Vehicle owners in Qatar have until the end of this month to replace their license plates with the new ones, the Traffic Department has announced.

This is the second time the deadline has been pushed back. Drivers initially had only until last October to comply, but overcrowding at the six workshops producing the new plates prompted the department to extend the deadline another month. Now, four months later, the grace period appears to be over.

The license plates have been changed from their original format, which contained the plate numbers in both English and Arabic, to the European model because the numbers can be seen more clearly from a distance, a traffic department official previously explained.

The newer plates are also thought to be easier for traffic raders to catch errant drivers.

Most drivers received new plates during their annual vehicle registration. But some reported having trouble fitting the plates to their cars.

This announcement, posted in today’s Qatar Tribune, said the plates must be replaced by March 31, 2013 to “avoid any violations,” but does not specify what the penalty for missing the deadline would be.

Have you gotten your new plates yet?

Thoughts?