Looking to find your cars year of manufacture from the registration number?
The following tables show the year or registration for the current and previous versions of UK registration numbers.
- New Style Number Plate Identifiers – Example: AB51 ABD
- Prefix Number Plates Identifiers – Example: A21 ABC
- Suffix Number Plate Identifiers – Example: ABC 1A
Important notes:
Vehicles with custom plates or Q plates are not covered, as they can be any year.
The registration is the date the vehicle was first registered in the UK. It is possible for it to have been manufactured the previous year but not registered, and import vehicles may not have the correct year specific registration number.
You cannot fit or assign a number plate to a vehicle that is older than the registration identifier. For example, you would not be allowed to assign a 63 Plate to a 54 plate vehicle. You can however, change your vehicle’s registration to a newer vehicle model.
Please note this tool is as accurate as possible. It won’t tell you what wiper blades will fit your car but it will help you to find out what year your car registration is though.
Please Note: We also offer number plate printing as a service to all vehicle owners AND we also offer showplate printing for those looking for something a bit different.
New Style Age Identifier For UK Number Plates
Current System – 2001 to 2049 (assuming it runs to the end)
Number plates in the UK are issued twice a year – between 6 month intervals, and are in the format AB51 ABD, where the numeric characters show the year.
New style registrations are also known as Millennium Registrations and these offer more insights into the information around the number plate.
The first 2 letters depict the town the vehicle was issued in and are known as memory tags. This article has a great section around memory tags.
| Plate | From | To |
| 51 | September 2001 | March 2002 |
| 02 | March 2002 | September 2002 |
| 52 | September 2002 | March 2003 |
| 03 | March 2003 | September 2003 |
| 53 | September 2003 | March 2004 |
| 04 | March 2004 | September 2004 |
| 54 | September 2004 | March 2005 |
| 05 | March 2005 | September 2005 |
| 55 | September 2005 | March 2006 |
| 06 | March 2006 | September 2006 |
| 56 | September 2006 | March 2007 |
| 07 | March 2007 | September 2007 |
| 57 | September 2007 | March 2008 |
| 08 | March 2008 | September 2008 |
| 58 | September 2008 | March 2009 |
| 09 | March 2009 | September 2009 |
| 59 | September 2009 | March 2010 |
| 10 | March 2010 | September 2010 |
| 60 | September 2010 | March 2011 |
| 11 | March 2011 | September 2011 |
| 61 | September 2011 | March 2012 |
| 12 | March 2012 | September 2012 |
| 62 | September 2012 | March 2013 |
| 13 | March 2013 | September 2013 |
| 63 | September 2013 | March 2014 |
| 14 | March 2014 | September 2014 |
| 64 | September 2014 | March 2015 |
| 15 | March 2015 | September 2015 |
| 65 | September 2015 | March 2016 |
| 16 | March 2016 | September 2016 |
| 66 | September 2016 | March 2017 |
| 17 | March 2017 | September 2017 |
| 67 | September 2017 | March 2018 |
| 18 | March 2018 | September 2018 |
| 68 | September 2018 | March 2019 |
| 19 | March 2019 | September 2019 |
| 69 | September 2019 | March 2020 |
| 20 | March 2020 | September 2020 |
| 70 | September 2020 | March 2021 |
| 21 | March 2021 | September 2021 |
| 71 | September 2021 | March 2022 |
| 22 | March 2022 | September 2022 |
| 72 | September 2022 | March 2023 |
| 23 | March 2023 | September 2023 |
| 73 | September 2023 | March 2024 |
| 24 | March 2024 | September 2024 |
| 74 | September 2024 | March 2025 |
| 25 | March 2025 | September 2025 |
| 75 | September 2025 | March 2026 |
| 26 | March 2026 | September 2026 |
| 76 | September 2026 | March 2027 |
| 27 | March 2027 | September 2027 |
| 77 | September 2027 | March 2028 |
| 28 | March 2028 | September 2028 |
| 78 | September 2028 | March 2029 |
| 29 | March 2029 | September 2029 |
| 79 | September 2029 | March 2030 |
| 30 | March 2030 | September 2030 |
| 80 | September 2030 | March 2031 |
| 31 | March 2031 | September 2031 |
| 81 | September 2031 | March 2032 |
