2022 highs

Here are the highest combinations issued in 2022 (i.e. on 31 December at 11.59 p.m.); they are sorted according to their index digit or letter.

2022 highs (i.e. highest combinations on 31 December 2022 at 11.59 p.m.):

• Indexes 1 and 2:
  
• Cars, long format: 2-CWZ-764 [Skipped: BSP, BUB, BWP, CAP, CDF, CDH, CDV, CSP, CUB, CUL, CUT, CVP, as planned]
  
• Cars, square format: 1-GYC 573
  
• Cars, small format: 1-BZL 796
  
• Index CD:
• Diplomatic Cars, long format: CD-BB-446
  
• Diplomatic Cars, square format: CD-YA 322
  
• Diplomatic Cars, small format: CD-ZA 090
  
• Diplomatic Motorcycles, small format: CD-MA 275
  
• Diplomatic Scooters, B Class, micro format: CDSB 105
  
• Index G:
• Tractors, long format: G-LCT-641
  
• Tractors, square format: G-LXT 604
  
• Tractors, small format: G-LZE 829
  
• Index M:
• Motorcycles, small format: M-BGY 762 [Skipped: BEB, as planned]
  
• Index O:
• Oldtimer Cars, long format: O-AGT-155
  
• Oldtimer Cars, square format: O-AYW 931
  
• Oldtimer Cars, small format: O-AZU 330 [Skipped: O-AZS 256 to O-AZT 100]
  
• Oldtimer Motorcycles, small format: O-MBX 026 [Skipped: O-MBQ 534 to O-MBQ 999]
  
• Oldtimer Trailers, long format: O-QAA-452
  
• Oldtimer Trailers, square format: O-QYA 082
  
• Oldtimer Trailers, small format: O-QZA 010
  
• Oldtimer Scooters, A Class, micro format: OSAG 394 [Skipped: OSAE 775 to OSAF 570]
  
• Oldtimer Scooters, B Class, micro format: OSBU 174 [Skipped: OSBR 148 to OSBR 999]
  
• Oldtimer Scooters, Microcars, micro format: OSUA 106
  
• Index Q:
• Trailers, long format: Q-AQB-736
  
• Trailers, square format: Q-AYM 328
  
• Trailers, small format: Q-AZA 103
  
• Index S:
• Scooters, A Class, micro format: SALY 953 [Skipped: ALA, as planned]
  
• Scooters, B Class, micro format: SBPA 376
  
• Scooters, Speed Pedelecs, micro format: SPDT 506 [Skipped: PDB, as planned]
  
• Scooters, Microcars, micro format: SUAX 907 [Skipped: UAW, due to still forbidden letter]
  
• Index T:
• Transport with chauffeur, long format: T-LAM-753
  
• Transport with chauffeur, square format: T-LYA 051
  
• Transport with chauffeur, small format: T-LZA 084
  
• Taxi, long format: T-XAH-656
  
• Taxi, square format: T-XYA 003
  
• Taxi, small format: T-XZA 009
  
• Index U:
• 2022:
• National plate, Cars, long format: UA-22-BQX [issued: AAA to BEZ, then BQA to BQX i.e. 820 plates]
• National plate, Cars, square (or small?) format: UA-22-BGE [issued: BFA to BGE, i.e. 28 plates]
  
• National plate, Motorcycles, small format: UM-21 AAA
  
• National plate, Trailers, long format: UQ-21-AAQ [16 plates]
  
• 2023:
  
• National plate, Cars, long format: UA-23-ABK [35 plates]
• National plate, Trailers, long format: UQ-23-AAA
  
• Index V:
• Professional plate, Cars, long format: V-AAE-152
  
• Professional plate, Cars, square (or small?) format: V-AAB 009
  
• Professional plate, Motorcycles, small format: V-MAA 073
• Professional plate, Trailers, long format: V-QAA 190
  
• Professional plate, Scooters, micro format: VSAA 026
• Index W:
• 2022:
  
• Temporary plate, Cars, long format: WA-22-ATX [509 plates]
• Temporary plate, Cars, small format: WA-22-AZA
• Temporary plate, Motorcycles, small format: WM-22 AAE
  
• Temporary plate, Trailers, long format: WQ-22-AAA
• Temporary plate, Scooters, A Class, micro format: WA-22 AAB
• Temporary plate, Scooters, B Class, micro format: none
• 2023:
  
• Temporary plate, Cars, long format: WA-23-ADW [99 plates]
  
• Temporary plate, Motorcycles, small format: WM-23 AAA
• Temporary plate, Trailers, long format: none
  
• Temporary plate, Scooters, A Class, micro format: WS-23 AAA
• Temporary plate, Scooters, B Class, micro format: WS-23 BAB
  
• Index X:
• 2022:
  
• Export plate, Cars, long format: XA-22-NYN [9,021 plates]
• Export plate, Cars, small format: XA-22 AZA  
• Export plate, Motorcycles, small format: XM-22 ABQ [41 plates]
• Export plate, Trailers, long format: XQ-22-ADX / XQ-21-BIF [313 plates]
• Export plate, Scooters, A Class, micro format: none
  
• Export plate, Scooters, B Class, micro format: none
• 2023: 
• Export plate, Cars, long format: XA-23-BGN [810 plates]
• Export plate, Motorcycles, small format: none
  
