In Kenya, all motor vehicles are issued with a unique registration number, commonly referred to as a number plate. These serve to identify the individual or entity that owns the vehicle.
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is involved in the registration and licensing of motor vehicles and drivers, primarily through the Road Transport Department and the Registrar of Motor Vehicles.
However, the main responsibility for overseeing the registration and licensing process rests with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA).
Road transport remains the most widely used mode of transport in Kenya. Chances are, during your errands or while browsing online, you have come across vehicles bearing red number plates and wondered who the owners behind those unique registration numbers might be.
Those red plates, written in white on a red background, are issued to foreign embassies operating within Kenya. Each embassy is allocated a specific number code that follows the letters CD, short for Corps Diplomatique (French for “Diplomatic Corps”).
The number assigned shows the order in which that country recognized Kenya as an independent state.
For instance, Germany, which was the first to do so, holds the plate 1 CD, and then Russia with 2 CD, Ethiopia 3 CD, China 4 CD, up to 123 CD for the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Similarly, vehicles used by United Nations agencies bear red UN plates, followed by their own assigned numbers.
Below is a list of diplomatic number plates in Kenya, in the order of recognition of Kenya as a sovereign state:
Diplomatic Number Plates (CD and UN Codes in Kenya)
1 CD – Germany
2 CD – Russian Federation
3 CD – Ethiopia
4 CD – China
5 CD – Norway
6 CD – Hungary
7 CD – Egypt
8 CD – Serbia
9 CD – Italy
10 CD – France
11 CD – Slovakia
12 CD – Denmark
13 CD – Japan
14 CD – Sudan
15 CD – Austria
16 CD – India
17 CD – Australia
18 CD – Canada
19 CD – Holy See (The Vatican)
20 CD – Finland
21 CD – Switzerland
22 CD – Britain
23 CD – Liberia
24 CD – Israel
25 CD – Nigeria
26 CD – Ghana
27 CD – Netherlands
28 CD – Malawi
29 CD – United States of America (USA)
30 CD – Belgium
31 CD – Sweden
32 CD – Pakistan
33 CD – Poland
34 CD – Korea
35 CD – Bulgaria
36 CD – Greece
37 CD – Cuba
38 CD – Kuwait
39 CD – Spain
40 UN – United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
41 UN – World Health Organization (WHO)
42 UN – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
43 UN – International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (The World Bank)
44 UN – Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
45 UN – World Food Programme (WFP)
45 CD – Romania
46 CD – Thailand
47 CD – The African Union (A.U.)
48 CD – Colombia
49 CD – India
50 CD – Somalia
51 CD – Brazil
52 CD – Turkey
53 CD – Lesotho
54 CD – Zambia
55 CD – Madagascar
56 CD – Malaysia
57 CD – Democratic Republic of the Congo (D.R.C.)
58 CD – Swaziland
59 CD – Sri Lanka
60 CD – Iraq
61 CD – Rwanda
62 UN – United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees / UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)
63 UN – United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) – Eastern & Southern Africa Regional Office
64 CD – Iran
65 CD – Cyprus
66 CD – Argentina
67 UN – United Nations Information Centre (UNIC)
68 CD – Philippines
69 CD – Burundi
70 CD – Chile
71 CD – Oman
72 CD – League of Arab States / Arab League
73 CD – European Union
74 CD – Yemen
75 CD – Kenya Mission to UNEP
76 CD – Côte d’Ivoire (Consulate)
77 CD – Bangladesh
78 CD – Saudi Arabia
79 UN – United Nations Centre for Human Settlements / UN-Habitat (UNCHS)
80 CD – Libya
81 CD – Ireland (Consulate)
82 CD – United Nations Centre for Human Settlements / UN-Habitat (Kenya Mission)
83 CD – Algeria
84 CD – Palestine
85 CD – Uganda
86 CD – Mexico
87 CD – Morocco
88 CD – Costa Rica (Consulate)
89 CD – Gabon (Consulate)
90 UN – United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) – Kenya Country Office
91 CD – Indonesia
92 CD – Portugal
93 CD – Venezuela
94 CD – Zimbabwe
95 CD – International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
96 CD – Asian Development Bank
97 CD – Tanzania
99 CD – Peru
100 CD – International Finance Corporation (IFC)
101 CD – United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – Norwegian Mission
102 CD – Mozambique
103 CD – South Africa
104 CD – Eritrea
105 UN – United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON)
106 CD – Czech Republic
107 CD – The Aga Khan
108 UN – United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
110 UN – United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
115 CD – Ukraine
116 CD – Sahrawi
117 CD – Djibouti
118 CD – Sierra Leone
121 CD – South Sudan
123 CD – United Arab Emirates
Vehicles bearing red number plates (CD or UN) are assigned to ambassadors, high commissioners, and diplomats who enjoy diplomatic immunity under international law. This means:
- They are exempt from taxation on their vehicles.
- They are not subject to arrest or prosecution under Kenyan law while on official duty.
- Their vehicles cannot be searched or seized without consent.
In conclusion:
Red number plates in Kenya signify a high level of diplomatic and international importance. These are not just ordinary number plates, but official signs of foreign missions and international organizations operating within the country.
