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How do UK vehicle number plates work? The Ultimate Guide
The new '73' plate cars are due to roll out of UK car showrooms from 1st September, but have you ever looked at a car registration plate and wondered what the numbers and letters mean?
Fifty years ago, the age letter identifier was introduced at the start of the license plate. Since then, we have seen the letter age identifier move to the end of the plate, and then the age identifier became a number combination in September 2001. The DVLA uses this system in England, Scotland and Wales.
What do the numbers and letters all mean? Let's start with a typical, modern-day registration plate. .png "How vehicle registration plates work UK")
The current vehicle registration plate consists of a number of sectors. From left to right, they are:
1 - The EU Country Identifier
The EU Country Identifier is optional but can disclose the country of origin of the vehicle. In the UK, you can use EU, GB, England, Wales and Scotland variants of this symbol.
Displaying of Flags and Country identifying letters
The permitted country-identifying flags are:
- Union Flag
- Cross of St George
- Cross of St Andrew - also known as the Saltire
- Red Dragon of Wales
The authorised identifying country letters are:
- GREAT BRITAIN, Great Britain or GB
- UNITED KINGDOM, United Kingdom or the UK
- CYMRU, Cymru, CYM or Cym
- ENGLAND, England, ENG, Eng
- SCOTLAND, Scotland, SCO or Sco
- WALES or Wales
You’ll still need a GB sticker when travelling in Europe if you display one of these national flags and identifiers.
The flag has to appear above the letters. .png "New 73 plate car UK")
Euro symbol
If you display the Euro symbol and Great Britain (GB) national identifier on your number plate, then you won’t need a separate GB sticker when travelling within the European Union. It is unsure what the fate of the 'euro' identifier will be post-Brexit though.
2 - The Area Code
The first letter of which identifies the area in which the vehicle is first registered, linked to the local DVLA office. The second letter is random. The current initial letters signify the following areas of original registration:
| Letter | Area | Local Offices | Letters Used |
| A | Anglia | Peterborough, Norwich, Ipswich | AA -AN excluding AI AO - AU excluding AQ AV - AY |
| B | Birmingham | Birmingham | BA - BY |
| C | Cymru | Cardiff, Swansea, Bangor | CA - CO excluding CI CP - CV excluding CQ CW - CY |
| D | Deeside to Shrewsbury | Chester, Shrewsbury | DA - DK excluding DI DL - DY excluding DQ |
| E | Essex | Chelmsford | EA - EY |
| F | Forest & Fens | Nottingham, Lincoln | FA - FP excluding FI & FO FR - FY excluding FQ |
| G | Garden of England | Maidstone, Brighton | GA - GO excluding GI GP - GY excluding GQ |
| H | Hampshire & Dorset | Bournemouth, Portsmouth, Isle of Wight | HA - HJ excluding HI HK - HY |
| K | Luton, Northampton | KA - KL excluding KI KM - KY excluding KQ |
|
| L | London | Wimbledon, Stanmore & Sidcup | LA - LJ excluding LI LK - LT excluding LQ LU - LY |
| M | Merseyside & Manchester | Manchester | MA - MY excluding MQ |
| N | North | Newcastle, Stockton | NA - NO excluding NI NP - NY excluding NQ |
| O | Oxford | Oxford | OA - OY |
| P | Preston | Preston, Carlisle | PA - PT excluding PI, PQ PU - PY |
| R | Reading | Reading | RA - RY |
| S | Scotland | Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen, Inverness | SA - SJ excluding SI SK - SO SP - ST excluding SQ |
| V | Severn Valley | Worcester | VA - VY |
| W | West of England | Exeter, Truro, Bristol | WA - WJ excluding WI WK - WL WM - WY excluding WQ |
| Y | Yorkshire | Leeds, Sheffield, Beverley | YA - YK excluding YI YL - YU excluding YQ YV - YY |
3 - The Age Identifier
This combination of two numbers signifies the six-month period that the vehicle was first registered in the UK. Please note that until March 2001 (Y reg at the beginning of the plate) a single letter was used as the age identifier. In September 2001, the new two-number system was introduced. Since that day, the two-number system has indicated the following date ranges:
| Date Range | Registration code | Date Range | Registration code |
| Sept 01 - Feb 02 | 51 | March 02 - Aug 02 | 02 |
| Sept 02 - Feb 03 | 52 | March 03 - Aug 03 | 03 |
| Sept 03 - Feb 04 | 53 | March 04 - Aug 04 | 04 |
| Sept 04 - Feb 05 | 54 | March 05 - Aug 05 | 05 |
| Sept 05 - Feb 06 | 55 | March 06 - Aug 06 | 06 |
| Sept 06 - Feb 07 | 56 | March 07 - Aug 07 | 07 |
| Sept 07 - Feb 08 | 57 | March 08 - Aug 08 | 08 |
| Sept 08 - Feb 09 | 58 | March 09 - Aug 09 | 09 |
| Sept 09 - Feb 10 | 59 | March 10 - Aug 10 | 10 |
| Sept 10 - Feb 11 | 60 | March 11 - Aug 11 | 11 |
| Sept 11 - Feb 12 | 61 | March 12 - Aug 12 | 12 |
| Sept 12 - Feb 13 | 62 | March 13 - Aug 13 | 13 |
| Sept 13 - Feb 14 | 63 | March 14 - Aug 14 | 14 |
| Sept 14 - Feb 15 | 64 | March 15 - Aug 15 | 15 |
| Sept 15 - Feb 16 | 65 | March 16 - Aug 16 | 16 |
| Sept 16 - Feb 17 | 66 | March 17 - Aug 17 | 17 |
| Sept 17 - Feb 18 | 67 | March 18 - Aug 18 | 18 |
| Sept 18 - Feb 19 | 68 | March 19 - Aug 19 | 19 |
| Sept 19 - Feb 20 | 69 | March 20 - Aug 20 | 20 |
| Sept 20 - Feb 21 | 70 | March 21 - Aug 21 | 21 |
| Sept 21 - Feb 22 | 71 | March 22 - Aug 22 | 22 |
| Sept 22 - Feb 23 | 72 | March 23 - Aug 23 | 23 |
| Sept 23 - Feb 24 | 73 | March 24 - Aug 24 | 24 |
4 - Random set of 3 letters
These three letters are random and are used to differentiate vehicles that use the same four-character area and age sequence.
