Guide to Number Plate Formats for Beginners

If you’re a new driver or anyone new to UK number plate formats, our beginner's guide is the perfect place for you to get valuable information about the different types of car registrations.

The UK has had various number plate formats throughout the years to meet growing car demand. This guide will help you understand all formats, beginning with the earliest – dateless plates. We'll then cover suffix, prefix, Irish, and new formats, clarifying how the numbers and letters are arranged, why they’re organised that way and what each of them means.

Dateless Number Plate Format

Dateless number plates were first introduced in 1903. They’re unique and valuable as they don't reveal the age of the vehicle, allowing for greater flexibility in personalisation. Ranging from 1 to 6 characters, dateless plates can contain letters, numbers, or a combination of both. 

These plates don’t follow DVLA rules regarding age identification, so you can attach them to any vehicle. Considered a wise investment, dateless plates have appreciated in value over time due to their rarity. Some of them are among the most expensive globally. 

Have a look at an example below for a clearer understanding:

In this example, the district code ‘AM’ starts with the letter ‘A’, meaning that the vehicle was registered in London. This is because, in England and Wales, the letter codes were given in alphabetical order based on the population size in each region. London was the most populated area, and therefore is represented by the letter ‘A’. 

The number ‘51’ doesn’t have a special meaning. It’s just simply used to provide identification for the vehicle within the London area. 

The chart below outlines some of the most popular letter codes and their corresponding registered city or region.

Suffix Number Plate Format

Suffix number plates were introduced in 1963 as a method to indicate the age of the vehicle. This system came into place after the number of cars on the road increased significantly and, therefore, the dateless system was insufficient. 

The year identifier was introduced at the end of the registration mark, hence the term “suffix”. These plates typically consist of three letters, followed by up to three numbers, and end with a single letter which shows the year when the vehicle was registered. 

The introduction of the suffix number plate system was primarily to address the need for a more organised and informative registration system. By including the vehicle's age as part of the registration mark, it became easier for authorities and individuals to identify the age of a vehicle at a glance.

Below, we analysed a private plate for an easier understanding:

The first three letters correspond to the area where the car was registered. As the letter code starts with “EM”, it means that the car was registered in Bootle. The numbers “847” don’t have any special meaning. The last letter “F” is the suffix. This corresponds to the car’s age, which is from 1967.

The table below lists all the suffix letters and their corresponding year.

Prefix Number Plate Format

Prefix registration plates were introduced in August 1983, after the suffix registrations ran out, and used until 2001 when the new style was introduced.

The plate numbers start with a single-letter prefix that indicates the vehicle’s year of manufacture. Certain letters like Q, I, O, U, and Z were however excluded to prevent confusion with other letters or numbers. The plates are then followed by a unique numerical sequence that can range from 21 to 999. The format ends in a three-letter code showing the area where the vehicle was registered. 

Prefix plates have a unique combination of letters and numbers. Hence, they are one of the most popular and highly valued in the private number plate market for their personalisation potential and history.

For example, based on the first letter “T”, we can deduce that the above registration plate belongs to a car from 1999. The first two letters “MA” show that the vehicle was registered in Chester.

The table below outlines all the prefix letters and their corresponding year of registration.

New Style Number Plate Format

The new-style number plates were introduced in 2001 after the suffix ones were used up. This format was designed to last significantly longer than the other formats. Similar to the suffix and prefix, the current number plate format shows the year when the vehicle was manufactured.

The format starts with two letters (excluding I, Q and Z) indicating the region of registration. The following two numbers help identify the age, and the last three letters are chosen randomly. 

The age-identifier is now changed twice a year instead, in March and September. Consequently, there are always two sets of numbers that relate to the same year, depending on the half of the year in which it was released. 

Example:

Based on the local memory tag (“NA”) and age identifier (“54”), we can determine that the number plate in our example belongs to a vehicle registered in Manchester and manufactured in 2004. 

The table below shows the issue year that each number corresponds to.

Irish Number Plate Format

Northern Irish number plates are assigned to vehicles from Northern Ireland and are very similar to dateless plates. Unlike the rest of the UK, these plates have no year indicator and can be put on any vehicle regardless of year. 

Irish plates always have the letter “I” or “Z” in their letter combination so they can be distinguished from the rest of the UK plates. The plates typically consist of two or three letters followed by a sequence of up to four numbers, or vice versa. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the format for private number plates in the UK?

A private number plate usually consists of two letters, two numbers, a space and three further letters. All private plates must follow the DVLA rules and guidelines and the plates can not make your car look younger than it is.

What is the format of a cherished number plate?

A cherished number plate, also known as a dateless private plate, usually consists of a combination of letters and numbers up to 6 characters in total. This can vary from two to three letters and numbers could range from 1 to 9999.

What are the different types of number plates?

From 1903 onwards, there have been five different styles of registration number plates in the UK: dateless, suffix, prefix, new-style and Irish. The first ones, introduced in 1903, were dateless, which had no age identifier and ran until 1963. They were then replaced by suffix ones, from 1963 until 1983 with the age-identifier letter placed at the end of the number plate. When all the combinations had been used up, the prefix ones were brought in and ran until 2001. The new style number plates have been running since 2001 and are still being produced today. The Irish number plates are similar to the dateless style and have been running since 1904. 

Buy & Sell Private Number Plates from Absolute Reg

At Absolute Reg, we have a collection of over 50 million private number plates, which is more than DVLA!

With our diverse selection, it’s easy for you to find the desired plate that fits your needs. We sell all five types of plate formats, including dateless and Irish ones, so you can personalise your vehicle the way you like. Whether it’s a treat for yourself or a thoughtful gift for someone special, Absolute Reg is the go-to place for private number plates.

If you own a plate you intend to sell, Absolute Reg can help you with that. Simply provide your registration plate details, and we’ll facilitate the process, ensuring you get the best deal and value for your plate.

Explore our number plate search tool to discover your perfect registration today.

Read More

How to Select the Perfect Private Number Plate

Best Personalised Number Plate Ideas

How to Get a Private Number Plate: Step-by-Step Guide 

What are the Different UK Number Plate Styles?

Sources

DVLA Number Plates Regulations

DVLA INF104 Document