Bosnia and Hercegovina license plate (BIH) in 2026 ✅
Current Bosnian and Herzegovina car license plates since 1998 use European size in black characters on a white background. Since 2009, a blue stripe with the international BIH code is displayed on the left side of the license plates from Bosnia and Hercegovina. The Bosnian number plate configuration does not display any regional code, consisting of three groups of characters. The first consists of one letter and two numbers. The second consists of one letter, and the last consists of three non-random numbers.
Language: Serbo-Croatian
International code: BIH
In Bosnia and Hercegovina they drive on the right
First plate was registered on: 1906.
There are 2 1 4 cars per 1000 inhabitants.
Continent: Europe
Table of contents of Bosnia and Hercegovina license plates
Current car license plates of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The current car license plates of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in use since 1998, feature black characters on a white background using a German-style typeface. Since 2009, a blue band has been displayed on the left side with the Bosnian international country code BIH. Bosnia and Herzegovina license plates use the standard European car registration plate size. The configuration of Bosnia car license plates consists of one letter and two numbers, followed by a hyphen, a letter, another hyphen, and three numbers. Car and motorcycle license plates of Bosnia and Herzegovina have had no regional codes since 1998 and are issued centrally to prevent identifying the city or area where the vehicle comes from. Between 1998 and 2009, Bosnia and Herzegovina car plates did not include the blue band on the left side of the registration plate and used a configuration of three numbers, one letter, and three numbers.
Key moments in the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina license plates
Check the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina license plates below.
Bosnian license plates between 1998 and 2009
Bosnian license plates between 1992 and 1998
Bosnian license plates between 1992 and 1998 in the Bosniak area
Bosnian license plates between 1992 and 1998 in Republika Srpska
Bosnian license plates between 1992 and 1998 in the Croat area
Bosnian license plates in Yugoslavia until 1992
Bosnian license plates between 1919 and 1992
Car license plates of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2009 to the present
Since September 28, 2009, the car license plate system of Bosnia and Herzegovina has the configuration LNN-L-NNN, where L is a letter and N is a number. On the left side, a blue band is displayed with the country abbreviation "BiH", bearing a strong resemblance to the euroband used by countries of the European Union. This system does not indicate any geographical location.
Under this system, there may be several cars with the same license plate, but only one of them can be legally in circulation.
Car license plates of Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1998 and 2009
In February 1998 and later in August of the same year, a completely new nationwide car license plate system in Bosnia and Herzegovina was introduced, ending regional distinctions on plates. That year, the first Bosnia and Herzegovina car and motorcycle license plate system without any geographical reference was adopted, using the configuration NNN-L-NNN, where L is a letter and N is a number. In addition, it did not feature a blue band on the left. These Bosnian license plates did not need to be replaced when the new 2009 design was adopted and are still visible on Bosnian roads.
Special license plates in use in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina uses several different special license plate systems, which vary in the colors used as shown below. Special Bosnia license plates are characterized by different background or character colors. With the adoption of the new license plate system in 2009, there were no significant changes to special plates. Notably, a blue band with the international country code was introduced on the left side of some types of registration plates.
| Plate type | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Agricultural |  | License plate with green characters. Also used on quad bikes |
| Taxi |  | Special Bosnia taxi license plates begin with the letters TA followed by six serial numbers |
| Temporary |  | TT = testne tablice (test license plate) |
| Military |  | OS BIH = Oružane Snage Bosne i Hercegovine (Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina) |
| Export |  | Apparently used until 2009. Do you have more information? Contact us! |
Special military license plates in Bosnia and Herzegovina
In addition to the Bosnian license plates shown in the table above, several international and special military missions have been based in this country since the end of the war in 1995. The license plates of vehicles used by these international and military forces in Bosnia (and in Sarajevo) may use their original country plates or the organization’s plates. For example, NATO military forces use distinctive license plates.
