Old home license plate: Courages Saxony-Anhalt in Nostalgia?

Old home license plate: Courages Saxony-Anhalt in Nostalgia?

Anhalt-Bitterfeld, Deutschland - Saxony-Anhalt is booming-with the old home license plates! Since 2012, drivers in the state have been able to use their nostalgic license plates, and the enthusiasm for this is unbroken. The recent evaluation of the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) shows that many vehicle owners prefer to use historical abbreviations to mark their cars. In particular, license plates such as ASL, BBG and QLB are still in demand among the drivers.

A look at the numbers reveals that the use of these old license plates is steadily increasing in many counties. The division in the Salzland district is clear: Around 64,000 vehicles bear the official SLK license plate, while around 74,000 drivers fall back on old license plates. In the Harz, on the other hand, the historical abbreviations such as QLB and HBS are becoming increasingly popular in addition to the conventional HZ license plate. Anhalt-Bitterfeld also shows a positive development-more and more drivers are using the abbreviations AZE and BTF, in addition to the current Abi.

The popularity of the old license plates

What does that mean for drivers? The numbers speak for themselves: In the district of Merseburg, the vehicles with the historical license plate MER from around 2,800 in 2012 to almost 23,000 in 2025 have more than tenfold. A similar trend is also shown in Bernburg, where the number has risen from around 18,400 to just under 26,500. However, there is also a small decline in the new district license plates: For example, the vehicles with SLK license plates from around 74,700 have dropped to almost 63,700 in the Salzland district.

The home license plates are more than just one number for many drivers: they are an expression of regional identity. In addition, the regulation has been allowed since 2015 that drivers can keep their previous vehicle license plate when moving to another district. As a result, there is a colorful variety of license plates on the streets of Saxony-Anhalt. Not only regional license plates are represented in the Saalekreis, but also national. Here, for example, 1,344 Leipziger (L), 136 Berliner (B) and even 47 Munich (m).

A look at the administration

If you want to apply for an old license plate, you can rely on an informative digital map that offers an overview of the administrative situation in Saxony-Anhalt. This overview shows the registration districts and positions that are based on municipalities, independent cities and counties. Each approval district has its own sign of distinction, and the administrations act as admission bodies for their own and neighboring license plates. An alphabetical list of the signs of distinction is also available and ensures transparency among drivers [bankruptcy museum.de] (https://zumenschildmuseum.de/kfz-kennichen-Sachsen-Anhalt/).

The Federal Motor Transport Authority has also stipulated that the identification numbers are managed by the responsible state authorities. In Saxony-Anhalt, this is done in agreement with the respective higher authorities. This ensures that duplication for the license plates are excluded. These regulations contribute to the fact that the system remains clear and the Loved Ones on the streets can also show their individual grade kba.de.

The return to old traditions shows itself not only as a trend for the old license plates, but as a piece of identity that connects people in Saxony-Anhalt. So if you are on the road next time, you should keep an eye on the diverse license plates - maybe there will be one or two personal memorabilia!