Quick bit of code for determining whether an Australian licence plate is standard or personalised

australian_licence_plate_type.py

# Takes a pattern like xxxddd (for three letters followed by three numbers)
# and converts it to regex. Other characters are left as is in the regex
# pattern string. This is helpful for states like SA in which every modern
# licence plate begins with an "S".
def match_plate_pattern(plate, pattern):
    pattern = pattern.replace('x','[A-Za-z]').replace('d','[0-9]')
    return(re.fullmatch(pattern, plate))

# Some of these rules are a bit more general than they need to be.
# These rules aren't complete (I tended to ignore anything before 1970).
# Rules come from:
# https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_registration_plates_of_Australia
# https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/registration/number-plates/general-issue-number-plates
licence_plate_patterns = {
    "VIC": ["dxxdxx", # current car 
            "xxxddd", # old car
            "dxdxx", # current motorcycle
            "xxddd"], # old motorcycle
    "NSW": ["xxddxx", # current car
            "xxxddx", # old car
            "xxxdd"], # motorcycles
    "QLD": ["dddxxx", # current car
            "dddxxd", # future car
            "dddxx"], # motorcycles
    "SA": ["Sdddxxx", # current car
           "dddxxx", # old car
           "Sddxxx", # current motorcycles
           "ddxxx"], # old motorcycles
    "WA": ["1xxxddd", # current style plates
            "xxxddd", # old style plates before 1978
            "dxxddd", # old style plates 1978--1997
            "1ddxxx"], # current motorcycles (1997 onwards)]
    "TAS": ["xddxx", # current style plates
            "xxdddd", # old style plates 1970--2008
            "xxxddd", # old style plates 1954--1970
            "xxddd", # motorcycles
            "xdddx"], # motorcycles
    "ACT": ["xxxddx", # current style plates
            "xxxddd", # future style plates
            "xdddd"], # motorcycles
    "NT": ["xxddxx", # current style plates
           "dddddd", # future style plates
           "xdddd", # current motorcycles
           "ddddd"] # old motorcycles 1979--2011
}
    
def plate_type(plate, state):
    plate = re.sub(r'[\W_]+', '', str(plate)) # remove anything that isn't a letter or number
    plate_matches = [match_plate_pattern(plate, pattern) for pattern 
                     in licence_plate_patterns[state]]
    if plate == "": 
        return("no_plate")
    elif any(plate_matches):
        return("standard_plate")
    else:
        return("custom_plate")

Random, but i came across this trying to accomplish something similar in PHP; identifying the likely state a plate originates from based on its format.

Im sure you are aware, but just in Victoria alone taxis, buses, trailers, club permits, primary producer vehicles etc will return a custom plate with this code.

I love this approach though. Its a clean way of accomplishing the task. What i have so far is way more convoluted 🤣