Volvo 740 License Plate Bulb Size

The Volvo 740 license plate light uses 12821 and 3893 bulb sizes for the rear illumination system. Data for the specific lighting components covers the period from 1985 through 1992.

The year-by-year compatibility chart below provides a quick reference to verify the correct bulb size for your vehicle.

Bulb Size by Year Range

Years	Bulb Size
1992	12821
1985-1991	3893

Bulb Specifications

Description	Bulb Size
Philips part number. Miniature wedge bulb (T10) with W2.1x9.5d base. 12V, 5W.	12821
ANSI standard (US & Canada). Dual-filament bulb with BAY15d bayonet base, specialty application. 12V.	3893

Other Locations

Additional Notes

The Volvo 740 license plate bulb specifications cover the 1985-1992 model years.
Two distinct bulb types appear across these model years: the 3893 and the 12821, which are not interchangeable due to differences in base type and filament configuration.
The 3893 is an ANSI-standard bulb recognized in the US and Canadian markets. It uses a BAY15d bayonet base and operates at 12V. The BAY15d base is a dual-contact bayonet fitting, and the 3893 itself is a dual-filament bulb designated for specialty applications.
The Volvo 740 (1985-1991) uses the 3893 bulb for the license plate position, making it the predominant fitment across seven of the eight model years covered in these specifications.
The 12821 is a Philips part number designating a miniature wedge-type bulb in the T10 form factor. It uses a W2.1x9.5d base, operates at 12V, and is rated at 5W.
The T10 wedge base of the 12821 is a push-in fitting without locking pins, which is a fundamentally different retention mechanism from the twist-lock BAY15d bayonet base of the 3893.
The 1992 Volvo 740 uses the 12821 bulb, representing a change from the 3893 used in all prior model years listed in these specifications.
Because the 3893 is a dual-filament bulb and the 12821 is a single-filament wedge bulb, substituting one for the other would involve both a physical base incompatibility and a filament configuration mismatch.