Read License Plates Clearly
Spelling out a license plate (e.g., for a witness statement or rental return) over the phone or radio.
Used by aviation, military, and international communication. Standard since 1956.
Spoken form
Hotel Echo Lima Lima Oscar (dash) Whiskey Oscar Romeo Lima Delta
Full NATO (ICAO) alphabet
💡 Use cases: clearly communicating confirmation codes over the phone, spelling out passwords in customer service, reading license plates over radio, pilot communications, and any voice channel where letter confusion (B vs D vs P) is costly.
License Plates tips
For witness statements or insurance claims, spelling out the plate avoids miscommunication of crucial details.
Police and security professionals use NATO alphabet daily — also useful for civilians reporting to them.
For multi-letter plates, separating with the NATO alphabet eliminates ambiguity between similar-sounding letters.
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