Diplomatic Corps license plates of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Diplomatic license plates of Bosnia and Herzegovina since 2009 feature yellow characters on a blue background. The plate consists of two numbers, one letter, and several numbers. The first two numbers indicate the country they belong to (see codes below). The letter indicates the type of diplomatic status: A for Diplomatic Corps, M for Foreign Mission, and P for Foreign Press. These diplomatic license plates are very similar to those of neighboring Croatia, being distinguishable only by some details such as the 0 in the left position.
Previous Diplomatic Corps license plate system of Bosnia (1994-2009)
From 1994 to 2009, Bosnia diplomatic license plates were similar to those of some neighboring countries, such as Serbia. They used a configuration of yellow characters on a black background surrounded by a yellow border. They began with two vertical letters identifying the city where the embassy or consulate was located, namely SA-Sarajevo, followed by two numbers identifying the country or territory, a letter that could be A for Diplomatic Corps, P for Foreign Press, or M for Diplomatic Mission, and three serial numbers. The initial city letters were SA-Sarajevo, TZ-Tuzla, and MO-Mostar. The diplomatic codes were the same as those used in the system introduced in 2009.
History of Bosnia and Herzegovina license plates
Car license plates of Bosnia between 1992 and 1998
In the period from 1992 to 1998, during the Bosnia War, different types of license plates existed depending on the area, divided into three main types. On one side were the plates of the Croat area (Herzeg-Bosnia), on another those of Republika Srpska, and on the other those used in the Muslim-controlled areas.
Car license plates of the Muslim (Bosniak) area
License plates of the Muslim (Bosniak) area in 1993 had dimensions similar to those of Yugoslavia, with the letters RBiH on the left side. In 1994, these Bosniak-area license plates in Bosnia changed to a rectangular format, measuring 520x120 millimeters (mm), with black characters on a white background and a blue line along the edge of the plate. The first two letters of Bosniak-area license plates in Bosnia and Herzegovina after the war identified the region, using the same codes as in Yugoslavia. In 1995, a new license plate system began to be used in the Bosniak area with 10 mm less height, renewing the previous system and adding a blue band on the left side with the coat of arms, two letters identifying new regional codes, a hyphen, four numbers, and two letters (SA-Sarajevo, DO-Doboj, MD-Modriča, VI-Visoko...).
| Regional codes | ||
|---|---|---|
| BC-Brčko | BI-Bihać | BR-Brčko |
| DO-Doboj | JC-Jajce | MD-Modriča |
| PD-Prijedor | SA-Sarajevo | TD-Titov Drvar |
| TR-Travnik | VI-Visoko | ZE-Zenica |
Car license plates of Republika Srpska
Car license plates of Republika Srpska between 1992 and 1998 had the same size as Yugoslav plates (420x120 mm), with black characters on white, and began with two Cyrillic characters identifying the region. This was followed by the Bosnian-Serb coat of arms and four, or later five, characters separated in pairs by a hyphen on Republika Srpska license plates in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1998 after the war (БЛ-Banja Luka, ВШ-Višegrad, ДВ-Drvar, CC-Sarajevo, СЊ-Srbinje...).
Car license plates of the Croat area of Bosnia
Car license plates of the Croat-controlled area in Bosnia had the same format and design as Croatian license plates, but with red and blue lines on both the upper and lower parts of the plate. The first two letters identified the region, followed by the Bosnian Croat coat of arms (similar to the Croatian one but not identical), three numbers, and one letter (MO-Mostar, GR-Grude, OR-Orašje, TR-Travnik...). Military vehicles began with the letters HVO (Croatian Defence Council).
Bosnia and Herzegovina license plates between 1919 and 1992
See the section on Yugoslavia for more information about Bosnia and Herzegovina car license plates during the Yugoslav period. The first two letters on Yugoslav license plates identified the region, such as BJ-Banja Luka, MO-Mostar, SA-Sarajevo, TD-Titov Drvar, TZ-Tuzla...