| 32 | March 2032 | September 2032 |
| 82 | September 2032 | March 2033 |
| 33 | March 2033 | September 2033 |
| 83 | September 2033 | March 2034 |
| 34 | March 2034 | September 2034 |
| 84 | September 2034 | March 2035 |
| 35 | March 2035 | September 2035 |
| 85 | September 2035 | March 2036 |
| 36 | March 2036 | September 2036 |
| 86 | September 2036 | March 2037 |
| 37 | March 2037 | September 2037 |
| 87 | September 2037 | March 2038 |
| 38 | March 2038 | September 2038 |
| 88 | September 2038 | March 2039 |
| 39 | March 2039 | September 2039 |
| 89 | September 2039 | March 2040 |
| 40 | March 2040 | September 2040 |
| 90 | September 2040 | March 2041 |
| 41 | March 2041 | September 2041 |
| 91 | September 2041 | March 2042 |
| 42 | March 2042 | September 2042 |
| 92 | September 2042 | March 2043 |
| 43 | March 2043 | September 2043 |
| 93 | September 2043 | March 2044 |
| 44 | March 2044 | September 2044 |
| 94 | September 2044 | March 2045 |
| 45 | March 2045 | September 2045 |
| 95 | September 2045 | March 2046 |
| 46 | March 2046 | September 2046 |
| 96 | September 2046 | March 2047 |
| 47 | March 2047 | September 2047 |
| 97 | September 2047 | March 2048 |
| 48 | March 2048 | September 2048 |
| 98 | September 2048 | March 2049 |
| 49 | March 2049 | September 2049 |
| 99 | September 2049 | March 2050 |
Prefix Registration Plates
Prefix Type registration numbers – 1983 to 2001
Number plates are in the format ‘A21 ABC‘, with the first letter denoting the year code.
| Prefix | From | To |
| A | August 1983 | July 1984 |
| B | August 1984 | July 1985 |
| C | August 1985 | July 1986 |
| D | August 1986 | July 1987 |
| E | August 1987 | July 1988 |
| F | August 1988 | July 1989 |
| G | August 1989 | July 1990 |
| H | August 1990 | July 1991 |
| J | August 1991 | July 1992 |
| K | August 1992 | July 1993 |
| L | August 1993 | July 1994 |
| M | August 1994 | July 1995 |
| N | August 1995 | July 1996 |
| P | August 1996 | July 1997 |
| R | August 1997 | July 1998 |
| S | August 1998 | February 1999 |
| T | March 1999 | July 1999 |
| V | August 1999 | February 2000 |
| W | March 2000 | July 2000 |
| X | August 2000 | February 2001 |
| Y | March 2001 | July 2001 |
Suffix Registration Plates
Suffix type registration numbers – 1963 to 1983
Number plates are in the format ‘ABC 1A‘, with the last letter designating the year code.
| Suffix | From | To |
| A | 1963 | |
| B | 1964 | |
| C | 1965 | |
| D | 1966 | |
| E | January 1967 | July 1967 |
| F | August 1967 | July 1968 |
| G | August 1968 | July 1969 |
| H | August 1969 | July 1970 |
| J | August 1970 | July 1971 |
| K | August 1971 | July 1972 |
| L | August 1972 | July 1973 |
| M | August 1973 | July 1974 |
| N | August 1974 | July 1975 |
| P | August 1975 | July 1976 |
| R | August 1976 | July 1977 |
| S | August 1977 | July 1978 |
| T | August 1978 | July 1979 |
| V | August 1979 | July 1980 |
| W | August 1980 | July 1981 |
| X | August 1981 | July 1982 |
| Y | August 1982 | July 1983 |
Can I Put A New Plate On An Old Car?
Unfortunately, you cannot put a new plate on an old car.
This legislation is in place to prevent owners from making a vehicle appear newer than it is when selling a vehicle.
For example, you cannot put a personalised 21 plate onto a vehicle that was registered in 2012.
Related Information
- Overview
- Where A Vehicle Is Registered
- When Was A Vehicle Registered
- Private Registrations
Author: Dean Michael
Hi I have a plate COX 33E and wondered if i could have it on black and silver plates ? But I’m not sure if its old enough to qualify ? Does anyone know please ?
Yes, it’s fine.
The plate COX 33E uses the old suffix style which should be a 1965 plate.
The actual vehicle that it’s going on was first registered in 2018.
INF104 of the DVLA states the following:
Basically OP can’t have those plates because the vehicle needs to be manufactured before 1973…. Not the date of the plate.
Suffix “E” is 1967
l452ohp
Hi Matt, wonder if you know what year this number plate is, Its an oldie. NLA 29O
Pre 1963 or so when the year letters came in.
NLA 290 was originally issued in November 1952.
