Tasmania introduces seven-digit personalised number plates

Following in the footsteps of Queensland and Western Australia, Tasmania has introduced seven-digit plates – but it’s not yet clear whether police technology can adapt to the change.

Tasmanian motorists will soon be able to purchase personalised number plates with seven digits.

While six-digit number plates remain the most common combination across Australia, Tasmania is one of the few states that now allows plates with more than six characters.

In Queensland, motorists can choose up to eight digits, while Western Australia allows up to nine characters on custom number plates – with prices starting from $1195 and $986.30 respectively.

Tasmanians can now order a combination of seven letters and numbers through the TasPlates website, with the custom combination priced from $2500.

However, Drive understands some police departments are opposed to the extra-long number plates, with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology typically calibrated to six-digit plates.

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ANPR cameras mounted on highway patrol cars, overhead gantries, and on portable tripods can process dozens of number plates each minute, running the information through a computer to check for valid licences and registrations, as well as outstanding warrants.

As well as catching offenders, the technology can also be used to help locate missing persons.

Tasmania Police wouldn’t comment directly on whether seven-digit number plates could be recognised by ANPR systems, but told Drive the technology was currently in a trial period.

“Tasmania Police is currently piloting different technologies and liaising with several interstate jurisdictions in regard to ANPR,” a spokesperson told Drive.

“The future use of ANPR technology in both road policing and criminal investigations is under consideration.”

While Western Australia Police did not respond to a specific question about ANPR’s ability to read seven- or eight-digit plates, a spokesperson told Drive the technology could read “personalised” number plates.

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“WA Police have 135 vehicles fitted with ANPR technology that are able to read number plates on vehicles, including personalised plates,” the spokesperson said.

“This capability supports safe road user behaviour by enabling identification of vehicles which may provide a risk to other road users.”

Personalised number plates have become a significant source of revenue for state governments, bringing in millions of dollars annually. This has prompted some states to offer a more diverse range of vanity plates.

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