I will explain about local numbers & license plates with local patterns.
What is a number plate with a local pattern (local number)?
A license plate with a local pattern is a special license plate designed with illustrations of specialty products and scenic spots because the “region name” of the license plate is the area where the car is registered and used. Even if the area name is not “local name”, you may be able to select a license plate with a local pattern, so the so-called “local number” and “number with a local pattern” are distinguished.
However, the background to the introduction of license plates with local patterns also plays a role in the spread of local numbers. This is because local names that represent regional characteristics other than the area name where the Transport Branch Office is located have been adopted, and there was a desire to further appeal to local governments by putting a pattern on the license plate.
License plates with local patterns have been issued since October 1, 2018.
Difference from local number
There are cases where license plates with local patterns are introduced even in local governments that do not use local numbers. In that sense, “local number” and “number with local pattern” are distinguished.
For example, there are “Nara number” and “Asuka number” in Nara prefecture, and both can select license plates with local patterns. However, the local number (a region name that has a certain cohesiveness in terms of regional characteristics and economic zone and is generally widely recognized) is “Asuka”.
Does a light car change from yellow to white with a number with a local pattern (local number)?
If you use a license plate with a local pattern, will the color of the plate be white even in a light car like a normal passenger car?
From the conclusion, the license plate with the local pattern currently used becomes “a plate with a white base with a yellow edge” when registered with a light car.
At the sports festival “Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics” held in various parts of Japan in 2021, a “special license plate” was issued to those who wished to commemorate the event.
Many of you may remember that the special plates for the Olympics and Paralympics became a hot topic not only for ordinary passenger cars but also for light cars as a whole because they adopted numbers on a white background. At that time, it seems that there were many people who applied for the issuance of special specification plates in search of a “white number”.
However, unfortunately, when the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism announced the “design of license plates with local patterns” in May 2018, it will no longer be a “complete white number”.
A design with a yellow border on a white background was adopted to make it easier to distinguish between ordinary passenger cars and light cars.
Is it a violation to hide the yellow edge with a license plate frame?
If you’re worried about the yellow edges being noticeable, you might consider wearing a license plate frame to hide it.
However, depending on the license plate frame you are wearing, you may be fined for “breaching your license plate obligation” according to traffic regulations.
There are three criteria for legal license plate frames: Be sure to check when installing the license plate using the frame.
- Width (* 1) is 10 mm or less at the top, 18.5 mm or less on the left and right, 13.5 mm or less at the bottom
- Thickness (* 2) is 6 mm or less at the top (10 mm or less when the width of the top is 7 mm or less), other 30 mm or less
- Items that are not likely to fall off
* 1 Length from the outer edge of the license plate to the inner edge of the frame when attached to the license plate
* 2 Thickness of the part of the frame / bolt cover attached to the license plate that protrudes from the surface of the license plate.
List of license plates with local patterns
Number with local design of Hokkaido
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Shiretoko” |  |
The magnificent nature of Shiretoko
You can meet the snowy mountains in Shiretoko |
Shari Town, Kiyosato Town, Koshimizu Town Betsukai Town / Nakashibetsu Town Shibetsu Town / Rausu Town |
| “Tomakomai” |  |
Lake Utonai and the city of ice hockey
Yuru-chara “Tomachop” |
Tomakomai City |
License plate with local design of Aomori prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Hirosaki” |  |
Hirosaki Castle, cherry blossom-colored moat and Mt. Iwaki | Hirosaki City, Nishimeya Village |
Number with local pattern of Iwate prefecture
Number with local design of Miyagi prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Sendai” |  |
Date Masamune and Sendai Tanabata Festival
Sendai Tanabata Festival and |
Sendai city |
Fukushima prefecture local pattern number
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Shirakawa” |  |
Komine Castle in Spring | Shirakawa City, Fukushima Prefecture, etc. |
Number with local pattern of Yamagata Prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Yamagata” |  |
Cherry village
Yamagata’s specialty “cherries” |
Yamagata City, Yonezawa City, Shinjo City, Sagae City, etc. |
| “Shonai” |  |
Rice ears and Mt. Chokai | Tsuruoka City, Sakata City, etc. |
Number with local design in Ibaraki prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Tsuchiura” |  |
Hobikibune, fireworks
Imagine 11 cities, towns and villages in the area |
Tsuchiura City, Ishioka City, Ryugasaki City, Toride City, etc. |
| “Tsukuba” |  |
Mount Tsukuba
The sun came out from the top of the mountain |
Tsukuba City, Sakuragawa City, etc. |
Number with local design of Gunma prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Maebashi” |  |
Akagiyama
Overlooking Mt. Akagi from Maebashi |
Maebashi City, Yoshioka Town |
Number with local design of Saitama prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| Saitama “Koshigaya” |
 |
Gaya-chan, Minami Koshigaya Awa Odori |
Koshigaya City |
Number with local design of Chiba prefecture
Number with local design of Tokyo