What year is the UK registration 412 UXC many thanks
That is a dateless plate, it can be put on any age of vehicle.
Interesting one as nnnUXC is a series used by DVLA for age related re-registrations.
Although the vehicle it’s on dates from 1959, the number plate 412UXC was only issued around May 2004. This means that the vehicle was either imported or had it’s (interesting or valuable) original number transferred off it around this time. These replacement registrations are not normally transferrable.
We’re was RC 3848 re
hi my old gentry car has a reg number 345 DDT. could you tell me the year and car it came from regards
1960.
Cannot find the car on the DVLA database.
I am trying to find out the area and year for an old black and silver reg number OOF 76. Can anybody help
Birmingham, November 1953
Please tell me what year in the uk was YHZ 1704 made
Dateless Northern Ireland; N/A
County Tyrone, March 2021
Hi I’m looking for information/history about my plate “HOB 737” it’s been mine since 1995
I own HOB 1
Been in the family over 55 years
Where can I find out the histroy of GGK 108c
car Tax Check?
Hi could you tell me what year was number plate issued please BN9458
Any idea what year the number plate LYS 201 would be?
My car was re registered in 2006 , the original reg was 522AXF it has been sorn. Can I contact dvla to buy it back for the original car it was registered to?
To move plates or put on retaining slips, the car must be taxed and more importantly MOT’d.
Also, if a car is stolen without MOT and tax, you can never get the plate back (unless you recover the car and tax and MOT it)
can anyone advise as my car reg is AE14 VPT 2014 model and i want to put number I
have brought L15XSB, and having issues with online change: i was advised that can use this L15 as not issue as not making the
car look younger can someone advise please.
Hi Simon,
This is a strange one because the sequence for L15 XSB is the old style “Prefix Registration” which makes the vehicle have a 1993 plate so this should be fine to put onto your vehicle.
It might be worth calling the right department or try contacting them on Twitter.
Wat year is ndx186
March 1961
Can anyone tell me the first car FB8003 was registered to and what year
The letters FB were issued by Bath C.C. beginning in Dec 1903 and the series was not completed until July 1932. So FB8003 was probably from around the mid twenties.
Unfortunately details of ownership are not normally available from DVLA. With this being such an old number though, you could try the public records office in Bristol as the hand kept registers containing issues from the motor vehicle licencing offices are often kept there following their closure and transfer to computer and are available for public scrutiny (all registration marks from Bath were transferred to Bristol following the closure of that office in 1975). Not all issue registers still exist and many of those that do are incomplete but if you were lucky enough to find your entry it would tell you the very day this number was first issued and to whom.
Hope this is of help
Hi there, I am in the process of registering in the UK a Mercedes first registered in Australia in March 1975 (recently imported to the UK). Can I put black and white plates on this car?
Yes, as long as the car is pre 1980 and has classic car status.
Can I put S18 OLJ on a 2012 registered car SA12 KGF
Yes
Hello I want to buy a plate that needs to be assigned can only be assigned to a ‘C’ registered or newer vehicle (Registered after 1 August 1985). Would I be able to put this plate into a 2022-2023 car
When was my registration first issued SOX55
January 1956
WKD538H does anybody know where I can locate this plate …?
Unfortunately this combination was never issued.
You could write to DVLA and request that it be included in a future auction (there is no guarantee if or when it would be included but if it were you would be notified)
You would then need to bid for it against any other interested party.
Old motorbike no. Plate . Registered in Yorkshire. (YE 4276) Anyone any idea roughly what year it could have been. Many Thanks Robert.
YE 4276 is in fact a Central London mark, first issued in January 1927.
I have plate BXC 924 on London Taxi 1930.s trying to find out what year it was issued, Any and all help appreciated. Would be great to track how it has ended up in Canada
February 1935
I have spotted registration numbers which don’t correspond to the current list. They are JB and XX. Does anyone know what they signify? I can find no reference to them anywhere.
They are DVLA Select numbers for which there is no such area code but are available for sale through their website
Can you age my car registration for me please, it’s ORG 1
Aberdeen, November 1959
Weren’t there any vehicles registered in August 2001 ???
The table shows suffix “Y” as finishing 31-July-2001, while year code “51” started in September 2001 – and year code “01” is not in this table!
So, what DID happen in that month ???
Anyone know the year of motor cycle DE9418?
DE was begun by Pembrokeshire c.c. in Dec 1903 and was not completed until July 1934 so 9418 is probably from early 1934.
Hi can anyone tell me what year A1 WBM is please.
1983
Hi can anyone tell me if PUT 55 can still be purchased?
