UK Number Plate Area Codes: Full List (2024)

08.05.2024

While most people know that a car’s number plate will tell you when the car was registered, this isn't the only thing it tells you. You can also find out where the car was registered if you know what to look for.

In this guide, we’ll explain how you can use a number plate to find out where a car was registered in the UK according to the DVLA using something called “number plate area codes”.

What is a Number Plate Area Code?

An area code, or local memory tag, is a two letter section of a number plate which is used to indicate the area in which the plate was registered. Area codes on number plates are primarily used by the authorities to make tracking vehicles easier.

Before the current formatting, introduced in 2001, if you wanted more information on a specific plate, you would have to contact the DVLA office directly. Now, thanks to the introduction of area codes on number plates, the process of finding where a car was registered is now much easier.

While this isn't true for every car as it depends on the year it was registered. The standard formatting is “AB51 ABC” according to the 2001 introduction.

Number Plate Memory Tags

Until 2013, the first two letters of the plate were used to show which DVLA office a car was registered at. Since these offices have now closed, memory tags are now used as a general area code to show where in the country the car’s dealership is located.

For example, if you were to buy a new car in Essex, the memory tag will almost always start with the letter E.

Full List of Car Registration Plate Areas

Below is a full list of area codes for all of the UK’s regions and the DVLA offices that issued them before 2013:

Regional Identifiers	Region	DVLA Office
AA, AB, AC, AD, AE, AF, AG, AH, AJ, AK, AL, AM, AN	Anglia	Peterborough
AO, AP, AR, AS, AT, AU	Anglia	Norwich
AV, AW, AX, AY	Anglia	Ipswich
BA, BB, BC, BD, BE, BF, BG, BH, BJ, BK, BL, BM, BN, BO, BP, BR, BS, BT, BU, BV, BW, BX, BY	Birmingham	Birmingham
CA, CB, CC, CD, CE, CF, CG, CH, CJ, CK, CL, CM, CN, CO	Cymru	Cardiff
CP, CR, CS, CT, CU, CV	Cymru	Swansea
CW, CX, CY	Cymru	Bangor
