Pink number plates on Spanish roads: What they actually mean for drivers

Drivers on Spanish roads may begin to see a vibrant new change from 2026: bright pink number plates. The recognition of these plates in traffic monitoring frameworks has been announced by Spain’s traffic authority, the General Directorate of Traffic, or DGT, with the purpose of identifying so-called “temporary” vehicles.

Pink-plated vehicles: What are they and why are they appearing on Spanish roads?

These curious new number plates appearing on Spanish roads have a high-visibility pink background and a clearly marked expiration date, aiming to immediately identify the vehicle as temporary: that is, vehicles that have not yet completed their definitive registration.

They stem from a system launched in other European countries, most notably in the neighbouring country of France in the first quarter of 2026; for years, French authorities struggled to identify temporary plates, which should only last between four and six months. As a result, in 2023, nearly 460,000 vehicles were circulating with expired temporary plates.

These plates have been introduced by several countries as an effort to standardise temporary vehicle identification, and streamline traffic enforcement across country borders.

Which cars will be affected by the plates?

These pink plates will be assigned to vehicles that have not yet completed their definitive registration. The reasons may include:

• The owners of a new car are awaiting documentation
• The vehicle is due to be exported and is operating within the country temporarily
• The vehicle is being imported into another country and is still adapting to that country’s registration rules
• The vehicle is used for testing (either technical or promotional)
• The vehicle is still at the dealership
• There was a delay in the registration process
• Or any other situation that may see an unregistered car on the road

How long can a car have pink plates?

This provisional period can last anywhere from just weeks to six months.

Will unregistered cars in Spain need to adopt pink plates?

For now, pink plates will remain a way for traffic officials to spot exclusively foreign vehicles that are yet unregistered. For Spanish temporary vehicles, Spain has its own coloured plates: green plates, often for recently imported cars still undergoing the registration process. Spain also has its own colour plates for dealer or trader vehicles being used for test drives and promotional materials: red plates.

But what will actually change for drivers in Spain?

Though the DGT has officially recognised these vibrant new plates, Spain is not planning to adopt the model on its own. Rather, the country will adapt its control systems to recognise this new identification format. This means that even drivers who have temporary plates in Spain do not have to worry about getting a pink plate; for now, the country is sticking to the tried and true black-and-white colour palette.

However, free movement within the European Union means that drivers may encounter foreign vehicles with pink plates on Spanish roads.

As for traffic authorities, the DGT will be able to more quickly and easily identify and control foreign vehicles during their stay, as well as instantly detect expired vehicles, thanks to the system. Traffic officers will be briefed on the verification and documentation related to these pink-plated vehicles, and they will be able to more quickly identify potential fraudulent cars on Spanish roads.