This was on my dads Morris Cowley back in the sixties.
It looks like this mark has been lost unfortunately.
DVLA do not reissue old marks previously issued except in certain cases where you own the vehicle which originally bore the reg.
Can I put the Reg 308 DRX on a 1964 1800S Volvo?
What year did registration WYR 222 made
Issued by Central London in May 1959
I am looking for the year of issue of plate FP 5789.
FP was issued by Rutland c.c. which had a very slow rate of issue. Begun in December 1903, FP was not completed until August 1960. So at just over half way through the series FP5789 was probably from around 1930-35.
Hi can you tell me what year my car was made/registered by the vin number?
Hi. I have a 1990 VW T25 but the registration says 2003. Any idea why this would be the case ?
Oh the Registration is G49 WKL
Maybe it was imported and just put onto the DVLA computer in 2003
sorry , i may be a bit slow but what year is V15 ***
thanks in anticipation
1999/2000
V is from 1999 normally but V15…..is a DVLA select number (made available to buy)meaning it could have been issued anytime between 1999 and now, depending when someone bought it.
I have a 1961 Triumph TR3 in the States that came with a white on black plate 9529DU. Is there any way to know if the plate was actually ever used on that car, or was it possibly just a collector’s item that someone attached to the car?
Check on cartaxcheck.co.uk
_ _ _ _DU was issued between July 1959 and February 1960 so it’s possible the TR3 was issued it. Are you sure about the precise date of the car’s manufacture?
I have a Mercedes C220 AMG 2013 with Number plate BOB 832K already on can i change plate to a Vintage Number plate
It goes by the car’s age, not the plate’s, so no.
My father bought me a numberplate just prior to his death in 1996 which I still have. Its currently on retention awaiting a new vehicle. I am interested in its history if anyone can help please. The registration is 4 EHK.
According to Stone and Cox: Motor Specifications and Prices (1979 edition) your number plate was issued in August 1955, in Essex.
Please help me with my local library’s heritage dept. They have 2 very dated photos of cars. Registration SE76 and SE80. Could you tell me the make and model but also the registered year of the cars?
SE was issued by Banffshire, Scotland from January 1904
I’m trying to find out what vehicle a registration was on, as I’ve bought an old plate (my son collects them for his wall) and it’d be great to know what car it came off. Reg is GOH 682N. It’s got “ Montgomery red” written on the back which I presume was the car colour. Thanks
No record of GOH682N on DVLA although the reg. was issued by Birmingham in 1974.
Could be that the vehicle had a cherished reg transferred to it and GOH682N was voided. This may explain why the plates were knocking round in the first place…!
“13” in the pre-fix set, such as “D13” or “L13” identifies the registration as what status?
Just means that it’s a DVLA “select” reg, meaning someone bought it…
what year is the registration T3094 (DEVON registered)
T was issued between January 1904 and October 1920 so 3904 is probably from around 1910
Hi, what about 00D 865?
Thanks
That format looks like a Republic of Ireland issue by Dublin in 2000
AF 3742 in Cornwall is that 1963 or before?
That’s a 1930’s plate.
AF Issued between December 1903 and Nov 1924 so 3742 is probably from around 1910
Which year was 519KD about please?
Liverpool, June 1962
Hi all,
I have a plate D10FFN and I want to put it on a 2009 car, my mate said you can’t do that but this plate is 1986 or 87 isn’t it?
You can apply the D-Reg Plate to any car made after August 1986.
Hi I have a registration Y984eba is this registration legal it’s for a 2001 Mitsubishi thanks in advance .
I have a Nissan Micra VA53 APX, what year would that be registered
Your registration indicates it’s for a Nissan Micra 2003-2004.
777DOL we own (but are unable to use, as we have emigrated). Would love to know when it was first registered and what it is worth.
Originally from may 1961 (Birmingham issue)
People ask £3-4000 for similar DOL plates.
When was registration plate SB9864 first issued
Issued by Argyll, Scotland between Jan 1904 and May 1954, so SB 9864 is from 1954.
Trying to trace the history of my much-loved early 1960s BSA Gold Flash in blue. It was registered new in Oxfordshire and I think the letters were XWL. I’m an octogenarian and my memory is not what it was.Thank you for any help
My family owned a small lorry. I think the registration reads AY9078 but it definitely reads AY?078 we are trying to date a photo from the number plate. It is circa 1908 thank you
I am trying to find out the whereabouts of a red Morgan Reg plate KLT 558D
I have worked out it was registered in 1966
Any info really welcomed