Why are automobiles in France utilizing PINK quantity plates?

The French Government has launched a new number plate as part of its efforts to tackle motor crime in the country – and the bold new design is pink.

While vehicles in France typically display white (front) and yellow (rear) plates similar to those used in the UK, from 1 January 2026 a new pink registration plate has been introduced to make the vehicles that use them more easily identifiable to police.

The pink plates replace the previous ‘WW’ or ‘W garage’ plates, which are the French equivalent to trade plates in Britain. These are used predominantly by car dealers on pre-registered vehicles, or for test drives purposes.

In the UK, these plates have a white background, red border and red letter and number unique identifier combinations. 

However, in France, the temporary registrations had been the same design as conventional permanent number plates, making them difficult to spot.

Around 400,000 vehicles per year use these temporary plates while awaiting full registration in France – but they have been increasingly used for fraudulent purposes.

The French Government has launched a new number plate this year as part of its efforts to tackle motor crime in the country

This is because many users have been retaining ‘WW’ trade plates for months – and even years – after they have expired to evade punishment for motoring offences. 

By making the plates pink, it should make these cars easier for French police to identify in traffic and conduct checks on the validity of the registrations, officials say. 

The Interior Ministry says the new design – introduced on 1 January – will allow immediate visual identification of a temporary registration.

Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, minister delegate to the Minister of the Interior said fraudulent use of the old WW plates had become a ‘growing problem’ in the country.

‘The installation of these pink plates, which are very recognisable, will make it possible to better identify and control vehicles under provisional registration in traffic. 

‘This concerns more than 400,000 provisional WW registrations and W garage registrations per year. 

‘Even if fraud remains a marginal phenomenon compared to the scale of activities within the SIV [système d’immatriculation des véhicules, France’s vehicle database] –  which has 65 million files –  it has grown in recent years and many effective and operational actions are being taken to curb and reduce this scourge.’

The ‘WW’ temporary plate – which is France’s version of a UK trade plate – has been made bright pink so that it is easier for police to identify

Alongside the bright pink background, the plate will display the month and year of expiry on the right-hand side, replacing the department and region identifier

The pink plates replace the previous ‘WW’ or ‘W garage’ plates, which are the French equivalent to trade plates in Britain

Alongside the bright pink background, the plate will display the month and year of expiry on the right-hand side, replacing the department and region identifier.

These provisional registrations are only valid for up to four months and cannot be extended.

However, French authorities have seen increasing misuse in recent years, with drivers continuing to use these temporary plates for years after they’ve expired.

By doing so, they’ve been able to avoid penalties incurred for a number of different traffic violations, including speeding fines.

And because a WW plate is recirculated every 14 months, subsequent users have been receiving penalty charges in the post for offences that are being committed by previous users of the registration.

The new plates have been launched just days after the French Government introduced tougher punishments for drivers caught ‘excessively’ speeding.

Motorists found to be travelling 50kmh (31mph) over the speed limit from 29 December now receive a criminal conviction.

The AA has told This is Money that UK drivers caught committing such an offence would also be subject to the French legal system, which could see them incur a maximum fine of €3,750 (£3,250) and the possibility of the immediate confiscation of their vehicle and a three-month prison sentence.

Britons could also be given a three-year ban from driving in France.