Temporary car number plates are issued by national licensing agencies, such as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in the UK, so that cars can be used until the permanent car registration number becomes available. This often applies when a vehicle has been imported or has been built from a kit.

Temporary car number plates have the same legal characteristics as do regular registration plates. That is, they have to identify the car and its owner by being on the DVLA database. Temporary car number plates have to be clearly legible, with the code consisting of a combination of numbers and letters. Unlike regular number plates however, temporary number plates can be displayed in the window of the car, rather than on the bumper at the front and back of the vehicle.

Temporary number plates, as the name indicates, are only legally valid for a short period of time. National licensing agencies will send out regular number plates without much delay, so that the vehicle can quickly become more standardised from the point of view of registration. In some countries, the particular time limit of a temporary number plate is clearly indicated on the plate itself, meaning policing authorities can verify this. Failure to replace a temporary number plate within the specified time can lead to a fine.

Temporary number plates should not be confused with personalised number plates.  These are completely different and are legal throughout a car’s length of life on the road.