Trade plates in Ireland
Trade plates let a motor trader move a vehicle that isn't taxed or registered to them. They are issued with a trade licence rather than bought, and the rules on how they can be used are narrower than most people assume.
Quick answer
Irish trade plates (ZZ plates) are issued by Revenue to motor traders for moving untaxed vehicles, and cannot be bought from a plate maker. We do not supply trade plates — we print standard road-legal registration plates for vehicles that already have a registration.
Last updated · Irish Car Plates, Ireland
- Issued under a trade licence, not sold
- Irish trade licence marks use the ZZ series
- Applied for through your motor tax office
- Trade-purpose journeys only
- No private use, passengers or goods for reward
- Misuse risks fines and loss of the licence
Why order from us
Posted nationwide
Arrives in 1-2 working days by tracked post.
Road-legal
Reflective sheet, official Irish specification.
Same-day dispatch
Order before 2pm, posted the same working day.
What a trade licence actually is
A trade licence is a general licence held by a motor trader instead of taxing each individual vehicle. The plate is simply how that licence is displayed on the road, which is why the mark belongs to the business rather than to any one car. Irish trade licence marks are drawn from the ZZ series, so a plate reading ZZ followed by numbers is a trade plate rather than a normal registration.
Who can apply
Trade licences are intended for people whose business is vehicles: dealers, distributors, manufacturers, repairers and testers. Applications go to the local motor tax office, which will look for evidence that you are genuinely trading — business registration, premises and insurance covering trade use. Private motorists, including people who buy and sell the odd car, are not eligible.
What you can and can't do with them
Permitted use covers trade journeys: bringing stock to and from your premises, demonstration drives with a prospective buyer present, moving a vehicle for test or repair, and delivery within the trade. What is not permitted is private motoring, carrying passengers unconnected to the trade purpose, carrying goods, or handing the vehicle over to a customer to drive away on your plates. Insurance for trade use is separate from the licence and needs to be in place for every journey.
Why you can't buy one online
Because the licence is the thing that makes the plate lawful, there is no legitimate way to buy trade plates as a product. If a site offers to sell you Irish trade plates, what you are getting is a printed plate with no licence behind it — which on the road is worth nothing. The route is always the motor tax office.
What we print instead
We make standard road-legal Irish registration plates: black characters on white reflective sheet, correct character height and spacing, Irish county name and the EU/IRL band. Traders order from us regularly for stock that arrives with damaged or foreign plates — enter each reg in the designer and we print and post the same working day on orders before 2pm.
Frequently asked
What are trade plates in Ireland?
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A trade plate displays a trade licence mark issued to a motor trader, so an unregistered or untaxed vehicle can be moved on the road for trade purposes without being individually taxed. Irish trade licence marks use the ZZ series.
Who can get trade plates?
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Trade licences are for motor traders — dealers, manufacturers, distributors, repairers and vehicle testers. You apply through your local motor tax office and have to satisfy them that you are genuinely in the trade.
What can trade plates be used for?
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Trade-purpose journeys only: moving stock, demonstrations and test drives with a prospective buyer, travelling to and from a test or repair, and similar business use. They are not for private driving, carrying passengers or goods for reward, or letting a customer use the car.
Can I buy trade plates online?
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No. A trade plate is tied to a trade licence issued by a motor tax office — the licence is what makes it valid, so nobody can legitimately sell you one off the shelf.
Do you make trade plates?
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No. We print standard road-legal Irish registration plates to the official specification. Trade licence plates are issued under your trade licence.
What happens if trade plates are misused?
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Misuse can mean fines, loss of the trade licence and the vehicle being treated as untaxed and uninsured for that journey, which is a far more expensive problem than the tax saved.