Government and commercial plates are special identification plates issued by the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure (DTMI) for vehicles operating under specific conditions. These plates provide clear identification for vehicles used in government, passenger transport, and hire services.
Commonwealth plates
Vehicles licensed to the Australian Government are issued with special number plates.
These plates are black on a white background with the letter 'Z' in red as the prefix of the plate.
- For example: ZAN123
Since the closure of the Commonwealth Vehicle Registry in 2000, responsibility for issuing of Australian Government number plates has been transferred to states and territory authorities.
These vehicles can only be licensed at the City West Perth Service Centre by a private vehicle leasing company.
Government plates
Government plates are issued by DTMI to light commercial motor vehicles, trailers, and motorcycles licensed in the name of state government agencies. The WA Government Fleet Policy and Guidelines doesn’t apply to heavy vehicles.
The plates are issued for general use on government vehicles and are manufactured on demand in large quantities in an ascending alpha/numeric order.
In some instances, a government agency will inform DTMI that approval has been given for some of their vehicles to be licensed with a State series plate.
Government plates have a blue background with white reflectorised characters.
Examples of government plates are:
- Vehicle plates: 1QAA123
- Trailer plates: 1QTA123
- Motorcycle plates: 1QA123
Plates issued to passenger transport vehicles (PTV)
On 2 July 2019, passenger transport vehicle (PTV) authorisations were introduced under the Transport (Road Passenger Services) Act 2018.
PTV authorisations replaced owned and leased taxi plates, country taxi-car, regular passenger transport omnibus and charter vehicle licences.
The PTV authorisation is a single authorisation with four categories of service:
- On-demand rank or hail (OD-RH) (taxi)
- On-demand charter (OD-C)
- Tourism passenger transport (TPT, and
- Regular passenger transport (RPT).
Refer to PTV plates for more information.
Plate types on passenger transport vehicles (PTVs)
A vehicle authorised as an on-demand rank or hail PTV (taxi) is required to display taxi plates.
Vehicles authorised as on-demand charter (OD-C), tourism passenger transport (TPT) or regular passenger transport (RPT) are not required to display specific plates – vehicles can display ordinary state or custom plates.
| Existing plate type | Remake available | Able to change to new style TAXI plate | Able to change to CVL plate |
|---|---|---|---|
|
CVL |
Y |
N |
Y |
|
CT |
N |
Y |
N |
|
PT |
N |
N |
Y |
|
SCV* |
N |
N |
Y |
|
TAXI |
Y |
Y |
N |
|
TC |
N |
N |
Y |
A PTV authorisation holder may change the category of their authorisation from OD-RH to OD-C.
Please see the PTV section for further details.
Transperth and Transwa bus plates
Buses operated by Transperth are issued with 'TP' series plates (TP NNNN) and buses operated by Transwa are issued with Government series plates (UQB NNN).
Fitting plates to your vehicle
Screws are not supplied with plates issued by DTMI.
Standard plates are made of aluminium and have the following dimensions.
- Motor vehicle plate 372 mm x 134 mm.
- Motorcycle plate 254 mm x 100 mm.
- Auxiliary plate 253 mm x 99 mm.
Once you’ve ordered optional plates and your application has been approved, the plates will be sent to your nominated collection site. Plates will not be handed over unless they can be attached to a licensed vehicle at the time of collection. If this isn’t possible, they will be retained at a DTMI service centre or regional agent until the vehicle is ready.
You must remove the old plates and fit the new ones yourself or ask a car dealership or garage to do it for you.
Why number plates matter
WA number plates identify licensed vehicles. If you’re responsible for a vehicle, you must ensure plates are securely attached and clearly visible, in accordance with the Road Traffic (Vehicles) Regulations 2014.
WA number plates mustn’t be used for decorative purposes or kept for sentimental reasons. If no longer in use, they must be returned to DTMI. Failure to do so may result in a fine.
Using a bike rack or mobility device?
If your rear plate is obscured by a bike rack or wheelchair carrier, you must purchase and attach an auxiliary plate. Refer to Auxiliary plates.
Lost, stolen or damaged plates?
If your plates are lost, stolen, or damaged, you’ll need to follow the standard replacement procedure. Refer to Replace lost/stolen or damaged number plates.