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Chile license plate (RCH) in 2025 ✅



Chilean license plates have been in a similar size to other South American countries since 1985, with black characters and a black border on a white background. The configuration of the license plates of Chile is made up of three groups of characters, the first group are letters, the last are numbers, and the middle being numbers or letters. Text CHILE is shown at the bottom of the license plate.

Car license plate from Chile


Image of the current flag of Chile
The international code of Chile is RCH.

Updated political map of Chile

Capital city: Santiago de Chile
Language: Spanish
International code: RCH
In Chile they drive on the right
First plate was registered on: 1904.
There are 184 cars per 1000 inhabitants.
Continent: South America


Please, check matriculasdelmundo.com in Spanish here for all the updated information about license plates of Chile.


Updated Chilean car License Plates System


Since 1985, the Chilean car license plates system has been known as PPU (Placa Patente Única).


Since 2007, car license plates from Chile have followed the format LL-LL*NN, where L is a letter and N is a number. The numbers start from 10 up to 99. Between letters and numbers (*), the Chilean coat of arms appears. At the bottom of the plate, the word CHILE is written. On the lower left side, it indicates whether it is the front or rear plate. In 2014, the typefaces of the plates were changed to prevent counterfeiting, adopting the FE-Schrift design.


Special License Plates in Chile


Since 2003, all trailers over 3860 kg must have their own license plate. This plate follows the pre-2007 format: LL*NN-NN.


Smaller trailers use a different system, with the structure LLL-NNN, featuring red characters on a white background. At the top of the plate, the municipality where it was registered is displayed.


Firefighters use their own system with black characters on a red background, having the configuration LLL-NNN, where the letters can be CBM, CBS, CBSM, and CBV, depending on the region they belong to. M stands for Maipú, S for Santiago, SM for San Miguel, and V for Valparaíso.


Diplomatic Corps license plates from CHILE


Diplomatic plates have a structure similar to regular plates but feature white characters on a blue background, beginning with the letters CD, CC, AT, CH, PAT, or OI. These stand for CD-Diplomatic Corps, CC-Consular Corps, AT-Personal Technical Assistance, CH-Honorary Consul, PAT-Temporary Admission Permit, and OI-International Organization. These letters are followed by four numbers, with the first two indicating the country code. (See codes below)


Diplomatic Codes of Chile


Below you can find all the known codes of the Chilean diplomatic license plates.


Diplomatic Corps Codes
Code identifying:
01-Vatican 02-Germany 03-Algeria 04-Argentina
05-Australia 06-Austria 07-Belgium
08-Bolivia 09-Brazil 10-Bulgaria 11-Canada
12-China 13-Colombia 14-South Korea
15-Costa Rica 23-Spain 24-United States 25-Ethiopia
28-Philippines 30-France 38-Indonesia
40-Italy 48-Norway 53-Paraguay 54-Peru
55-Poland 58-Syria


☛ Which code identifies cars from Chile?

The code RCH identifies Chile. The license plates of Chile may be used with the international registration code RCH next to it on the back part of the car.

international oval code RCH from Chile

Example of a car with the international recognition code of Chile


Below you can find a car with the oval code and international recognition of Chile which is RCH.

Red Porsche with the RCH code from Chile


Questions and answers about car license plates in Chile 🥇

Small falg of Chile

Where is the code RCH in a license plate from?

The international code RCH identifies Chile, in South America.


Which country uses the code RCH on its license plate?

The country that uses the code RCH on its car license plate system is Chile.. The letter or letters RCH always identify Chile. The international code RCH must always be displayed on the rear of the vehicle inChileSpain in an oval in black characters on a white background when travelling abroad, except in very rare cases.


When did Chile have its first ordinary car license plate?

The date of the first car license plate registration officially issued in Chile was in 1904.


Which side of the road do people drive on in Chile?

In Chile, you drive on the right side of the road.


On which continent is Chile located?

Chile is located in the continent . You can check how are the license plates of South America following the link to the general section within matriculasdelmundo. Car license plates in South America


What are license plates from Chile called in other English-speaking couuntries?

In English, license plate of Chile is commonly called a license plate of Chile in the United States and Canada. In the UK and Australia, it’s often known as a number plate of Chile. Another term, registration plate of Chile, is understood globally and is slightly more formal. All these terms refer to the same vehicle identification plate of Chile, with usage varying by country. Car plate of Chile can be used in more technical situations.


Is it the same a license plate of Chile and a registration plate of Chile?

Yes, both license plate of Chile and registration plate of Chile can be used to refer the same vehicle registration unique number of Chile.


Cite this section about the license plates of Chile


Matriculasdelmundo. License plates of Chile. Reviewed and updated information. Matriculasdelmundo.com. Retrieved on 01/05/2025 from https://matriculasdelmundo.com/en/chile.html.



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Big map of Chile

Map of the Chile license plates


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Official Sources on License Plates of Chile


All the information about the license plates of cars and motorcycles in Chile 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 Chile has been collected since 2009, so we hope you find the information you're looking for about Chile license plates.


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Please, check matriculasdelmundo.com in Spanish here for all the updated information about license plates of Chile.

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