All electric vehicles in the Maldives must transition to specialised green licence plates within a 60 period, according to a government mandate aimed at formalising the nation’s battery-powered transport sector.
The directive follows a newly gazetted seventh amendment to the Land Vehicle Registration Regulation, requiring owners of both new and existing electric vehicles to adopt the distinct identifiers to remain compliant, officials from the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation stated. Under this framework, an electric vehicle is defined as any conveyance relying exclusively on battery power or an electric motor for propulsion, functioning entirely without conventional internal combustion engines.
The ministry noted that the adjustment is intended to incentivise the adoption of electric transport while ensuring such vehicles are easily distinguishable on public roadways. The directive arrives as the government prepares a state-operated taxi service utilising 150 newly procured electric cars. To accommodate various commercial applications, these eco-friendly taxis will display green plates with yellow lettering, while private electric vehicles will feature green plates with white lettering.
Strict compliance standards now explicitly prohibit the manufacture or utilisation of licence plates featuring illuminated or glowing colours. This classification adds to a national system that utilises black plates for private vehicles, white for military fleets, blue for diplomatic transports, and yellow for conventional taxis. The amendment also introduces streamlined procedures designed to facilitate the registration of certain classes of heavy vehicles, the ministry articulated.