Number of vehicles: cars 1,438,704 (1989), trucks and buses 297,598 (1989)
Road information: total: 92,053 km; paved: 57,809 km (including at least 190 km of expressways); unpaved: 34,244 km (2000)
New Zealand number plates contain a combination of up to six alphanumeric
characters. The current system began in 2000 and consists
of three letters followed by three numbers, with the
letters starting at AAA and the numbers at 100. As of
July 2007, the current pattern had reached EAx yyy, where
X is a letter and yyy is a three digit number.
The letter V has only appeared on personalised number plates since
1971, due to confusion with the letter U. Banned combinations
have included ARS, ASS, BAD, BAG, BAT, BRA, BUM, BUT,
CNT, CUM, CUN and DUM. However, CRP has been allowed
and issued.
The most sought-after personalised number plates are available with
blue lettering on a white background, and tend to change
hands for large sums of money.
