What are the Different UK Number Plate Styles

Current style number plates consist of two letters, a two-figure age identifier and finally three letters. Good examples of quality registrations are DE51 RES, PR05 PER and HU55 LED plus many more of course!

Prefix personalised number plates contain the year identifier at the beginning of the registration. A quality selection of cherished prefix registrations includes R4 NDY, S73 VEN and R4 CHS - great registrations, we think you'll agree!

Suffix DVLA Number plates contain the year identifier at the end of the registration. These number plates were issued to vehicles manufactured between 1963 and 1982. Good examples of these types of registrations are EXC 173D, BLO 550M and JEN 11E.

Dateless car registrations do not contain a year identifier and can consist of a number combination followed by a letter combination and vice versa. Some of these registrations such as JON 321 and Y 1 are seen as the crème de la crème within the number plate industry.

After releasing 21 plates in March 2021, Some thought that the current car number plate system – as well as the old one – would have been a bit confused and you could calculate your car's age quickly.

The current system of numbers
The present system was launched in 2001. The plates were replaced two times a year – on the 1st of March and on the 1st of September. They are composed of the following three parts:

Example: MH21 BEF current example.

1. Where it was registered are the first two letters of your plate number. The first letter concerns the region and the second letter concerns the local DVLA office.

2. The following two numbers are an age identifier, changed at the beginning of March and September every 6 months. March is the year and September, more than 50; March 2021 = 21; September 2021 = 71.

3. The final three letters are randomly selected and give a unique identity to the vehicle.

Please note: this system is scheduled to run until 2051.