DA, DB, DC, DD, DE, DF, DG, DH, DJ, DK	Deeside to Shrewsbury	Chester
DL, DM, DN, DO, DP, DR, DS, DT, DU, DV, DW, DX, DY	Deeside to Shrewsbury	Shrewsbury
EA, EB, EC, ED, EE, EF, EG, EH, EJ, EK, EL, EM, EN, EO, EP, ER, ES, ET, EU, EV, EW, EX, EY	Essex	Chelmsford
FA, FB, FC, FD, FE, FF, FG, FH, FJ, FK, FL, FM, FN, FP	Forest and Fens	Nottingham
FR, FS, FT, FV, FW, FX, FY	Forest and Fens	Lincoln
GA, GB, GC, GD, GE, GF, GG, GH, GJ, GK, GL, GM, GN, GO	Garden of England	Maidstone
GP, GR, GS, GT, GU, GV, GX, GY	Garden of England	Brighton
HA, HB, HC, HD, HE, HF, HG, HH, HJ	Hampshire and Dorset	Bournemouth
HK, HL, HM, HN, HO, HP, HR, HS, HT, HU, HV, HX, HY	Hampshire and Dorset	Portsmouth
HW	Hampshire and Dorset	Portsmouth (Used exclusively for the Isle of Wight)
KA, KB, KC, KD, KE, KF, KG, KH, KJ, KK, KL	-	Luton
KM, KN, KO, KP, KR, KS, KT, KU, KV, KW, KX, KY	-	Northampton
LA, LB, LC, LD, LE, LF, LG, LH, LJ	London	Wimbledon
LK, LL, LM, LN, LO, LP, LR, LS, LT	London	Stanmore
LU, LV, LW, LX, LY	London	Sidcup
MA, MB, MC, MD, ME, MF, MG, MH, MJ, MK, ML, MM, MN, MO, MP, MR, MS, MT, MU, MV, MW, MX, MY	Manchester and Merseyside	Manchester
NA, NB, NC, ND, NE, NF, NG, NH, NJ, NK, NL, NM, NN, NO	North	Newcastle
NP, NR, NS, NT, NU, NV, NW, NX, NY	North	Stockton
OA, OB, OC, OD, OE, OF, OG, OH, OJ, OK, OL, OM, ON, OO, OP, OR, OS, OT, OU, OV, OW, OX, OY	Oxford	Oxford
PA, PB, PC, PD, PE, PF, PG, PH, PJ, PK, PL, PM, PN, PO, PP, PR, PS, PT	Preston	Preston
PU, PV, PW, PX, PY	Preston	Carlisle
RA, RB, RC, RD, RE, RF, RG, RH, RJ, RK, RL, RM, RN, RO, RP, RR, RS, RT, RU, RV, RW, RX, RY	Reading	Reading
SA, SB, SC, SD, SE, SF, SG, SH, SJ	Scotland	Glasgow
SK, SL, SM, SN, SO	Scotland	Edinburgh
SP, SR, SS, ST	Scotland	Dundee
SU, SV, SW	Scotland	Aberdeen
SX, SY	Scotland	Inverness
VA, VB, VC, VD, VE, VF, VG, VH, VJ, VK, VL, VM, VN, VO, VP, VR, VS, VT, VU, VV, VW, VX, VY	Severn Valley	Worcester
WA, WB, WC, WD, WE, WF, WG, WH, WJ	West of England	Exeter
WK, WL	West of England	Truro
WM, WN, WO, WP, WR, WS, WT, WU, WV, WW, WX, WY	West of England	Bristol
YA, YB, YC, YD, YE, YF, YG, YH, YJ, YK	Yorkshire	Leeds
YL, YM, YN, YO, YP, YR, YS, YT, YU	Yorkshire	Sheffield
YV, YW, YX, YY	Yorkshire	Beverley

