Registration Numbers

UK Car Registrations

NEW FORMAT REGISTRATIONS

TWO FIGURE AGE IDENTIFIER

From 1 September 2001, registrations took on a new format.

The new format was introduced because the old age identifier prefix letters ran out on the 31st August 2001 and the new format makes number plates easier to read and more memorable.

Two letter regional identifier.

The first two letters of the registration now show the region where the vehicle was first registered. This will help with the recall of registrations and the identification of vehicles.

The first letter represents the region
And, the second relates to a DVLA Local Office.

Using the above example, "AB" shows that the vehicle was first registered in Anglia (A) at the DVLA's Peterborough office (B).

Two figure age identifier
The age identifier will change every six months in March and September. In the above example, "12" represents the 6 month period from April 2012 to August 2012. Please refer to the chart for a full list of age identifiers.

Three random letters
The three random letters will provide a random element to make each registration unique.

Combinations that may be considered offensive as well as the Letters "I" and "Q" will be excluded from this element of the registration.

01
Reserved
51
September 1st 2001

02
March 1st 2002
52
September 1st 2002

03
March 1st 2003
53
September 1st 2003

04
March 1st 2004
54
September 1st 2004

05
March 1st 2005
55
September 1st 2005

06
March 1st 2006
56
September 1st 2006

07
March 1st 2007
57
September 1st 2007

08
March 1st 2008
58
September 1st 2008

09
March 1st 2009
59
September 1st 2009

10
March 1st 2010
60
September 1st 2010

11
March 1st 2011
61
September 1st 2011

12
March 1st 2012
62
September 1st 2012

13
March 1st 2013
63
September 1st 2013

14
March 1st 2014
64
September 1st 2014

15
March 1st 2015
65
September 1st 2015

16
March 1st 2016
66
September 1st 2016

17
March 1st 2017
67
September 1st 2017

18
March 1st 2018
68
September 1st 2018

19
March 1st 2019
69
September 1st 2019

20
March 1st 2020
70
September 1st 2020

21
March 1st 2021
71
September 1st 2021

22
March 1st 2022
72
September 1st 2022

23
March 1st 2023
73
September 1st 2023

UK CAR REGISTRATIONS INDEX - OLD FORMATS

SUFFIX LETTERS

PREFIX LETTERS

A
1 February 1963 - 31 December 1963
A
1 August 1983 - 31 July 1984

B
1 January 1964 - 31 December 1964
B
1 August 1984 - 31 July 1985

C
1 January 1965 - 31 December 1965
C
1 August 1985 - 31 July 1986

D
1 January 1966 - 31 December 1966
D
1 August 1986 - 31 Jul 1987

E
1 January 1967 - 31 July 1967
E
1 August 1987 - 31 July 1988

F
1 August 1967 - 31 July 1968
F
1 August 1988 - 31 July 1989

G
1 August 1968 - 31 July 1969
G
1 August 1989 - 31 July 1990

H
1 August 1969 - 31 July 1970
H
1 August 1990 - 31 July 1991

J
1 August 1970 - 31 July 1971
J
1 August 1991 - 31 July 1992

K
1 August 1971 - 31 July 1972
K
1 August 1992 - 31 July 1993

L
1 August 1972 - 31 July 1973
L
1 August 1993 - 31 July 1994

M
1 August 1973 - 31 July 1974
M
1 August 1994 - 31 July 1995

N
1 August 1974 - 31 July 1975
N
1 August 1995 - 31 July 1996

P
1 August 1975 - 31 July 1976
P
1 August 1996 - 31 July 1997

R
1 August 1976 - 31 July 1977
R
1 August 1997 - 31 July 1998

S
1 August 1977 - 31 July 1978
S
1 August 1998 - 28 February 1999

T
1 August 1978 - 31 July 1979
T
1 March 1999 - 31 August 1999

V
1 August 1979 - 31 July 1980
V
1 September 1999 - 29 February 2000

W
1 August 1980 - 31 July 1981
W
1 March 2000 - 31 August 2000

X
1 August 1981 - 31 July 1982
X
1 September 2000 - 28 February 2001

Y
1 August 1982 - 31 July 1983
Y
1 March 2001 - 31 August 2001

	SUFFIX LETTERS		PREFIX LETTERS
A	1 February 1963 - 31 December 1963	A	1 August 1983 - 31 July 1984
B	1 January 1964 - 31 December 1964	B	1 August 1984 - 31 July 1985
C	1 January 1965 - 31 December 1965	C	1 August 1985 - 31 July 1986
D	1 January 1966 - 31 December 1966	D	1 August 1986 - 31 Jul 1987
E	1 January 1967 - 31 July 1967	E	1 August 1987 - 31 July 1988
F	1 August 1967 - 31 July 1968	F	1 August 1988 - 31 July 1989
G	1 August 1968 - 31 July 1969	G	1 August 1989 - 31 July 1990
H	1 August 1969 - 31 July 1970	H	1 August 1990 - 31 July 1991
J	1 August 1970 - 31 July 1971	J	1 August 1991 - 31 July 1992
K	1 August 1971 - 31 July 1972	K	1 August 1992 - 31 July 1993
L	1 August 1972 - 31 July 1973	L	1 August 1993 - 31 July 1994
M	1 August 1973 - 31 July 1974	M	1 August 1994 - 31 July 1995
N	1 August 1974 - 31 July 1975	N	1 August 1995 - 31 July 1996
P	1 August 1975 - 31 July 1976	P	1 August 1996 - 31 July 1997
R	1 August 1976 - 31 July 1977	R	1 August 1997 - 31 July 1998
S	1 August 1977 - 31 July 1978	S	1 August 1998 - 28 February 1999
T	1 August 1978 - 31 July 1979	T	1 March 1999 - 31 August 1999
V	1 August 1979 - 31 July 1980	V	1 September 1999 - 29 February 2000
W	1 August 1980 - 31 July 1981	W	1 March 2000 - 31 August 2000
X	1 August 1981 - 31 July 1982	X	1 September 2000 - 28 February 2001
Y	1 August 1982 - 31 July 1983	Y	1 March 2001 - 31 August 2001