How to distinguish between the number 0 and the letter O on license plates?
3 Answers
There is no need to distinguish between the number 0 and the letter O on license plates because only the number 0 is used, not the letter O. According to Article 5.9.1 of the current Chinese motor vehicle license plate standard "GA36-2007," "Each digit of the serial number can use English letters individually, but the letters 'O' and 'I' among the 26 letters cannot be used." Therefore, there is no need to distinguish between '0' and 'O' or 'I' and '1,' as what you usually see are the numbers '0' and '1.' However, it is important to note that the letter O is not used in the serial number of the license plate but is still used in the letter code of the license plate, such as "Yue O" (Guangdong O) or "Chuan O" (Sichuan O). According to Article 5.9.1 of the "Chinese Motor Vehicle License Plate Standard," there are three rules for serial number encoding: Each digit of the serial number uses Arabic numerals; each digit of the serial number can use English letters individually, but the letters 'O' and 'I' among the 26 English letters cannot be used; the serial number can include 2 English letters, but the letters 'O' and 'I' among the 26 English letters cannot be used. In addition to the provincial abbreviation and city code (e.g., "Hu A" for Shanghai), the license plate number is followed by 5 digits. The origin of license plate numbers dates back to Paris in the 1890s when the rapid increase in automobiles necessitated marking vehicles with specific symbols for management. In China, license plates were first introduced in Shanghai in 1911. Due to the large number of vehicles, it became clear that 2-3 digits were insufficient, and 5 digits were determined to be the optimal number after research. Different cities have different regional letter codes. For example, Guangzhou in Guangdong Province uses "Yue A," while Shenzhen uses "Yue B." The letter A represents the capital city of each province, and B represents the second-largest city in the province, arranged based on factors such as administrative area, total population, and economic strength.
I'm a tech enthusiast who loves playing with mobile apps and smart devices. Distinguishing between 0 and O on license plates is super easy. Just use your phone camera to scan the plate - the AI recognition system can instantly tell them apart: the number 0 usually has a small diagonal or horizontal line through the middle, while the letter O is a complete circle without gaps. Many regions, including China, have standardized this design in license plate specifications to prevent confusion. I remember trying a car recognition app last time that could even alert me if it's a standard plate to avoid misreading. In real life, the number 0 often appears in the numeric section of license plates while O is in the letter section, so context helps with identification. Making it a habit to use detection tools saves the hassle of hesitation when parking and prevents issues with traffic violation cameras. When occasionally helping friends check plates, I recommend downloading those free recognition tools - simple and reliable. Overall, these small design details make daily driving much more convenient.
After driving for over a decade, distinguishing between 0 and O has become second nature. Like today when I spotted a license plate on the road, I instantly recognized that O has a rounded, unified shape, while 0 features that small diagonal line detail. This stems from an embarrassing early driving experience: once I misremembered a plate number by reading O as 0, nearly getting wrongly ticketed. Now when teaching new drivers, I emphasize observing the plate's overall structure—if the character sequence mixes numbers and letters, 0 is more likely nestled among digits while O appears in letter groups. Regular plate cleaning is crucial too, as dust obscuring the diagonal line can cause confusion. During DIY car washes, I always give extra attention to polishing the plate area for crisp legibility. When in doubt, take an extra moment to scrutinize rather than hastily jotting it down. This approach has minimized misinterpretations in heavy traffic and improved accuracy when tailing vehicles or recording plates. Ultimately, a bit more patience and these small tricks make driving life smoother.
