Vehicle registration plates of Mexico

Every year, owners of Mexican-registered vehicles pay the tenencia or revalidación de placas (car plates renewal tax).

In 2001 the size of the plate number was reduced in order to accommodate the addition of the state number, legend indicating the position of the plate on the vehicle (delantera (front) or trasera (rear)), and additional graphics.

Mexican plates are issued in several different classifications: Private, Private Fronteriza, Public, Public Frontera, Servicio Público Federal, Inspección Fiscal y Aduanera, Armada de México, and Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores.

2002 - 2016 The current 000-AAA plate series for Mexico City (until 2016 the Distrito Federal) was introduced in 1972, allowing registration for 10,950,300 private automobiles.

Following the established series, vehicles after 999-ZZZ are registered as A01-AAA, in order not to use a combination used in the past, Letters I, O and Q are not used.

European-style license plates have become popular, as with this example of an unofficial remake of a Baja California plate. Unofficial plates, whilst technically illegal, are tolerated in practice. However, in most states the motorist can choose between Euro-style plates and the more common US-style plates.