What does the red letter SZ at the beginning of a license plate represent?

[StLukas]

License plates starting with SZ previously belonged to the Shenyang Military Region and now belong to the Northern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. The new format for military vehicle license plates is XY12345, where X is the first letter and Y is the second letter. Here is more information about military license plates: 1. Meaning of the first letter in military license plates: V (formerly Jun) – Central Military Commission, four general departments, and military units at the military region level; K (formerly Kong) – Air Force; H (formerly Hai) – Navy; B (formerly Bei) – Beijing Military Region; S (formerly Shen) – Shenyang Military Region; L (formerly Lan) – Lanzhou Military Region; J (formerly Ji) – Jinan Military Region; N (formerly Nan) – Nanjing Military Region; G (formerly Guang) – Guangzhou Military Region; C (formerly Cheng) – Chengdu Military Region. 2. Meaning of the second letter in military license plates: A – Headquarters; B – Political Department; C – Logistics and Joint Logistics Department; D – Equipment Department; J – Military Representative Agency; K – Provincial Military District or Garrison Command; L – Mobile License; M – Joint Logistics Sub-department; N – General Armament Department; O – Military Vehicle Supervision; P – Armored Forces; R – Military Academies; S – Communications and Transportation; T – Intelligence Agency; V – Strategic Missile Forces; Y – Field Forces.

[VonKinsley]

I'm quite familiar with license plate codes. The 'SZ' prefix clearly stands for Shenzhen's abbreviation on license plates. In China, the first two characters of a license plate typically indicate the vehicle's registration location, such as 'SZ' for Shenzhen denoting local vehicles. Standard license plates feature white letters on a blue background for small vehicles or yellow for large vehicles. Red letters are exceptionally rare – you might have mistaken it for red-background plates? Those are usually reserved for foreign embassy/consulate vehicles, with white characters on a red background and either 'Embassy' (使) or 'Consulate' (领) marked at the top. While you might occasionally encounter 'SZ'-prefixed diplomatic vehicles in Shenzhen, they're uncommon. Regular vehicles don't have red letter designs, as color regulations strictly comply with traffic laws to facilitate quick identification of vehicle types and origins. If you spot something similar on the road, I recommend carefully observing the overall plate colors to avoid confusion. Regional codes like 'SZ' streamline traffic management and provide drivers with memorable, practical references.

[LeArya]

In my driving experience, I often see 'SZ' license plates, which are the iconic code for Shenzhen vehicles. A quick glance tells you where the car is from. Regular license plate letters are always white on a blue or yellow background; there's no red-letter version. If you mentioned red letters, perhaps you meant the entire red background? I've encountered those while repairing cars—they belong to foreign embassy vehicles, with red background and white letters. The letter codes vary by country, but 'SZ' prefixes are quite rare. The license plate color system has strict regulations: blue plates for small vehicles, yellow for large vehicles, and red for special ones, each color clearly distinguished. In Shenzhen, most 'SZ' plates on the street are blue-backed, common in urban traffic. If you do come across a red-backed one, don't be too curious—just pass normally, as special vehicles have priority for safety reasons.

[Eugene]

License plates starting with 'SZ' confirm vehicle registration in Shenzhen, with regional abbreviations fixed as such. Red letters are non-standard; Chinese license plate characters are white on a blue or yellow background, while new energy vehicles feature green backgrounds with black characters. If red letters or backgrounds are present, they typically indicate vehicles of foreign embassies or consulates, with letters still being white. 'SZ' prefixes are commonly found on standard blue plates. In traffic regulations, colors assist in categorizing vehicle types such as private, diplomatic, or large vehicles, providing clear and practical distinctions to avoid road misunderstandings.