Hong Kong is on the verge of depleting its current stock of conventional vehicle registration numbers featuring the “ZZ” plates. However, transportation officials have outlined plans to unveil a fresh series, which will result in an additional 3 million combinations over the forthcoming 20 years.

At present, the allocation of vehicle registration numbers operates on the system of prefixes, ranging from “AA” to “ZZ”, which are systematically assigned, followed by arbitrary numerals chosen and distributed by a computerized system. The latest allocation of registration numbers is currently using the prefix “ZV”.

The Transport Department made an announcement this Wednesday, stating the initiation of the “ZZ” series allocation, due to commence between February and March, will follow the procedure of ascending alphabetical order.

Upon the exhaustion of the current series, the department plans to begin the allocation of new registration numbers, starting from “WA” to “WZ”, in descending alphabetical order, followed by sequences running from “VA” to “VZ”, and continuing in the same pattern.

According to a spokesperson from the Transport Department, approximately 3 million traditional vehicle registration numbers are still awaiting reallocation. Based on projections, these should be adequate to cater to the demands for the upcoming two decades.

This plan can be seen as a strategic move for those interested in the transport sector, particularly investors, indicating a robust system for vehicle registration, reflecting the overall efficiency of Hong Kong’s transport management.