MOTOR LICENSING · PLATES
Number plates
Plates are produced under the National Uniform Licensing Scheme, allocated from a controlled series, and issued only against a registered vehicle. A plate is stock the Service accounts for like a receipt booklet — which is why one cannot be bought loose.
How plate allocation works
Plate numbers are issued in series. Each series has a prefix identifying the State and the local government area of registration, a running number, and a suffix. The Service holds plate blanks in the central store, issues them to zonal stations against a request, and records the allocation of every single plate against a vehicle chassis number. Unallocated plates are counted monthly, and a discrepancy is treated as a loss of accountable stock.
The consequence for the vehicle owner is that a plate cannot be obtained separately from a registration. There is no counter at which a plate may be bought, and anyone offering one outside the registration process is selling either a stolen blank or a forgery. Both carry a ₦300,000 fine and prosecution for whoever fixes them to a vehicle.
Customised plates are available for private vehicles. A requested combination is checked for availability and for propriety — combinations that imply an official function, that are obscene, or that could be confused with a diplomatic or government series are refused. An approved customised plate is allocated for five years and is transferable between vehicles of the same owner.
Plate types and charges
| Plate type | Format | Charge | Revenue head | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private (standard) | KN-472-KMC | ₦21,000 | 12070009 | Pair, including production and embossment |
| Commercial | KN-318-XAK (yellow) | ₦23,000 | 12070010 | Pair. Required for any vehicle carrying passengers or goods for hire |
| Motorcycle | KNM-206-D | ₦9,500 | 12070011 | Single plate |
| Tricycle (Keke) | KNT-914-B | ₦9,500 | 12070011 | Single plate |
| Government | KN-055-GV (green) | ₦21,000 | 12070009 | Issued only against an MDA vehicle schedule |
| Customised / fancy | Owner’s approved combination | ₦350,000 | 12070012 | Five-year allocation, transferable between the owner’s vehicles |
| Replacement of a lost or damaged plate | Same number reissued | ₦12,000 | 12070021 | Police extract required for a lost plate |
| Dealer / trade plate | KN-TR-xxx | ₦85,000 | 12070009 | Annual, for licensed motor dealers |
Getting a plate
Register the vehicle
Plates are allocated as part of registration. Chassis verification must be complete before a plate can be assigned.
Choose standard or customised
Standard plates are allocated from the next available number in the series. Customised requests are checked for availability and propriety, which takes two working days.
Pay the plate charge
Billed with the rest of the registration bundle against revenue head 12070009 to 12070012.
Production and embossment
Plates are produced at the State plate production centre. Standard plates are ready within 48 hours; customised plates take five working days.
Fixing and verification
Plates are fixed at the zonal station and the allocation is closed against the chassis number. Both plates are photographed on the vehicle before the record is finalised.
Fake and cloned plates
Using a fake, cloned or altered number plate attracts a fine of ₦300,000, immediate impoundment of the vehicle and referral for prosecution.
Every plate issued by the Service is recorded against a chassis number. An officer at a checkpoint can confirm in seconds whether the plate on a vehicle belongs to it, which is why cloned plates are found rather than missed.
If you buy a used vehicle, verify the plate against the vehicle particulars for ₦3,500 before you pay for it. It is the cheapest insurance available in the entire licensing schedule.
Verify a plate before you buy
A ₦3,500 vehicle particulars search confirms the plate, the chassis number and the registered owner.