Not every "desired license plate" and also not every combination of license plates is allowed in this country. In germany there are forbidden letter combinations on license plates. The majority of vehicle owners want to convey a specific message with the license plate, for example with the initials of the child, their own or even for company vehicles. However, not all combinations of letters are permitted in this country. the following article informs about which combinations are forbidden on license plates nationwide and in some federal states.
Federally banned combinations
The legal basis for the prohibition of certain letter combinations on license plates is section 8, paragraph 1 of the FZV (vehicle registration ordinance). this paragraph states, mutatis mutandis, that neither identification numbers nor combinations of letters may be immoral. Therefore, the letter combinations "SS", "SA", "KZ" and "HJ" are generally prohibited throughout germany. The reason for this is that these letter combinations are terms from the time of national socialism.
- "SS" stands as an abbreviation for schutzstaffel, the paramilitary fighting organization of the NSDAP from 1920 to 1945.
- "SA" is the short form of sturmabteilung. It was largely responsible for the holocaust in the period from 1933 to 1945.
- "KZ" stands as an abbreviation for concentration camp. From 1933 to 1945, countless people were murdered in concentration camps on the orders of the nazi party leadership.
- "HJ" was used as an abbreviation for hitler-jugend, the youth organization of the nazi party.
Prohibited number and number combinations in various federal states
each federal state is also authorized to ban further combinations of numbers and numbers on license plates.
- Thuringia: in addition to the federally banned combinations, thuringia bans the letter combination "NS" (national socialism).
- Schleswig-Holstein: schleswig-holstein has also banned the use of the combination "NS" on license plates.
- Saxony-Anhalt: in this federal state there is a ban on the combinations "88" and on the letter combination ""SK-IN" (abbreviation for skinhead).
- Saxony: also in saxony, the letter combination "NS" is prohibited on vehicle license plates.
- Saarland: apart from the nationwide bans, there are no other bans in saarland.
- North Rhine-Westphalia: in cologne, the letter "Z" is banned from license plates because it allows the abbreviation "KZ" to be formed.
- lower saxony: this federal state additionally prohibits the letters "NS" (national socialism) on vehicle license plates.
- Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: the federal state of mecklenburg-vorpommern has also issued an additional ban on the letter combination "NS.
- Hesse: hesse prohibits the issuance of license plates with the letter combination "SD". "SD" was the common abbreviation for reichssicherheitsdienst, a personal security unit for the NSDAP leader adolf hitler.
- Hamburg: there is an additional ban on the letter combinations "SD" and "NS".
- Bremen: in addition to the combinations prohibited nationwide, the combination "NS" on license plates is prohibited in bremen.
- Brandenburg: there are a number of additional bans in brandenburg. Prohibited are the numbers 8188, 8888, 1888, 188, 88, 28, 18 and 14. The number 14 is forbidden according to the information of the constitutional protection in Brandenburg, because it was used as an abbreviation for the slogan of the neo-Nazi leader david lane.
- Berlin: in berlin there is an additional ban for "NS".
- Baden-wurttemberg: forbidden are the letters "NS".
- Bavaria: forbidden are "HH", "AH", "28", "88" and "18" forbidden. in nuremberg, "N-SU" and "N-PD" are also prohibited.
These license plates also go too far
Also the trademark "HH 1933" was recently banned by a court – because of nazi references. unfortunately, the exact name and date of birth of the person on this trial is not known. The fact is, however, that the legal dispute before the administrative court (VG) of dusseldorf was lost. The vehicle was registered in the district of viersen (VIE) with the letter-number-combination "HH 1933". The road traffic office had first allowed the license plate, but withdrew it after a citizen complaint. This was the basis for the vehicle owner’s lawsuit. However, the dusseldorf Regional Administrative Court has upheld the decision of the road traffic authority and withdrawn the license plate (az.: 6 L 175/19).
"N-SU" is forbidden – "S-EX" is allowed
Other topics are not discussed (or no longer) so strictly handled. For a while "S-EX" was not allowed as a license plate in stuttgart. but now already. The same applies to other combinations such as "S-AU", "S-OS", "S-KY" and even "SE-XY" is no longer really a problem. One reason is probably the cost. The municipalities are willing to pay a lot for a "desired license plate". berlin alone takes in a high six-figure sum a year with vanity plates.
PS: there is also plenty of funny license plate combinations. we have a great overview in our article "funny license plates – we have the fun list!"for you.