GetFreeCarCheck
Check a car free

Free checks

Full history · from £4.99

Research

Full Check £9.99 · 3 Full Checks £14.99 · Finance & Stolen Check £4.99

UK number plates · 1963 to 2029

What year is my number plate?

The newest UK number plate is the 76 plate, issued from 1 September 2026. The next is the 51 plate, from 1 September 2001. A March plate shows the year (24 = 2024); a September plate adds 50 (74 = September 2024).

Type a plate, like AB24 CDE, to see its year.

How to read a plate

Every part of a UK number plate, explained

UKABMemory tagRegion + office24Age identifierMarch 2024CDERandom lettersUnique to the carRear plate: yellow · Front plate: white · Black characters in the standard font

Memory tag (AB): the first letter is the region, the second the local office area. See the full table below.

Age identifier (24): March to August uses the year (24 = 2024); September to February adds 50 (74 = September 2024).

Random letters (CDE): make each registration unique. I and Q are never used here.

Plates must use the standard font, with black characters on a white front plate and a yellow rear plate. A wrong plate can fail the MOT and bring a fine of up to £1,000.

Current format · since September 2001

Every plate from 2001 to 2029

UK number plate age identifiers by year
YearMarch plateSeptember plate
202929 platefrom 1 March 202979 platefrom 1 September 2029
202828 platefrom 1 March 202878 platefrom 1 September 2028
202727 platefrom 1 March 202777 platefrom 1 September 2027
202626 platefrom 1 March 202676 platefrom 1 September 2026
202525 platefrom 1 March 202575 platefrom 1 September 2025
202424 platefrom 1 March 202474 platefrom 1 September 2024
202323 platefrom 1 March 202373 platefrom 1 September 2023
202222 platefrom 1 March 202272 platefrom 1 September 2022
202121 platefrom 1 March 202171 platefrom 1 September 2021
202020 platefrom 1 March 202070 platefrom 1 September 2020
201919 platefrom 1 March 201969 platefrom 1 September 2019
201818 platefrom 1 March 201868 platefrom 1 September 2018
201717 platefrom 1 March 201767 platefrom 1 September 2017
201616 platefrom 1 March 201666 platefrom 1 September 2016
201515 platefrom 1 March 201565 platefrom 1 September 2015
201414 platefrom 1 March 201464 platefrom 1 September 2014
201313 platefrom 1 March 201363 platefrom 1 September 2013
201212 platefrom 1 March 201262 platefrom 1 September 2012
201111 platefrom 1 March 201161 platefrom 1 September 2011
201010 platefrom 1 March 201060 platefrom 1 September 2010
200909 platefrom 1 March 200959 platefrom 1 September 2009
200808 platefrom 1 March 200858 platefrom 1 September 2008
200707 platefrom 1 March 200757 platefrom 1 September 2007
200606 platefrom 1 March 200656 platefrom 1 September 2006
200505 platefrom 1 March 200555 platefrom 1 September 2005
200404 platefrom 1 March 200454 platefrom 1 September 2004
200303 platefrom 1 March 200353 platefrom 1 September 2003
200202 platefrom 1 March 200252 platefrom 1 September 2002
2001–51 platefrom 1 September 2001

Memory tags

Where a car was first registered

The first letter of a current plate is the region; the second letter narrows it to a DVLA office area.

AAnglia

  • Peterborough: AA–AN
  • Norwich: AO–AU
  • Ipswich: AV–AY

BBirmingham

  • Birmingham: BA–BY

CCymru (Wales)

  • Cardiff: CA–CO
  • Swansea: CP–CV
  • Bangor: CW–CY

DDeeside to Shrewsbury

  • Chester: DA–DK
  • Shrewsbury: DL–DY

EEssex

  • Chelmsford: EA–EY

FForest and Fens

  • Nottingham: FA–FP
  • Lincoln: FR–FY

GGarden of England

  • Maidstone: GA–GO
  • Brighton: GP–GY

HHampshire and Dorset

  • Bournemouth: HA–HJ
  • Portsmouth: HK–HY

KBorehamwood and Northampton

  • Borehamwood: KA–KL
  • Northampton: KM–KY

LLondon

  • Wimbledon: LA–LJ
  • Borehamwood: LK–LT
  • Sidcup: LU–LY

MManchester and Merseyside

  • Manchester: MA–MY

NNorth

  • Newcastle: NA–NO
  • Stockton: NP–NY

OOxford

  • Oxford: OA–OY

PPreston

  • Preston: PA–PT
  • Carlisle: PU–PY

RReading

  • Theale: RA–RY

SScotland

  • Glasgow: SA–SJ
  • Edinburgh: SK–SO
  • Dundee: SP–ST
  • Aberdeen: SU–SW
  • Inverness: SX–SY

VSevern Valley

  • Worcester: VA–VY

WWest of England

  • Exeter: WA–WJ
  • Truro: WK–WL
  • Bristol: WM–WY

YYorkshire

  • Leeds: YA–YL
  • Sheffield: YM–YV
  • Beverley: YU–YY

Source: DVLA, INF104 vehicle registration numbers and number plates. Letters I, Q and Z are not used as memory tags.

Older plates

Prefix and suffix plates, 1963 to 2001

Prefix plates (A123 BCD), 1983–2001

  • A 1983–84
  • B 1984–85
  • C 1985–86
  • D 1986–87
  • E 1987–88
  • F 1988–89
  • G 1989–90
  • H 1990–91
  • J 1991–92
  • K 1992–93
  • L 1993–94
  • M 1994–95
  • N 1995–96
  • P 1996–97
  • R 1997–98
  • S 1998–99
  • T 1999
  • V 1999–00
  • W 2000
  • X 2000–01
  • Y 2001

Suffix plates (ABC 123D), 1963–1983

  • A 1963
  • B 1964
  • C 1965
  • D 1966
  • E 1967
  • F 1967–68
  • G 1968–69
  • H 1969–70
  • J 1970–71
  • K 1971–72
  • L 1972–73
  • M 1973–74
  • N 1974–75
  • P 1975–76
  • R 1976–77
  • S 1977–78
  • T 1978–79
  • V 1979–80
  • W 1980–81
  • X 1981–82
  • Y 1982–83

Questions

Number plate questions

How do I tell what year a number plate is?

Look at the two numbers. From March to August they are the year itself (24 for 2024). From September to February they are the year plus 50 (74 for September 2024 to February 2025).

When does the 51 plate come out?

On 1 September 2001. It is issued until 28 February 2002.

What do the first two letters on a number plate mean?

They are the memory tag: the first letter is the region and the second is the local DVLA office area where the car was first registered. LA, for example, is London (Wimbledon).

Can I put a newer plate on an older car?

No. You can't use a registration to make a car look newer than it is. A private plate can make a car look older, but never younger.

What do the last three letters mean?

Nothing: they are random, so each car's registration is unique. The letters I and Q aren't used in them.

A plate tells you roughly when a car was registered. Its MOT history and full history check tell you how it has lived since.

Check a car now. It's free.

MOT history, mileage record, ULEZ, tax and recalls on any UK car, in seconds. No sign-up, no card.