The policy for registration plates in Northern Ireland is different. Here we see a three-letter code followed by a four-digit number. The Letters contain a two-letter area identifier, and the code represents the age identifier.
History of number plates
The current style of number plates came into force on 1st September 2001 with the '51' plate. Since this time, the sequence in the plate has been the two-letter area identifier, the two-number age identifier and finally, the three random letters to complete the registration. Before September 2001, the sequence on reg plates was entirely different.
Vehicle Registration Plates 1983-2001 (The prefix system)
During this period, vehicle registration plates were sequenced in the following manner.
- The first letter signifies the date of registration
- Three numbers in sequential order
- The final three letters signify the area code of registration
| Date Range | Registration Code |
| Aug '83-July '84 | A |
| Aug '84-July '85 | B |
| Aug '85-July '86 | C |
| Aug '86-July '87 | D |
| Aug '87-July '88 | E |
| Aug '88-July '89 | F |
| Aug '89-July '90 | G |
| Aug '90-July '91 | H |
| Aug '91-July '92 | J |
| Aug '92-July '93 | K |
| Aug '93-July '94 | L |
| Aug '94-July '95 | M |
| Aug '95-July '96 | N |
| Aug '96-July '97 | P |
| Aug '97-July '98 | R |
| Aug '98-Feb '99 | S |
| Mar '99-Aug '99 | T |
| Sept '99-Feb 2000 | V |
| March 2000-Aug 2000 | W |
| Sept 2000-Feb 2001 | X |
| March 2001-Aug 2001 | Y |
Vehicle Registration Plates 1963-1983 (The suffix system)
During this period, vehicle registration plates were sequenced in the following manner.
- The first three letters signify the area code
- Three numbers in sequential order
- Final letter meaning the date of registration
| Date Range | Registration Code |
| Jan '63-Dec '63 | A |
| Jan '64-Dec '64 | B |
| Jan '65-Dec '65 | C |
| Jan '66-Dec '66 | D |
| Jan '67-July '67 | E |
| Aug '67-July '68 | F |
| Aug '68-July '69 | G |
| Aug '69-July '70 | H |
| Aug '70-July '71 | J |
| Aug '71-July '72 | K |
| Aug '72-July '73 | L |
| Aug '73-July '74 | M |
| Aug '74-July '75 | N |
| Aug '75-July '76 | P |
| Aug '76-July '77 | R |
| Aug '77-July '78 | S |
| Aug '78-July '79 | T |
| Aug '79-July '80 | V |
| Aug '80-July '81 | W |
| Aug '81-July '82 | X |
| Aug '82-July '83 | Y |
Number plate facts and trivia
- The current age identifier on number plates can cause some confusion as it involves numbers in the middle of the registration. The easiest way to remember is that the March plate equals the year, e.g., in March 2016-August 2016, it will be '16'. The September plate is the year plus 50; e.g., September 2016 to March 2017 will be '66'.
- The current number plate system will run out in February 2051, as the '51' plate was used from September 2001 to February 2002.
- The oldest number plate registrations date back to the early 20th century, possibly the very first plate issued being DY1 in Hastings, Kent. Today the 'DY' area would represent Chester to Shrewsbury.
- The first plate issued in London was A1 and was purchased by Earl Russel. Legend has it that he made his butler queue outside the London County Council offices overnight to secure the number. The plate is now the most valuable private plate in existence and belongs to the Sultan of Brunei's brother, Prince Jefri.
- By the mid-20th Century, all the available registration plates had been issued, so authorities started reversing numbers and letters, with the last authorities issuing the initial numbers and then the letters sequence in the 1960s.
- You are allowed to take your number plate from your old car to your new car. However, you are not permitted to use a plate that makes your vehicle look younger than it actually is.
- If your vehicle was manufactured before 1st January 1975, you have applied to the DVLA, and you have registered within the 'historic vehicles' tax class, then you are permitted to display the old-style black and silver number plate on your vehicle.
- The DVLA auction so-called 'private' or 'cherished' plates to UK car buyers and have sold more than 4.2 million of them since 1989.
- The DVLA issues 'Q' plates for vehicles where the age of the vehicle cannot be conclusively proven. This could be for imported vehicles, kit cars or vehicles that have been written off and rebuilt using second-hand parts. These vehicles can never display any other plate than a 'Q' plate.
We hope our rundown on how registration plates are formed has helped you understand this seemingly complicated process a little easier!
Updated 26/8/23, written by Mark Griffiths
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