Green 'flash' registration plates are being introduced for all zero emission vehicles in Ireland from July 1, 2025.
This announcement comes almost four years after the UK first introduced similar arrangements.
Announcing the introduction of the green flash plates, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said it will "help identify and highlight zero-emission vehicles on our roads", adding that "drivers like it and it’s a great way of tracking the ongoing move to electric on our roads".
The tailored registration plates will look the same as existing plates, but have an added green 'flash' or stripe denoting the vehicle’s zero-emission status.
The green flash will be on the right-hand side of the plate, mirroring the European Union blue stripe on the left side. The usual figures and county identifiers will remain unchanged.
To be eligible for the green flash registration plate, the vehicle must emit zero emissions at the tailpipe. This includes full battery electric vehicles and, in the future, fuel cell hydrogen vehicles.
All categories of vehicles such as cars, motorbikes, vans, buses and trucks which are zero emission at the tailpipe will be permitted to carry the new green flash.
The new registration plates will be introduced next year to allow the necessary legislative and technological amendments to be made.
However, the green flash plates will not be mandatory, as it will be at the discretion of dealerships and consumers whether to apply the new registration plate.
For zero emission vehicles already on the roads, drivers will be able to ‘opt in’ and retrofit their vehicle with the new plate.
