Registration Numbers in the UK are a usefull way of identifying the age of a vehicle (approximately) and were it was first registered.
Regional identifier codes post 2001[]
First letter
|
Region
|
DVLA Office
|
Office Identifier (second letter)
|
A
|
(East) Anglia
|
Peterborough
|
A B C D E F G H J K L M N
|
Norwich
|
O P R S T U
|
Ipswich
|
V W X Y
|
B
|
Birmingham
|
Birmingham
|
A - Y
|
C
|
Cymru (Wales)
|
Cardiff
|
A B C D E F G H J K L M N O
|
Swansea
|
P R S T U V
|
Bangor
|
W X Y
|
D
|
Deeside to Shrewsbury
|
Chester
|
A B C D E F G H J K
|
Shrewsbury
|
L M N O P R S T U V W X Y
|
E
|
Essex
|
Chelmsford
|
A - Y
|
F
|
Forest & Fens (East Midlands)
|
Nottingham
|
A B C D E F G H J K L M N P
|
Lincoln
|
R S T V W X Y
|
G
|
Garden of England (Kent & Sussex)
|
Maidstone
|
A B C D E F G H J K L M N O
|
Brighton
|
P R S T U V W X Y
|
H
|
Hampshire & Dorset
|
Bournemouth
|
A B C D E F G H J
|
Portsmouth
|
K L M N O P R S T U V X Y
|
W (for Isle of Wight residents only)
|
K
|
no meaning assigned
|
Luton
|
A B C D E F G H J K L
|
Northampton
|
M N O P R S T U V W X Y
|
L
|
London
|
Wimbledon
|
A B C D E F G H J
|
Stanmore
|
K L M N O P R S T
|
Sidcup
|
U V W X Y
|
M
|
Manchester & Merseyside
|
Manchester
|
A B C D E F G H J K L M O P R S T U V W X Y
|
Isle of Man
|
N (reserved for future use)
|
N
|
North (of England)
|
Newcastle
|
A B C D E G H J K L M N O
|
Stockton
|
P R S T U V W X Y
|
O
|
Oxford
|
Oxford
|
A - Y
|
P
|
Preston
|
Preston
|
A B C D E F G H J K L M N O P R S T
|
Carlisle
|
U V W X Y
|
R
|
Reading
|
Reading
|
A - Y
|
S
|
Scotland
|
Glasgow
|
A B C D E F G H J
|
Edinburgh
|
K L M N O
|
Dundee
|
P R S T
|
Aberdeen
|
U V W
|
Inverness
|
X Y
|
T
|
Scotland (additional allocation)
|
Glasgow
|
A B C D E F G H J
|
Edinburgh
|
K L M N O
|
Dundee
|
P R S T
|
Aberdeen
|
U V W
|
Inverness
|
X Y
|
V
|
Severn Valley
|
Worcester
|
A - Y
|
W
|
West of England
|
Exeter
|
A B C D E F G H J
|
Truro
|
K L
|
Bristol
|
M N O P R S T U V W X Y
|
Y
|
Yorkshire
|
Leeds
|
A B C D E F G H J K
|
Sheffield
|
L M N O P R S T U
|
Beverley
|
V W X Y
|
Year identifiers 1963-82 & 83-2001[]
Suffix series 1963-82 (letters) |
Prefix series 1983-2001 (letters)
|
Letter
|
Dates of issue
|
A
|
January 1963 – December 1963
|
B
|
January 1964 – December 1964
|
C
|
January 1965 – December 1965
|
D
|
January 1966 – December 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
|
|
Letter
|
Dates of issue
|
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 – August 1999
|
V
|
September 1999 – February 2000
|
W
|
March 2000 – August 2000
|
X
|
September 2000 – February 2001
|
Y
|
March 2001 – August 2001
|
|
Age identifiers post 2001[]
Year
|
March
|
September
|
2001
|
—
|
51
|
2002
|
02
|
52
|
2003
|
03
|
53
|
2004
|
04
|
54
|
2005
|
05
|
55
|
2006
|
06
|
56
|
2007
|
07
|
57
|
2008
|
08
|
58
|
2009
|
09
|
59
|
2010
|
10
|
60
|
2011
|
11
|
61
|
2012
|
12
|
62
|
2013
|
13
|
63
|
2014
|
14
|
64
|
2015
|
15
|
65
|
2016
|
16
|
66
|
2017
|
17
|
67
|
2018
|
18
|
68
|
2019
|
19
|
69
|
2020
|
20
|
70
|
2021
|
21
|
71
|
2022
|
22
|
72
|
2023
|
23
|
73
|
2024
|
24
|
74
|
2025
|
25
|
75
|
|
Year
|
March
|
September
|
2026
|
26
|
76
|
2027
|
27
|
77
|
2028
|
28
|
78
|
2029
|
29
|
79
|
2030
|
30
|
80
|
2031
|
31
|
81
|
2032
|
32
|
82
|
2033
|
33
|
83
|
2034
|
34
|
84
|
2035
|
35
|
85
|
2036
|
36
|
86
|
2037
|
37
|
87
|
2038
|
38
|
88
|
2039
|
39
|
89
|
2040
|
40
|
90
|
2041
|
41
|
91
|
2042
|
42
|
92
|
2043
|
43
|
93
|
2044
|
44
|
94
|
2045
|
45
|
95
|
2046
|
46
|
96
|
2047
|
47
|
97
|
2048
|
48
|
98
|
2049
|
49
|
99
|
2050
|
50
|
00
|
|
See also[]
References / sources[]
- Tables extracted from Wikipedia article.
Notes[]
External links[]