Number Plates Explained

Number Plates Explained

"What reg is it?"

The vehicle registration system underwent its first major overhaul since 1963 in September 2001. Read our low-down on the past and current number plate systems.

Current System

Example: AB 52 DVL

AB represents the 'local memory tag' - where the vehicle was registered. A full list is available from the DVLA but examples include BA-BY for Birmingham, LA to LY for London, and so on.
52 represents the age identifier. Not entirely obvious at first, it is changed at half-yearly intervals (March and September) in the following way: September 2001 = 51, March 2002 = 02, September 2002 = 52, etc. In 2010, the numbers are 10 and 61, in 2020 they are 20 and 71, and so on.
DVL is the random part

Old System

Example: A 123 BCD

A represents the age identifier. Up until 1999, they changed on a yearly basis (August); afterwards, they changed every six months (March and September), to use all the letters up before the introduction of the new system. See the full list below
123 are random numbers; you can have only two - or even one - but they may well be 'cherished' plates, and will probably be very expensive
BCD are random letters. There are never less than three, and again, if you want, you can buy plates that 'spell' your name
From 1963 – 1983 the letter identifying the year of the car was at the end of the plate
Registration plate identifier

1963 A
1964 B
1965 C
1966 D
1967 E/F
1968 F/G
1969 G/H
1970 H/J
1971 J/K
1972 K/L
1973 L/M
1974 M/N
1975 N/P
1976 P/R
1977 R/S
1978 S/T
1979 T/V
1980 V/W
1981 W/X
1982 X/Y
1983 Y/A
1984 A/B
1985 B/C
1986 C/D
1987 D/E
1988 E/F
1989 F/G
1990 G/H
1991 H/J
1992 J/K
1993 K/L
1994 L/M
1995 M/N
1996 N/P
1997 P/R
1998 R/S
1999 S/T/V
2000 V/W/X
2001 X/Y