Palau requires its residents to register their motor vehicles and display vehicle registration plates.[1] Current plates are North American standard 6 × 12 inches (152 × 305 mm). Most states issue metal plates, some stamped; however, some are hand painted, stenciled or of printed laminated paper on a wooden base. Most states issue new plates every few years, others use revalidation through stickers.
| Country |  Palau |
|---|---|
| Country code | None |
| Current series | |
| Material | Metal |
The designs of the plates vary by state, with each state issuing their own plates, although some states have less than 100 residents and the largest just 14,000. Palau witnessed several instances of political violence in the 1980s, due to state-by-state conflict over the nuclear issue, so in the 1990s a national plate was issued. This has since reverted to state-by-state production.[2]
Regular plates
edit| Image | First issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Two bai (men's meeting houses) | "Charm of Micronesia" | Republic of Palau | |||
|
1980 | Airai Japanese manufacture | ||||
| 1980 | Two bai (men's meeting houses) | Koror | ||||
|
1988 | State seal | Ngarchelong plexiglass | |||
|
1990s | Offshore natural arch | Spelled "NGAREMLENGUI" | Ngeremlengui | ||
| 1990s | State seal | Ngatpang plexiglass | ||||
|
1992 | Two bai (men's meeting houses) | "Charm of Micronesia" | Republic of Palau | ||
|
2000 | Sprouting coconut seed and green crab | Ngatpang Australian standard 372 mm × 134 mm | |||
|
2000 | State seal, spiny murex, sea turtle and outrigger | "LAND OF ENCHANTMENT" | Peleliu | ||
|
2001 | Outrigger and four stars in a map pattern | Sonsorol | |||
|
2002 | Storm petrel and state seal | Ngchesar | |||
|
2004 | "HIGHEST & TALLEST" | Ngardmau plexiglass | |||
|
2005 | Spiny murex | "HOME OF MEDECHII BELAU" (according to legend, Medechii Belau lured rabbitfish to Airai[3]) | Airai | ||
|
2005 | State seal | Kayangel | |||
| 2005 | State seal | "LAND OF ENCHANTMENT" | Peleliu | |||
| 2007 | State seal | Ngaraard | ||||
|
2008 | Three bai (men's meeting houses) | Koror | |||
|
2008 | Flag of Melekeok | Melekeok | |||
|
2009 | Taki Falls scenic waterfall | Ngardmau | |||
|
2010 | Angaur | ||||
|
2010 | Hatohobei-hand-stenciled; with only 40 residents, only government plates are produced | ||||
|
2011 | Bai (men's meeting house) and saltwater crocodile | Aimeliik-printed laminated paper | |||
|
2012 | Sprouting coconut seed and red green crab | Ngatpang | |||
|
2013 | Two bai (men's meeting houses) | Koror | |||
|
2013 | State seal | "CHAD RA KIULUUL" (Kiuluul is an old name for Ngiwal)[4] | Ngiwal | ||
|
2018 | State seal and Taki Falls scenic waterfall | Ngardmau | |||
|
2019 | Flag of Melekeok | Melekeok | |||
|
2019 | Black numbers on white background all centered in a black bordered box; green plate background with stars at top and banner at bottom | Ngchesar | |||
|
2020 | Bai (men's meeting house) and saltwater crocodile | Aimeliik | |||
|
2020 ? | Dark green serial at far right on light mint green background; "ASGV" diagonally in center | State seal at center left | Aimeliik | ||
|
2020 | Spiny murex | "HOME OF MEDECHII BELAU" | Airai | ||
|
2020 | Blue text on white background with small blue bands at top and bottom | Angaur | |||
|
2020 | State seal | Kayangel | |||
|
2020 | Two bai (men's meeting houses) | "BOUNTIFUL ISLES" | Koror | ||
|
2020 | Black serial on white background | "BOUNTIFUL ISLES" | Koror | ||
|
2020 (?) | State seal | Ngaraard | |||
|
2020 | State seal | Ngarchelong | |||
|
2020 | Sprouting coconut seed and red green crab | Ngatpang | |||
|
2020 (?) | Yellow serial on blue background; "Ngeremlengui State" and "Republic of Palau" in white at top and bottom respectively | Ngeremlengui | |||
|
2020 | State seal | "CHAD RA KIULUUL" (Kiuluul is an old name for Ngiwal) | K79-123 | Ngiwal | |
|
2020 | Black letters on sky blue background | "ODESNAGEL PRIDE" | Peleliu |
Diplomatic plates
edit| Image | First issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2020 (?) | Golden yellow serial on light blue background; wavy golden yell and light blue border | golden yellow "DIPLOMAT" above serial number | A 123 | Republic of Palau |
Government plates
edit| Image | First issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2019 | White numbers on orange background; bai (men's meeting house) left, flag right | White "GOVERNMENT" above serial number | 1234 | Republic of Palau | |
|
2020 | Light blue serial on silver background; light blue border; scale of justice to right of serial and flag to right | Blue "JUDICIARY" above serial number | 123 | Republic of Palau |
Special plates
edit| Image | First issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Black serial on white background; Belau National Museum centered at top; "Republic of Palau centered at bottom; material is plastic | A Cherechar a Lokelii | BNM-1234 | Koror | ||
|
2020 ? | Large black "LGSP" (Local Government Support Program) on white background skewed to right of center; United Nations Development Program logo over state seal at left; material is plastic | None | Republic of Palau | ||
|
2020 | Black serial on white background preceded by yellow and blue PICRC logo; material is plastic | Palau International Coral Reef Center | PICRC-12 | Koror |
References
edit- ^ "License Plates of Palau". Worldlicenseplates.com. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ "palauy2k.html". Plateshack.com. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ "Palau State Flags: 2". Pacificdigitallibrary.org. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ "Palauan Language Online: All Palauan Words with Definitions in English and Palauan". Tekinged.com. Retrieved 18 May 2018.