W-number sign: That means the letter above the stamp plaque

There are many different license plates for motor vehicles in Germany. Red, green, black – and sometimes you can even find strange letters or unusual numbers on them. If you find such a license plate in traffic, this often ensures questions about their importance. So also with the so -called change mark. In a post on the social platform “”, a user wanted to know recently what a small W over the stamp plaque on a license plate.

You could quickly help him: on the car from Ludwigsburg (LB) you can see a so -called change mark. They are used when two vehicles with the same identifier are approved. That doesn’t make it often, but sometimes it makes sense.

The prerequisites for such a license plate are important. The vehicles that share the number must fall into the same vehicle class – about two cars, two motorcycles or two trailers. But: You shouldn’t mix, i.e. merging the motorcycle and car. In addition, it is not allowed to move both vehicles in road traffic at the same time. Either … or.

The change mark is composed as follows: in the front, common part, the stamp badge with national coat of arms, the said “W” and the first part of the characters can be found. The HU badge for the respective vehicle can be found on a short, vehicle-related part of the license plate. It forms the last digit of the license plate. You have to exchange the common part when changing, the final digit stays on the vehicle.

One may ask what kind of sense has such a license plate – and there are not many scenarios in which you should consider the divided license plate. It is useful, for example, if, for example, you have a classic car and an everyday car and want to change all year round. Or you have several motorcycles that you want to exchange depending on the planned tour.

Because it can actually be cheaper to register two vehicles in this way. Some insurers offer corresponding tariffs, but you should still calculate it. Especially with classic cars there are also special insurers for lover vehicles that are very moved. There is no reduction in vehicle tax.

Another disadvantage: not only is it not allowed to move both vehicles at the same time, but it is also prohibited to park the “devised” vehicle in public space. It must be on a private ground without a complete license plate, otherwise there is a risk of fine.

The exchange license plate has been on German roads since 2012. However, due to the disadvantages, it has not really prevailed against seasonal license plate or – very traditionally – different number plates for different vehicles.