Vehicle registration plates of Irad
Vehicle registration plates in the Irad Special Economic Zone (ISEZ) are issued by the Highway Patrol Corps of the Republican Gendarmerie. The current series, introduced in 2008, has white plates with black Latin characters and the roundel of the flag on the left. ISEZ plates are not recognized in the neighboring countries.[1][2]
History
Under the territorial administration, vehicles were registered by the territorial Department of Motor Vehicles. Its plates, issued from 1993 to 2007, followed the American pattern: dark blue characters on white, "IRAD" across the top and the slogan Land of the Free Horse along the bottom. Many are still seen on older cars and are kept by collectors.[2] Registration passed to the Highway Patrol Corps in 2008, and the new series replaced the territorial plates as cars were re-registered.[1]
Format
Current plates carry a two-digit region code, three digits and two letters, as in 01 482 KT.[1]
| Code | Region |
|---|---|
| 01 | Talas |
| 02 | Nurzhan |
| 03 | Iyık Janyl |
| 04 | Chu District |
| 05 | Kara-Buura District |
| 06 | Talas District |
| 07 | Lower Naryn District |
| 08 | Sary-Bulak District |
| 09 | Toktogul District (since 2016) |
Special series are issued to the Gendarmerie (white characters on blue, with the letters JG) and to the State Defense Corps (white on black). Vehicles of the United Nations Mission in Irad carry white-on-blue "UN" plates, and United States vehicles under the basing arrangements carry their own plates.[2]
Registration
Registration and a pair of plates cost 250 som after a technical inspection (90 som). A car bought abroad enters on five-day transit plates (60 som), which must take it by the route written on them to a licensed storage yard until customs releases it.[3] Because ISEZ plates are not accepted in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan or Kyrgyzstan, lorries that work abroad are usually registered in Kyrgyzstan.[2] There is no registration in the Autonomous Tribal Regions, where cars run on old Soviet or Kyrgyz plates or none.[2]
See also
References
- ^ Republican Gendarmerie, Highway Patrol Corps (2018). Vehicle Registration Rules. Talas.
- ^ Department of Infrastructure and Communications (2023). Road Transport in the ISEZ: Annual Review 2022. Talas.
- ^ Department of Infrastructure and Communications, Digital Services Directorate (2026). 'Import a used car.' e-Irad. Talas. Retrieved 23 October 2026.