Iraqi traffic authorities to begin using new unified license plates

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) –  The General Directorate of Traffic announced on Tuesday that new unified license plates will be given to citizens soon, as their distribution plan is being set, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA).

Director of the General Directorate of Traffic, Tarek Ismail, said that the new unified license plates will enter into force in Baghdad and the rest of the governorates within the next two days, after the required legal measures are completed.

“The General Directorate of Traffic is developing a plan to distribute these new license plates, and there will be three outlets in Baghdad to give the license plates to citizens,” Ismail elaborated. “The distribution mechanism will be set after license plate numbers are printed,” he added.

Ismail indicated that the application of the decision obliging people to wear their seat belts contributed greatly to reducing the risk of death and serious injuries in traffic accidents.

Before these new unified license plates, the federal government in Baghdad and Kurdistan regional government used to issue different license plates until recently.

The spokesperson of the Erbil Traffic Directorate, Fadhil Hajee, explained that unlike the old license plates, the new ones indicate the issuing governorate with a specific code. The Kurdish region’s numbers range from 21 to 24, according to Kurdistan 24 news.

Using the new license plate is required for people who are currently registering their vehicles, while others can wait until their registrations expire and need renewal, Kurdistan 24 news added.