Is it the number 0 or the letter o on the license plate?
3 Answers
It is the number 0 on the license plate, not the letter o. This is because the letters o and i resemble the Arabic numerals 0 and 1, which are already used in license plates. To avoid confusion between the letters i, o and the numbers 0, 1, and to facilitate the sorting of license plate numbers, the vehicle management office prohibits the use of the letters i and o in license plate regulations. Other letters and numbers are allowed. A license plate number is a legal mark registered by statutory authorities, permitting a motor vehicle to drive on the road, and serves as an identifier for the vehicle's identity, displayed at specific locations on the vehicle. A license plate number consists of three parts: the first part is a Chinese character representing the abbreviation of the province where the vehicle is registered; the second part is an English letter representing the code of the city where the vehicle is located; and the third part is a five-digit serial number.
The other day while driving, I noticed that old issue with license plates again. Many people ask me how to tell the difference between the number 0 and the letter O. Actually, the key lies in the design details. On most license plates, the number 0 is drawn more squarely, with vertical edges, and sometimes has a small dot in the middle; whereas the letter O is generally prohibited to avoid confusion. For example, on Chinese license plates, you rarely see the letter O. If there’s a symbol that looks like an O, it’s most likely a 0. I tend to look at the overall shape: the lines of 0 are straighter, while O is more rounded. If you’re really unsure, remembering the position can help—numbers are usually at the beginning or end of the sequence, with letters in the middle. Check actual vehicles to understand better; don’t just rely on online images, as poor lighting can indeed make them hard to distinguish.
I remember when I was learning to drive with my dad as a kid, he loved sharing fun facts about license plates. There's historical context behind the design of the numeral 0 and the letter O on plates. In the early days, they were easily confused, leading to many misunderstandings like wrongly issued tickets. Later, standards were regulated worldwide: some Western regions allow O but make 0 appear bolder or with a notch; most Asian countries simply exclude O, replacing it with Q or 2. In practice, just observe the shapes – 0 is typically angular and rigid, while O appears round and smooth. With enough observation, it becomes second nature, especially when glancing at rear plates in twilight. This way, you'll never mix them up while driving or remembering parking spots.