Bosnia and Herzegovina license plates between 1906 and 1919
Between 1906 and 1919, Bosnia and Herzegovina car license plates used six different codes during the Austro-Hungarian Empire to identify what is now known as Bosnia and Herzegovina. See Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Examples of old license plates
Diplomatic codes
| Diplomatic codes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-France | 11-United States | 12-Iran | 13-Croatia |
| 14-Turkey | 15-Germany | 16-Austria | 17-Saudi Arabia |
| 18-Italy | 19-Kuwait | 20-United Kingdom | 21-Sudan |
| 22-Qatar | 23-Netherlands | 24-Libya | 25-Switzerland |
| 26-Egypt | 27-Ireland | 28-Slovenia | 29-OSCE |
| 30-Canada | 31-Cyprus | 32-Sweden | 33-Russia |
| 34-Czech Republic | 35-United Nations | 36-Pakistan | 38-Human Rights Office |
| 39-Norway | 40-Bulgaria | 42-Portugal | 43-Malaysia |
| 44-UNHCR | 45-United Arab Emirates | 48-Denmark | 49-European Bank |
| 51-UNDP | 53-Belgium | 56-Japan | 57-UNESCO |
| 58-North Macedonia | 59-Hungary | 60-UNICEF | 61-Spain |
| 62-Palestine | 63-Greece | 67-Finland | 69-Romania |
| 74-Poland |
☛ Which code identifies cars from Bosnia and Hercegovina?
The code BIH identifies Bosnia and Hercegovina. The license plates of Bosnia and Hercegovina may be used with the international registration code BIH next to it on the back part of the car.
Example of a car with the international recognition code of Bosnia and Hercegovina
Below you can find a car with the oval code and international recognition of Bosnia and Hercegovina which is BIH.
Questions and answers about car license plates in Bosnia and Hercegovina 🥇
Where is the code BIH in a license plate from?
The international code BIH identifies Bosnia and Hercegovina, in Europe.
Which country uses the code BIH on its license plate?
The country that uses the code BIH on its car license plate system is Bosnia and Hercegovina.. The letter or letters BIH always identify Bosnia and Hercegovina. The international code BIH must always be displayed on the rear of the vehicle inBosnia and HercegovinaSpain in an oval in black characters on a white background when travelling abroad, except in very rare cases.
When did Bosnia and Hercegovina have its first ordinary car license plate?
The date of the first car license plate registration officially issued in Bosnia and Hercegovina was in 1906.
Which side of the road do people drive on in Bosnia and Hercegovina?
In Bosnia and Hercegovina, you drive on the right side of the road.
On which continent is Bosnia and Hercegovina located?
Bosnia and Hercegovina is located in the continent . You can check how are the license plates of Europe following the link to the general section within matriculasdelmundo. Car license plates in Europe
What are license plates from Bosnia and Hercegovina called in other English-speaking couuntries?
In English, license plate of Bosnia and Hercegovina is commonly called a license plate of Bosnia and Hercegovina in the United States and Canada. In the UK and Australia, it’s often known as a number plate of Bosnia and Hercegovina. Another term, registration plate of Bosnia and Hercegovina, is understood globally and is slightly more formal. All these terms refer to the same vehicle identification plate of Bosnia and Hercegovina, with usage varying by country. Car plate of Bosnia and Hercegovina can be used in more technical situations.
Is it the same a license plate of Bosnia and Hercegovina and a registration plate of Bosnia and Hercegovina?
Yes, both license plate of Bosnia and Hercegovina and registration plate of Bosnia and Hercegovina can be used to refer the same vehicle registration unique number of Bosnia and Hercegovina.
Cite this section about the license plates of Bosnia and Hercegovina
Matriculasdelmundo. License plates of Bosnia and Hercegovina. Reviewed and updated information. Matriculasdelmundo.com. Retrieved on 08/01/2026 from https://
License plates from other states and territories that you may be interested in:
Map of the Bosnia and Hercegovina license plates
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Official Sources on License Plates of Bosnia and Hercegovina
All the information about the license plates of cars and motorcycles in Bosnia and Hercegovina and vehicle plates shown here has been extracted from official state archives (such as the BOE and the DGT in Spain), from personal sightings, by contacting automobile clubs from other countries, or through media or files referenced in the text. This information on car and motorcycle plates in Bosnia and Hercegovina has been collected since 2009, so we hope you find the information you're looking for about Bosnia and Hercegovina license plates.
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