Help me identify an odd number plate...

[GravyMonster]

Out at lunch today I saw a weird number plate I'd never seen before which piqued my interest, and my google fu is proving too weak to find where it's from.

The plate had a dark green background with orange characters and border, in the format '### K ####'. It had no country marking and was marginally smaller than a standard UK plate. It was on a tatty looking, previous gen LHD Seat Alhambra.

Any ideas?

 

[Hyburnate]

Illegal plate? Is that the 7 seater thing?

Edit: IIRC all EU reg plates are white or yellow so it'll be outside there or barely legal

 

[icyshore]

It could be a diplomatic plate

 

[GravyMonster]

It could be a diplomatic plate

That was my first thought, but the car it was on looks like it had been cleaned by someone kicking brillo pads at it. I thought diplomatic cars generally looked a bit more tidy and upmarket?

 

[Greboth]

Its apparently French diplomatic plate

Website: http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/the-ministry-158/protocol/privileges/article/motor-vehicles

The foreign staff of diplomatic and consular missions posted to France and holding a special residence permit benefit from a customs and tax exemption on new or used vehicles whether bought in France or imported from a non-EU country or a Member country of the European Community (EC).

To qualify for exemption, you must own a vehicle registered on special series "CD", "C" or "K" plates and drive it for personal use. Trailers, vans, campers and caravans are not regarded as personal vehicles.

Registration on special series plates is granted to the foreign staff of Missions for their personal vehicles.

Honorary consular officers, French nationals, dual nationals possessing the French and a foreign nationality and permanent residents are not entitled to this privilege.

Number plates are described in the following table:

Number plates

Series Vehicles Type of number plate
CMD Personal vehicles of heads of diplomatic missions Registration number displayed in orange on a jasper green plate
CD Personal vehicles of diplomats Registration number displayed in orange on a jasper green plate
C Personal vehicles of career consular officers Registration number displayed in white on a jasper green plate
K Personal vehicles of administrative and technical staff and consular employees Registration number displayed in white on a jasper green plate

Edit: Actually maybe not, says K series plate is white text not orange. Back to Google.

 

[GravyMonster]

Its apparently French diplomatic plate

Bang on! Looked exactly like this: (just with a few more numbers)

They must have been visiting the Nissan Training Academy round the corner. Help yourself to an internet cookie, Greboth

Still surprised they were driving around in such a clapped out POS though.

 

[Greboth]

Help yourself to an internet cookie, Greboth

Omnomnomnomnomnomnom! All gone.

 

[mjt]

Illegal plate? Is that the 7 seater thing?

Edit: IIRC all EU reg plates are white or yellow so it'll be outside there or barely legal

No they're not. Belgian plates are red on white for example.

 

[bledd]

Still surprised they were driving around in such a clapped out POS though.

Have you ever been to Paris?

Every car is a clapped out POS; I think the idea of bumper cars was founded in Paris. Someone took the idea from watching Parisian's parking. Every taxi driver is Alain Prost

 

[mjt]

Still surprised they were driving around in such a clapped out POS though.

Have you ever been to Paris?

Every car is a clapped out POS; I think the idea of bumper cars was founded in Paris. Someone took the idea from watching Parisian's parking. Every taxi driver is Alain Prost

That, and not every embassy is minted.
A lot of the African and Caribbean nations have crappy cars.
They only have big BMWs and S-Classes for the ambassador. And even then it might not be a new model.

Could also be a lesser minion.

 

[Justintime]

Seen Diplomatic plates on an early 90s Corolla, last year They're not all flash.