FE-Schrift
| Category | Sans-serif |
|---|---|
| Designer | Karlgeorg Hoefer |
| Foundry | Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen |
| Date created | 1978–1980 |
| Glyphs | 102 |
| Also known as |
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| Sample | |
The FE-Schrift or Fälschungserschwerende Schrift (German pronunciation: [fɛlʃʊŋsɐʃveːʁəndə ʃʁɪft]) ('forgery-impeding typeface') is a sans serif typeface introduced for use on license plates. Its monospaced letters and numbers are slightly disproportionate to prevent easy modification and to improve machine readability. The typeface was developed in West Germany and it has been mandatory on German license plates since November 2000.
The abbreviation "FE" is derived from the compound German adjective fälschungserschwerend combining the noun Fälschung ('falsification') and the verb erschweren ('to hinder'). Schrift means 'typeface' in German (cognate with the English word script). Other countries have later introduced the same or a derived typeface for license plates taking advantage of the proven design for the FE-Schrift.