now U.
SV – Walvis Bay Now WB.
SW – Windhoek Now W.
SX – Gobabis Now GO.
SY – Omaruru Now OM.
ECZ– Eastern Caprivi Zipfel Now uses the code KM (Katima Mulilo).

Walvis Bay, although legally part of the Cape Province, was long administered as part of South West Africa. During the 1980s it was returned to the Cape Province and used the code CWB. It then became part of Namibia.

Prior to the 1970s South West Africa used a system of one- and two-letter codes without prefixes. W stood for Windhoek, L for Lüderitz, S for Swakopmund, T for Tsumeb and Wb for Walvis Bay.

The South African Defence Force also operated in South West Africa and used the same codes (U until 1961, and then R) as in South Africa.

South Africa’s Bantu Trust also operated in South West Africa, its vehicles using the code BT, as in South Africa.