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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
Old system
Registration plate identifier

Number Plate

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 
  • Bear in mind some personalised plates don't follow this system

                                                  

Number Plate


 

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

For more up-to-date number plate advice, visit our best deals on an 08 plate article.

Are you going to buy a new 08 plate car? Have your say on the Auto Trader Blog.

 

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