Number with local design of Yamanashi prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Fuji Mountain” |  |
Fuji Mountain
World cultural heritage “Mt. Fuji” |
Fujiyoshida City, Nishikatsura Town, Oshino Village, Yamanakako Village, Fujikawaguchiko Town, Narusawa Village, Doshi Village |
Number with local design of Niigata prefecture
Number with local pattern of Toyama prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Toyama” |  |
Tateyama mountain range
Toyama Bay and the prefecture’s bird “Thunderbird” |
Toyama prefecture |
Number with local design of Ishikawa prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Kanazawa” |  |
Yukitsuri Umebachimon
With “Umebachimon” of the Kaga domain |
Kanazawa City, Kahoku City, Tsubata Town, Uchinada Town |
| “Ishikawa” |  |
Satoumi waves in Noto Hakusan
In the waves of Noto Satoumi |
Kaga City, Nanao City, Komatsu City etc. |
Fukui prefecture local pattern number
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Fukui” |  |
dinosaur
Impress Fukui Prefecture |
All over Fukui Prefecture |
Number with local design of Shizuoka prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Fuji Mountain” |  |
Majestic Fuji and rich countryside
With the magnificent Mt. Fuji |
Fujinomiya City, Fuji City, Gotemba City, Susono City, Oyama Town, Shibakawa Town |
Number with local design of Aichi prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Toyota” |  |
With Toyota Stadium Grampus-kun family J League club “Nagoya Grampus” |
Toyota City |
| “Kasugai” |  |
Michikaze-kun and cactus character
Kasugai City mascot character |
Kasugai City |
Number with local pattern of Mie prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Ise-Shima” |  |
The charm that blows
The torii gate and sea breeze of Ise Jingu |
Ise City, Toba City, Shima City, etc. |
| “Yokkaichi” |  |
Shining Yokkaichi
Yokkaichi Industrial Complex |
Yokkaichi |
Number with local design of Shiga prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Shiga” |  |
Biwa lake
An island floating in Lake Biwa |
All over Shiga prefecture |
Number with local pattern of Kyoto Prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Kyoto” |  |
Flower pattern Amanohashidate, five-storied pagoda
With Kyoto’s tourist destination “Amanohashidate” |
All over Kyoto Prefecture |
License plate with local design of Nara prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Nara” |  |
Cherry blossoms, autumn leaves
“Five-storied pagoda,” “deer,” and “cherry blossoms” |
Nara City, Yamatotakada City, Yamatokoriyama City, Tenri City, etc. |
| “Asuka” |  |
Suzaku
The guardian deity of the direction “Suzaku” |
Kashihara City, Takatori Town, Asuka Village Tawaramoto Town / Miyake Town |
License plate with local design of Tottori prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Tottori” |  |
Sand dunes, Oyama, pears
Tottori Sand Dunes and tourist attractions |
All over Tottori prefecture |
License plate with local design of Shimane prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Izumo” |  |
Yagi Daija
Appear in myth |
Izumo City, Okuizumo Town, Iinan Town |
License plate with local design of Hiroshima prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Fukuyama” |  |
Hiroshima Toyo Carp
With the logo of a local professional baseball team |
Fukuyama City, Onomichi City, Mihara City, Fuchu City, Takehara City, etc. |
License plate with local design of Yamaguchi Prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Shimonoseki” |  |
Shimonoseki Landmark
Kammonkyo that connects Kyushu and Shimonoseki |
Shimonoseki City |
| “Yamaguchi” |  |
Akiyoshidai, Kintaikyo Bridge
From sightseeing spots in Yamaguchi Prefecture |
Excluding Shimonoseki City All over Yamaguchi Prefecture |
License plate with local design of Tokushima prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Tokushima” |  |
Awa Dance
Tokushima’s famous festival “Awa Odori” |
All over Tokushima Prefecture |
License plate with local design of Kagawa prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Kagawa” |  |
Seto Inland Sea, Olive
With the Seto Inland Sea facing Kagawa Prefecture |
The whole area of Kagawa prefecture |
| “Takamatsu” |  |
View of Yashima from Takamatsu Port | Takamatsu City, Kagawa Prefecture |
License plate with local design of Ehime prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Ehime” |  |
Mican
Ehime prefecture mascot |
All over Ehime prefecture |
License plate with local design of Kochi prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Kochi” |  |
Harimaya Bridge, Skipjack
Symbolizes Kochi prefecture |
The whole area of Kochi prefecture |
License plate with local design of Nagasaki Prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Nagasaki” |  |
Stained glass
Peace Statue and Huis Ten Bosch, |
Nagasaki City, Shimabara City, Isahaya City, etc. |
| “Sasebo” |  |
Stained glass
Peace Statue and Huis Ten Bosch, |
Sasebo City, Hirado City, etc. |
License plate with local design of Kumamoto prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Kumamoto” |  |
Kumamon
Yuru-chara from Kumamoto Prefecture |
The whole area of Kumamoto prefecture |
License plate with local design of Oita prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Oita” |  |
hot spring
Beppu, Yufuin, etc. |
All over Oita prefecture |
License plate with local design of Miyazaki prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Miyazaki” |  |
Hinata and the sea
It is a symbol of Miyazaki prefecture |
All over Miyazaki Prefecture |
License plate with local design of Kagoshima prefecture
| Place name | design | Design intent | in use Municipalities / regions |
| “Kagoshima” |  |
Sakurajima
It is a symbol of Kagoshima prefecture |
Kagoshima City, Kanoya City, Makurazaki City, etc. |
Be careful when changing to a plate with a local pattern or an Olympic number
“Design numbers” such as plates with local symbols and Olympic numbers cannot be applied or applied at the Transport Branch Office or the automobile inspection association window. You need to apply and pay from the design number application service.