• Export plate, Trailers, long format: XQ-23-ABC [27 plates]
• Export plate, Scooters, A Class, micro format: none
  
• Export plate, Scooters, B Class, micro format: none
  
• Index Y:
• Technical tests plate, Cars, long format: Y-AAA-461
• Technical tests plate, Cars, square (or small?) format: Y-AAB 001
  
• Technical tests plate, Motorcycles, small format: Y-MAA 004
• Technical tests plate, Trailers, long format: Y-QAA-056
• Technical tests plate, Scooters, micro format: YSAA 008
  
• Index Z: 
• Dealers, Cars, long format: Z-AAW-866
  
• Dealers, Cars, square format: Z-AAC-015
• Dealers, Motorcycles, small format: Z-MAA 383
• Dealers, Trailers, long format: Z-QAA-268
• Dealers, Trailers, square format: Z-QAA 301
  
• Dealers, Scooters, micro format: ZSAA 243

Statistics: amount of plates issued in 2020

Table 1 below lists the total of plates issued in 2020 for each general category of plates. The data was gathered by myself, taking note of the number of plates issued each day in each category and format.

Categories	Indexes / letters	Yearly total	Monthly average
Ordinary plates	1	842,113	70,176.1
Diplomatic	CD	1,720	143.3
Tractors	G	4,272	356.0
Motorcycles	M	78,892	6,574.3
Oldtimers	O	23,404	1,950.3
Trailers	Q	38,940	3,245.0
Scooters	S	64,517	5,376.4
Paid transportation	T	1,345	112.1
Temporary	W	403	33.6
Export	X	8,603	716.9
Dealers	Z	4,612	384.3
Road tests	ZZ	3,318	276.5
ALL		1,072,139	89,344.9

Table 1. Amount of plates issued in 2020 for each general category.

Unsurprisingly, the overall amount of plates issued in 2020 is inferior to that of 2019 (1,183,394 plates), coming down to a 9.4% decrease, which can be largely attributed to the Coronavirus crisis, which led to the shutdown of public services like the DIV and insurance companies, as well as to a decrease of car sales in general. Besides, since most pre-2010 non-European format plates have disappeared, the need to switch to a European format plate is still smaller than before.

The largest category is that of ordinary plates, representing 78.5% of all plates issued in 2020. Motorcycles make up the second largest category, followed rather closely by scooters. Trailers are next, but far from the podium, preceding oldtimers in numbers. Export plates constitute a significant category, while temporary plates were the rarest in 2020.

It is possible to make comparisons with 2019 by taking a look at Table 2:

Categories	Indexes / letters	2019	2020	Difference	%
Ordinary plates	1	954,277	842,113	-112,164	-11.8%
Diplomatic	CD	1,903	1,720	-183	-9.6%
Tractors	G	4,054	4,272	218	5.4%
Motorcycles	M	73,049	78,892	5,843	8%
Oldtimers	O	23,942	23,404	-538	-2.2%
Trailers	Q	42,322	38,940	-3,382	-8%
Scooters	S	60,273	64,517	4,244	7%
Paid transportation	T	2,639	1,345	-1,294	-49%
Temporary	W	830	403	-427	-51.4%
Export	X	14,950	8,603	-6,347	-42.5%
Dealers	Z	2,860	4,612	1,752	61.3%
Road tests	ZZ	2,295	3,318	1,023	44.6%
ALL		1,183,394	1,072,139	-111,255	-9.4%

Table 2. Amounts of plates issued in 2019 and 2020.

The 'Difference' column substracts the 2020 numbers to the 2019 amounts; the '%' column translates that into percentages.

Overall, 9.4% fewer plates were issued in 2020 than in 2019. Some categories have undergone a decrease, while others have benefited from an increase. 

One of the most sizeable 'losses' can be attributed to the 'paid transportation services' category, i.e. including taxis and rental cars with chauffeur. This might be an effect of the crisis, but also of the arrival of Uber services in Brussels (although this company is now forbidden to operate there), possibly discouraging the registration of new taxis. Besides, there had been a peak in rental cars with chauffeur registrations in the past years, probably for tax evasion reasons (i.e. people had set up so-called rental companies in order not to pay registration taxes, but rent the cars to themselves).

As a result of the borders shutdown in March, April and May, together with the shutdown of the DIV offices (including the one specialized in W and X plates), far fewer export and temporary plates were issued in 2020. 

The decrease in registered ordinary vehicles, diplomatic cars and trailers can be linked with the Covid-19 crisis. However, the decrease of oldtimer vehicles is almost marginal, as nearly the same amount of such vehicles were issued, give or take a few hundreds.

As far as increases are concerned, more tractors were registered, just like motorcycles: it is likely that more people decided to buy and register a bike after the first wave of the pandemic, when restrictions were lifted, in order to enjoy more freedom. The same can be said about scooters, which were even more popular than last year.

Finally, strong increases can be singled out for dealer plates and road test plates; several extra thousands of such plates were issued in January, for unknown reasons. Such plates will start disappearing over the course of 2021, as they will be replaced by plates with index letters V, Y and Z, depending on their uses, from 4 January 2021 onwards.

Would you like more of such statistical analyses? Would you like to comment on the data? Do not hesitate to post a comment under this post!

Needless to say, reproduction of my data anywhere else without my written permission is forbidden, as this text is copyrighted (© SL 2021).