As of: March 2, 2024, 8:18 a.m
By: Andre Borbe
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Why do all Bundeswehr vehicles actually have a Y license plate?
© picture alliance / dpa / Peter Steffen
Have you ever wondered what the “Y” on license plates of Bundeswehr vehicles stands for?
We'll tell you what's special about it.
Anyone who drives on the highway or lives near military bases has already seen them: vehicles with a Y license plate.
These are mounted on vehicles of the German Bundeswehr, but what does the “Y” actually stand for?
We'll explain it to you.
Rumors about the "Y" on license plates
An explanation that is floating around in the vastness of the Internet: the Y symbol stands for the last letter in the word “Germany”.
But that is complete nonsense.
The reason is much more banal.
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That's what the "Y" really stands for in Bundeswehr vehicles
In the founding year of 1955, the many Bundeswehr vehicles needed a suitable letter for the license plate.
However, all possible combinations such as BW were already taken.
And so the Bundeswehr switched to the letter “Y”.
Because no major German city starts with this.
So the “Y” was free for military vehicles.
The “X” was also available, but Brigadier General Kurt Vogel decided against it.
The “X” is now used by NATO vehicles.
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Y license plate: The license plate has these special features
The Bundeswehr license plate is characterized not only by the "Y" but also by the German flag on the left edge.
The European flag with country code can otherwise be found on civilian vehicles.
The “Y” is followed by the stamp of the Bundeswehr Motor Vehicle Center and a number of up to six digits.
If a Bundeswehr vehicle with a Y license plate comes towards you, you may or may not notice something small.
Because the military license plates don't reflect and they shouldn't.
This means that enemy forces cannot easily detect the vehicles.
Y license plates are assigned arbitrarily.
This means that there is no system behind it that allows you to identify which type of vehicle or military unit is behind the license plate.
This means that it is not possible to determine which base the vehicle belongs to.
Read here
what H license plates mean and which cars get them.
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Y license plate: Vehicles do not have to have an MOT
Although vehicles with Y license plates are allowed to take part in normal road traffic, the license plates do not have an inspection sticker.
Instead, the vehicles are subjected to internal monitoring by Bundeswehr personnel.
This is based on the road traffic regulations.
The special Bundeswehr license plate
: What does the “X” in the license plate of Bundeswehr vehicles mean?
In order to avoid misuse of Y license plates, the license plates are forgery-proof.
To do this, the seal of the Bundeswehr registration office is burned onto the front of the Y license plate.
In addition, the Bundeswehr seal is stamped on the back of the military license plates.
Find out here
what the numerical codes on diplomatic license plates mean.
Bundeswehr vehicles do not require vehicle insurance.
The Bundeswehr is liable for accidents involving military vehicles on the road.
If a driver of a Bundeswehr vehicle violates applicable regulations, this will be reported to the responsible military administration.
The offense is dealt with internally and may be punished with disciplinary sanctions.
Do you know
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