The flow of normal license plate change is explained in detail in this article.
If you want the desired number
If you want to apply for a desired number that you can get your favorite number, this article explains in detail.
How to get a license plate with a local pattern / charge
Apply for acquisition from the web!There are no acquisition conditions and anyone can apply
You can apply for acquisition from the web. Anyone who owns a “car (for private or business use)” and a “light car (for private use)” can get it. “Light vehicles (for business use)” and “motorcycles (motorcycles)” are not eligible.
If you want to continue using the existing number, make a “exchange application” to exchange only the plate with the number and hiragana as they are. You can replace the current license plate even if it is not dirty or damaged.
On the other hand, if you want to change the number, or if you want to attach a license plate with a local pattern when purchasing a new car, you can apply for the desired number.
In both cases, after applying from the web, the license plate will be issued after paying the issuance fee and donations. The general flow is as follows.
- Apply from the “Design Number Application Service” website
- Pay grant fees and donations
- Report the number at the Transport Branch Office within one month after receiving the payment confirmation email.
- Receive the license plate at the reservation center
Please also check the detailed flow of “Exchange application” and “Request number application” on the application website.
Design number application service[National Automobile Marker Council HP]
The cost required for application is about 10,000 yen
| – – | Medium size (small / ordinary car) | Large (mainly large vehicles) |
| No donations | About 7,000 to 9,200 yen | About 10,400 yen to 15,500 yen |
| With donations | From +1,000 yen to the above amount (no upper limit) | From +1,000 yen to the above amount (no upper limit) |
As shown in the table above, the cost (issuance fee) required to apply for a license plate with a local pattern differs depending on whether it is a “medium size (small / ordinary car)” or a “large size (mainly a large car)”. In addition, the issuance fee varies depending on the region.
It costs about 10,000 yen for a private car (light car and ordinary car) of a general household. If you pay the donation, it will be a full color plate, if you do not pay it, it will be a monochrome plate.Donations can be paid from 1,000 yen and there is no upper limit.
For example, if you want to obtain the “Setagaya number (full color)” in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, you will need to pay a medium-sized delivery fee of 7,300 yen + donation of 1,000 yen = 8,300 yen.
Documents required for application
- Car verification ★
- Vehicle registration number plate exchange application (download from website) ★
- Owner’s power of attorney * Those with the owner’s seal
- Desired number reservation certificate (received at the desired number reservation center)
- Fee payment slip (distributed at the Transport Branch Office)
- Automobile tax return (distributed at the tax office adjacent to the Transport Branch Office)
- Application form[第3号様式](Distributed at the Transport Branch Office)
* In the case of “change application”, only ★ is OK
* 3 Power of attorney is not required if the owner applies
In some cases, such as when the license plate cannot be returned due to loss or theft, separate documents may be required, so please be sure to check for yourself.
[Summary]There are also problems with local numbers and license plates with local patterns.
The local number will be created when the application is approved when it is expected that a certain number of registered vehicles in a specific area can be secured. Therefore, if it is decided to introduce a local number in that area, all newly registered vehicles in the area will be forced to adopt that local number.
This has been regarded as a problem these days because it may result in undesired exposure of the driver’s personal information.
A car with a local number will clearly show the driver’s residential area compared to the prefecture name number. As the brand appeal of the region backfired, there have been rumors on the Internet that “Setagaya numbers are prone to vandalism on the car.”
It is not as clear as the truth, but it is undeniable that it has given a clue to identify the owner / user image even to a malicious person.
Furthermore, in recent years, due to the Korona-ka, harassment of cars with numbers in other prefectures, unprovoked reports, and road rage have become a problem. It can be said that the reason why the so-called self-restraint police are embarking on the exclusion of numbers from other prefectures is that an easy-to-understand attack index called “a car with a different area name from your own area” has been created.
There is also a voice that it is necessary to reconsider whether the local number and the license plate with the local pattern for revitalizing the area will be disadvantageous to the owner and user of the car, and future development I am wondering what will happen.