What is the difference between a vehicle country code and a local registration code?

A vehicle country code identifies the country where a vehicle is registered, while a local registration code identifies a specific region, state, province or administrative area within that country.

For example, the vehicle country code D identifies Germany, while the registration itself may contain additional regional identifiers relating to a specific German city or district. Similarly, registrations in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia and India often include state or provincial identifiers alongside the national vehicle registration code.

In short, the vehicle country code identifies the country, while local registration codes help identify where within that country the vehicle was registered.