The Latvian national coat of arms will be able to be included on vehicle registration plates from 2026, according to amendments to the law “On the National Coat of Arms of Latvia” supported in the third and final reading in the Saeima on Thursday, December 19 .
The amendments stipulate that a small national coat of arms will be allowed to be used on the state registration plates of motor vehicles. The coat of arms will not be used on trailer license plates.
According to the proponents of the legislation, seeing a small coat of arms on car license plates “will promote a sense of belonging to Latvia, increase patriotism, and also allow for the promotion of Latvia’s recognition beyond the country’s borders.”
Whether more colorful registration plates will indeed “increase patriotism” remains to be seen but as regards recognition beyond state borders, Latvian registration plates will continue to bear the EU flag and ‘LV’ designation that registartion plates already bear to make their country of origin clear.
Currently, vehicle license plates in several European Union member states – Austria, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Lithuania – bear coats of arms in addition to their national codes. Most do not.
The small national coat of arms will be included on vehicle license plates from January 1, 2026.
