In Kenya, all vehicles are required to have a registration number which is uniquely used to identify it and link it to the owner.
The number plates come in different colours and numbering to convey different meaning and purpose of the vehicle.
See the list below.
1.GK
GK to mean Government of Kenya, are plates used to identify all vehicles owned by the government.
This include state vehicles, police vehicles, presidential escort vehicles among others
2.County Government
County Government vehicles have a unique number plate that starts with the county code in that order.
The plates are unique and different from all the 47 county governments
3.Municipal council
These vehicles belonged to the defuct provincial administration system which was replaced by the county government.
However, the county government in the respective areas took over the vehicles and the vehicles all belong to the county governments
The plates are usually in green with initials of public vehicles K…
4.Parastatals and government institutions
The plates of these vehicles are usually blue in number.
Noticeably these vehicles are autonomously owned by the respective government institutions but are the property of the national government
Such are school vehicles, hospital vehicles among others
5.KDF
KDF have a very unique number which follows the international numbering that is unique while on their missions
Their plates, unlike other government agencies, don’t begin with GK
6.Public Vehicles
Public vehicles are very easy to single out, their plates are yellow in colour from behind and white in colour from the nose.
They all begin with a K… something.
7.Custom Made
Kenya gives motorists a chance to customize their number plates but at a very huge fee.
It will cost one atleast one million to make own number plate
8.Trailer plates
Trailers are usually given unique plates yellow in colour and begins with Z
9.Motobike and Tuktuk plates
Motorbikes, Tuktuks and other special kind of motors are usually given yellow plates with four letter plates all in yellow.
10.Diplomatic Numbers
Diplomatic number plates for cars belonging to foreign embassies in Kenya are usually given a special kind of number plates.
The vehicle number plates are not only unique in the red colour, but it is also easy to differentiate the numbers from other Kenyan cars or vehicles.
The diplomatic numbers were given to the embassies in order of their recognition of Kenya as an independent state.
Check the list below.
Germany (then West Germany), Russia, Ethiopia and China were the first nations to recognize Kenya’s independence hence they were awarded the following initials on their diplomatic number plates respectively- 1 CD, 2 CD, 3 CD, and 4 CD
1 CD………………………………………………..Germany
2 CD………………………………………………..Russia Federation
3 CD………………………………………………..Ethiopia
4 CD………………………………………………..China
5 CD………………………………………………..Norway
6 CD………………………………………………..Hungary
7 CD………………………………………………..Egypt
8 CD………………………………………………. Serbia
9 CD………………………………………………. Italy
10 CD …………………………………………….. France
11 CD………………………………………………. Slovakia
12 CD………………………………………………..Denmark
13 CD………………………………………………. Japan
14 CD………………………………………………. Sudan
15 CD………………………………………………..Austria
16 CD………………………………………………. India
17 CD………………………………………………..Australia
18 CD………………………………………………..Canada
19 CD………………………………………………..Holy See
20 CD………………………………………………. Finland
21 CD………………………………………………. Switzerland
22 CD………………………………………………..Britain
23 CD………………………………………………..Liberia
24 CD………………………………………………. Israel
25 CD………………………………………………..Nigeria
27 CD………………………………………………..Netherlands
29 CD………………………………………………..USA
30 CD………………………………………………..Belgium
31 CD………………………………………………. Sweden
32 CD………………………………………………..Pakistan
33 CD………………………………………………..Poland
34 CD………………………………………………..Korea
35 CD………………………………………………..Bulgaria
36 CD………………………………………………..Greece
37 CD………………………………………………..Cuba
38 CD………………………………………………..Kuwait
39 CD………………………………………………..Spain
45 CD………………………………………………..Romania
46 CD………………………………………………..Thailand
48 CD ………………………………………………Colombia
50 CD………………………………………………. Somalia
51 CD………………………………………………..Brazil
52 CD ……………………………………………..Turkey
53 CD………………………………………………..Lesotho
54 CD ……………………………………………..Zambia
56 CD ………………………………………………Malaysia
57 CD ……………………………………………..Congo (DRC)
58 CD ……………………………………………. Swaziland
59 CD ……………………………………………. Sri Lanka
60 CD ……………………………………………. Iraq
61 CD ……………………………………………..Rwanda
64 CD …………………………………………….. Iran
65 CD ………………………………………………Cyprus
66 CD ……………………………………………..Argentina
68 CD ……………………………………………..Philippines
69 CD ……………………………………………..Burundi
70 CD ………………………………………………Chile
72 CD ……………………………………………..League of Arab States
73 CD ………………………………………………European Union
74 CD ………………………………………………Yemen
75 CD………………………………………………..Kenya Mission to UNEP
76 CD………………………………………………..Cote d’Ivoire (Consulate)
77 CD………………………………………………..Bangladesh
78 CD………………………………………………. Saudi Arabia
80 CD………………………………………………..Libya
81 CD………………………………………………. Ireland (Consulate)
82 CD …………………………………………….. Kenya Mission to Habitat
83 CD………………………………………………..Algeria
84 CD………………………………………………..Palestine
85 CD………………………………………………..Uganda
86 CD………………………………………………..Mexico
87 CD………………………………………………..Morocco
88 CD………………………………………………..Costa Rica (Consulate)
89 CD………………………………………………..Gabon (Consulate)
91 CD………………………………………………. Indonesia
92 CD………………………………………………..Portugal
93 CD………………………………………………..Venezuela
94 CD………………………………………………..Zimbabwe
97 CD………………………………………………..Tanzania
102 CD………………………………………………Mozambique
103 CD…………………………………………….. South Africa
104 CD………………………………………………Eritrea
106 CD………………………………………………Czech
107 CD………………………………………………Aga Khan
110 CD………………………………………………Botswana (Consulate)
115 CD………………………………………………Ukraine
116 CD…………………………………………….. Sahrawi
Source- Kenya Car Bazaar.