The current alphanumeric serial code was introduced on 28 February 1994 and consists of seven black characters on a rectangular, or squared, white background with a defined format (2 letters, 3 numbers, and then 2 letters) which is issued nationwide, regardless of the local registration office.

Starting from 7 February 1999, this format was slightly redesigned adding a blue strip on the left containing the EU flag above the country code I in order to comply with the common EU format,[4] removing the previous space between the last number and the third letter, and adding a further blue strip on the right for optional stickers of the first registration year and of the provincial code.

In 1897 with the Royal Decree of 16 December 1897, n. 540[1] the very first Italian plates were provided for velocipedes and issued by the municipality of residence.

With the Royal Decree of 28 August 1901, n. 416[5] the first Regulation for the circulation of cars on ordinary roads (article 91) was promulgated.

This new law included the obligation to equip all vehicles with a specific fixed license plate, that had to be created by the owner and had to be made of metal showing, in full and clearly visible characters, the name of the province followed by a license number issued by the local prefecture.

As in the previous version, the number was assigned by the local prefecture and the plate had to be made by the owner.

Schematic representation In 1927, during the Fascist regime, the Kingdom of Italy changed the number plates from a white background with black (and red) digits, to a black metallic background with white digits and introduced a new two-letter provincial code for all provinces (except for Rome that, since then, has been allowed to keep the full name on registration plates, and the unofficial code RM in documents for practical purposes).

After the fall of the Fascist regime, from 1944 to 1948, the registration plates were printed by the National Association of the Amputees and War Invalids, the symbol of which replaced the Fasces emblem.

The front plate was reduced to 262 × 57 mm and it was also changed in order to get more linear characters and a smaller Italian Republic emblem.

One, sized 10,7 × 33 cm, had black background with white digits, contained the progressive number and, in a very small font, the repetition of provincial code above and the Republic emblem.

(PGS means "Provveditorato Generale dello Stato" and A or B is the city where the reflective was made and 1-2 means white or yellow reflective) This new system made so that provinces with less than 6 digits had to have a 0 in place of the missing digits (LC 004239).

Another blue band was added, on the right side, bearing a yellow circle with the year of registration (optional).

For the capital city of Rome, the word Roma replaces the two-digit provincial code.

Provincial codes are in capital letters except for three cases, where the second letter is expressed in small caps for the provincial codes of the autonomous provinces of Bolzano (Bz) and Trento (Tn) and the autonomous region Aosta Valley (Ao), that are surmounted by the local coat of arms.

On the right, the blue band has a yellow circle with the year of matriculation (00=2000) and underneath, the optional provincial code sticker (Roma= Rome).

In 1951, motorcycles, unlike cars, had a font transition that was completed in 1963, when plates started to be made of plastic but keeping the old format.

The registration shows six characters: the first is always "X" ("Y" for Local Police plates), the other five follows the same scheme as the old system; however the digit 1 and 0 and the letters A, E, I, O, Q and U are not used.

From 1951 to 1976, the diplomatic plates are square 27.5 x 20.0 cm, white digits on black background, changed to a more linear font, but the system was identical from the previous period.

While "EI" is the prefix, "LL" is a letter and "0" is a digit to prevent confusion with civilian plates issued from 1994.

Starting from 2004, historical military vehicles that no longer possess the original plate use instead the scheme EI VS 000, "VS" (Veicolo Storico) is colored green.

Before 1938, firefighters vehicles used civilian plates Since 1938 have the prefix "VF" (Vigili del Fuoco) in red .

The upper part of the plate has a small space for accommodating expiry date stickers.

From 1932 to 1951, they are square 32.0 x 22.0 cm, white digits on a black background with Garamond font, using an EE 00000 system.

From 1985, they are on a single line, black digits on white reflective background with the EE 000 AA system.

Emergency plates have the text at the top:"DIPARTIMENTO PROTEZIONE CIVILE RICOVERO DI EMERGENZA", then a provincial designator and four numbers.

Testing plates have a square (16.5 by 16.5 cm) size and follows the format XX p X/XXXX (where "X" could be a letter or a digit ) arranged in two lines since 2003.

They can be transferred on other cars From 1951 to 1976, testing plates used to be square, black background with white digits, in middle the word "PROVA" was written in red, followed by the provincial code, the official emblem and a progressive number.

From 1976 to 1985, these plates used to have black background with white digits on a single line, with the provincial code followed by a progressive number and the word "PROVA" vertically aligned by 90° degrees.

Until 1994, Test plates used to have the provincial code instead of the first two digits, followed by a random combination of letters and numbers.

The abbreviations even count as valid words in crosswords and in Scarabeo, the Italian version of the board game Scrabble.