Pink number plates officially arrive in France from 2026

France is introducing pink number plates for all vehicles using temporary registrations from next year in an effort to curb fraud and make checks easier for police. 

The measure, which was confirmed by a decree on December 2, will apply from January 1, 2026, and affects the entire system of provisional registrations issued under the ‘WW’ or ‘W garage’ formats.

Temporary plates are used for around 400,000 vehicles each year. They cover new cars awaiting full registration, vehicles imported from abroad pending issuance of a French certificat d’immatriculation, and cars used as demonstrators by garages. 

For now, these plates look similar to permanent ones, apart from the ‘WW’ prefix. 

This has long created a blind spot for road checks, as officers must interrogate the SIV (système d’immatriculation des véhicules) system to see whether the certificate is still valid.

The Interior Ministry says the new design will allow immediate visual identification of a temporary registration. 

Alongside the bright pink background, the plate will display the month and year of expiry on the right-hand side, replacing the department and region identifier. 

Provisional registrations are valid for up to four months and cannot be extended.

Number plate fraud

Authorities say misuse of these plates has increased in recent years. Some drivers continue to use expired provisional plates for months, sometimes years. 

A persistent problem has been fines sent to the wrong person. Because the same WW number can be reassigned every 14 months, the new owner receives any penalties incurred by an earlier user who has not switched to a permanent plate.

Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, minister delegate to the Interior Minister, describes fraud in the sector as a “growing problem”. 

She says the change is part of a broader package of measures to tighten controls, following a June decree that strengthened the rules on vehicles circulating under déclaration d’achat and increased sanctions. Offenders risk a €135 fine and possible immobilisation of the vehicle.

Motoring association 40 Millions d’automobilistes, which has long raised concerns about the misuse of WW plates, supports the reform. It notes that pink is the only colour never previously assigned to a registration format, ensuring clear differentiation from the standard white plates.

The reform mirrors EU-level changes adopted earlier this year. With no objections expected from neighbouring states, France will move ahead with full implementation at the start of 2026.