Ireland
On a vehicle registration plate, "IRL" is the international distinguishing sign of Ireland (ISO IE).
Example plate
Typical format: 231-D-12345. Illustrative only — other variants exist.
The blue EU band
Ireland is an EU member state. Plates carry the blue band on the left with a circle of 12 yellow stars and the "IRL" letters, identifying the country of registration when travelling abroad.
Other countries in European Union
FAQ — Ireland
What does "IRL" mean on a number plate?
"IRL" is the international distinguishing sign of Ireland — it identifies the country where the vehicle is registered. The ISO-2 code for Ireland is IE.
What does a Ireland number plate look like?
The typical format is "231-D-12345" — for example "231-D-12345". This is a representative scheme; other variants exist.
Does Ireland use the blue EU band?
Yes. Ireland is an EU member state, so plates carry the blue band with 12 yellow stars and the "IRL" letters on the left.
Anything special about Ireland plates?
Encodes year + half + county (e.g. 231 = 2023 first half, D = Dublin).