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.
Correct. Prior to 1967, the year suffix changed on 1st of January. “E” was only used until 31st August 1967. Thereafter the annual change was on the 1st September.
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.
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.
Age-related DVLA re-registration series for pre-1963 vehicles
Dates from around 2004
These numbers are usually non-transferrable once issued but some do slip through the net.
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
We’re was RC 3848 re
My father had an old Ford back in the 60s the registration was 145 STJ can anyone tell me where where Vehicles with STJ were issued?
Liverpool, Jan 1961
Hi, do you know what year VC10 DER is?
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
Please tell me what year in the uk was YHZ 1704 made
Dateless Northern Ireland; N/A
County Tyrone, March 2021
Hi, we found the rusting hulk of an old car buried, reg PPH51, near Aldershot, Trying to identify what it was (it could be military as near on abandoned Army camp). Very little left of it but it is keeping my son busy.
I have discovered a bit more, it is a Vauxhall (found the badge) and judging by the grill either a Wyvern or a Velox model
As the plate ends in 51, I am guessing a 1950 vintage which woukd be about right. Tyres are 5.90 5.50 x 17 as it is buried upsuide down in hard clay like soil a long way to go.
The reg PPH51 comes from Surrey and dates from April 1951.
I had a car registration from a previous car which I would like to know when an d where it was registered It maybe a private number but I think it was issued in Halifax around 1963/4 it is TJX 410 thanks for any help.
Can you age my car registration for me please, it’s ORG 1
Aberdeen, November 1959
Where can I find out the histroy of GGK 108c
car Tax Check?
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
When i search my first car Vauxhall viva pup831k there seems to be nothing online, i passed my test @17 (1987) and think the car was double my age and saw a car that looked like it on a tv series that reminded me of it. Any idea how to see where it originated and any pictures of it or similar to it?
Hi,
Can you tell me the year and where it was issued for the plate GM 9336 that was previously on my dads Morris Minor Thanks.
Could anyone tell me when PAS 694 was issued please?
Hi can you please tell me where and what year my car registration was issued 84 SA
I have a tax disc that expired 30th Sept 1926 from a 21hp studebaker. I believe the reg is F8502. Can anyone shed any light on the reg and where it was issued.
I saw a car with a letter I in the registration which I thought was not valid. I looked it up on the DVLA vehicle check portal typing it exactly as I saw it including the letter I and it came back with the details and the fact that it was taxed. How could this be ?
I have a photo with registration WNN824would love to know roughly what year it was registered
March 1957
I’ve just acquired the registration 3 RS can you tell me anything about it ?
You may be surprised to learn that, being a DVLA auction mark, the number 3 RS was only issued as recently as September 1994, featuring in the auction for that month. As with all DVLA auction marks it was unissued before that. The hammer price was £5000.
I have a BSA motorcycle with reg. no. EHE769. Year of registration would be good. Many thanks.
June 1951
Have just purchased a 2009 car with reg. HIB2446. When would that have be issued?
What year is CPF 259
March 1935
Maybe incorrect platform. Trying to find information on a car (Toe681n) that was purchased whilst in living in england.
Could you please tell me when the Anglesey plate OEY697 was registered? Thanks.
August 1963
Does anybody know when my grandfather’s Series E Morris was first registered?
Its registration number was BCB 122 and I believe it was registered in Blackburn, Lancashire.
October 1947
Would anybody know when and where the registration plate 6 HUM was issued?
Leeds, March 1964
Hi, I have two plates I’d love to know where and when they were registered, 911 RUR and OGR 21, thanks
RUR was May 1963 and OGR was May 1960
Hi,
My son has. David Brown tractor that with a degraded tax disc and we are trying g to work out the registration. We can see the number at the top of the tax disc which is D 0403804 (note sure about the D), the month looks like JUN 74 and then the registration looks like 457 NBM possibly. We have the chassis information from the tractor which is very clear. Not sure if anyone can help?
Actually it looks more like 497 NBM
Hi
I found an old photo of my gran dads car reg EGE15 he lived in Edinburgh. Any idea what year tis car would be ?
September 1946
Hi can anyone tell me when my reg number
13 KU was first introduced please?
Many thanks.
Paul.
You may be surprised to learn that the mark 13 KU was only first issued as recently as May 2015 by DVLA to be included in one of their auctions!
What year would a car registration with 388 CXX have been please??
March 1961
Sorry what year my car with registration 338 CXX would have been???
What year my car 338 xxx would have been please!??
Hi. Does anyone know what year 5939WF comes from?
Thank you
January 1960
Sorry what year is this Nissan Duke HRZ 1058 ?
What is the reg.no.HRZ 1058
I have an old family photo of a pre WW1 car with registration N229. Can anyone tell me anything about that?
An old Manchester registration.
N was issued between
JAN 1904 -> OCT 1913
My parents old car registration was 6393RW. Do you know what information this gives about the vehicle?
Registered in Coventry from Feb 1961
Can anybody tell me where and when PPH 51 was registered, and which model too if possible?
My grandfather had an Austin 7 in Devon during the 1930 period. Can anyone tell me what year the registration plate OD494 could relate to please.
The mark OD494 was issued from August 1931
Could anyone tell me the year that reg no 220 XWG relates to
– – -XWG is a DVLA age-related re-registration series for pre-1963 imported vehicles, or those which have has their original reg. transferred off them.
It was only commenced in June 2025 and they are still working through it!
Some normal cars may be seen with this series as although replacement marks like this are supposed to be non- transferrable, some slip through the net.
what year was Motorcycle FU7800 first registered
FU was issued from AUG 1922 till JUN 1929 so 7800 was probably reached around 1927
Would i be correct in stating that BOR13L is a 1972 – 73 Plate? or is it dateless?
What year was 916BBE?
Hi, wondered when my dad’s first car was registered. Number EHP267
Thanks for your time.
Coventry, March 1939
Can anyone help with the history on a plate we own WPE 537
I have DPG 305B what year was this issued please
1964