Understanding Older Number Plates Area Codes

Since the current number plate system was only introduced in 2001, it is still fairly common to see older “prefix” style number plates.

These plates are formatted as “A123 ABC”. The first letter represents the year of the car's registration and the final two letters (BC) represent the area code.

Area Codes for Prefix and Suffix Number Plates

Prefix and suffix plates use the same area codes, the following alphabetically sorted list will help you quickly sort through them:

Area Code	Registration Region
A	London
AA	Bournemouth
AB	Worcester
AC	Coventry
AD	Gloucester
AE	Bristol
AF	Truro
AG	Hull
AH	Norwich
AJ	Middlesbrough
AK	Sheffield
AL	Nottingham
AM	Swindon
AN	Reading
AO	Carlisle
AP	Brighton
AR	Chelmsford
AS	Inverness
AT	Hull
AU	Nottingham
AV	Peterborough
AW	Shrewsbury
AX	Cardiff
AY	Leicester
AZ	Belfast
B	Lancashire
BA	Manchester
BB	Newcastle-upon-Tyne
BC	Leicester
BD	Northampton
BE	Lincoln
BF	Stoke-on-Trent
BG	Liverpool
BH	Luton
BJ	Ipswich
BK	Portsmouth
BL	Reading
BM	Luton
BN	Manchester or Bolton
BO	Cardiff
BP	Portsmouth
BR	Newcastle-upon-Tyne
BS	Aberdeen
BT	Leeds
BU	Manchester
BV	Preston
BW	Oxford
BX	Haverfordwest
BY	London (North-West)
BZ	County Down
C	West Yorkshire
CA	Chester
CB	Manchester
CC	Bangor
CD	Brighton
CE	Peterborough
CF	Reading
CG	Bournemouth
CH	Nottingham
CJ	Gloucester
CK	Preston
CL	Norwich
CM	Liverpool
CN	Newcastle-upon-Tyne
CO	Exeter
CP	Huddersfield
CR	Southampton
CS	Glasgow
CT	Lincoln
CU	Newcastle-upon-Tyne
CV	Truro
CW	Preston
CX	Huddersfield
CY	Swansea
CZ	Belfast
D	Kent
DA	Birmingham
DB	Manchester
DC	Middlesbrough
DD	Gloucester
DE	Haverfordwest
DF	Gloucester
DG	Gloucester
DH	Dudley
DJ	Liverpool
DK	Rochdale, later Manchester
DL	Portsmouth
DM	Chester
DN	Leeds
DO	Lincoln
DP	Reading
DR	Exeter
DS	Glasgow
DT	Sheffield
DU	Coventry
DV	Exeter
DW	Cardiff
DX	Ipswich
DY	Brighton
DZ	County Antrim
E	Staffordshire
EA	Dudley
EB	Peterborough
EC	Preston
ED	Liverpool
EE	Lincoln
EF	Middlesbrough
EG	Peterborough
EH	Stoke-on-Trent
EJ	Haverfordwest
EK	Liverpool
EL	Bournemouth
EM	Liverpool
EN	Bury, later Manchester
EO	Preston
EP	Swansea
ER	Peterborough
ES	Dundee
ET	Sheffield
EU	Bristol
EV	Chelmsford
EW	Peterborough
EX	Norwich
EY	Bangor
EZ	Belfast
F	Essex
FA	Stoke-on-Trent
FB	Bristol
FC	Oxford
FD	Dudley
FE	Lincoln
FF	Bangor
FG	Brighton
FH	Gloucester
FJ	Exeter
FK	Dudley
FL	Peterborough
FM	Chester
FN	Maidstone
FO	Gloucester
FP	Leicester
FR	Preston
FS	Edinburgh
FT	Newcastle-upon-Tyne
FU	Lincoln
FV	Preston
FW	Lincoln
FX	Bournemouth
FY	Liverpool
FZ	Belfast
G	Glasgow
GA	Glasgow
GB	Glasgow
GC	London (South-West)
GD	Glasgow
GE	Glasgow
GF	London (South-West)
GG	Glasgow
GH	London (South-West)
GJ	London (South-West)
GK	London (South-West)
GL	Truro
GM	Reading
GN	London (South-West)
GO	London (South-West)
GP	London (South-West)
GR	Newcastle-upon-Tyne
GS	Luton
GT	London (South-West)
GU	London (South-East)
GV	Ipswich
GW	London (South-East)
GX	London (South-East)
GY	London (South-East)
GZ	Belfast
H	London
HA	Dudley
HB	Cardiff
HC	Brighton
HD	Huddersfield
HE	Sheffield
HF	Liverpool
HG	Preston
HH	Carlisle
HJ	Chelmsford
HK	Chelmsford
HL	Sheffield
HM	London (Central)
HN	Middlesbrough
HO	Bournemouth
HP	Coventry
HR	Swindon
HS	Glasgow
HT	Bristol
HU	Bristol
HV	London (Central)
HW	Bristol
HX	London (Central)
HY	Bristol
J	Durham
JA	Manchester
JB	Reading
JC	Bangor
JD	London (Central)
JE	Peterborough
JF	Leicester
JG	Maidstone
JH	Reading
JJ	Maidstone
JK	Brighton
JL	Lincoln
JM	Reading
JN	Chelmsford
JO	Oxford
JP	Liverpool
JR	Newcastle-upon-Tyne
JS	Inverness
JT	Bournemouth
JU	Leicester
JV	Lincoln
JW	Birmingham
JX	Huddersfield
JY	Exeter
JZ	County Down
K	Liverpool
KA	Liverpool
KB	Liverpool
KC	Liverpool
KD	Liverpool
KE	Maidstone
KF	Liverpool
KG	Cardiff
KH	Hull
KJ	Maidstone
KK	Maidstone
KL	Maidstone
KM	Maidstone
KN	Maidstone
KO	Maidstone
KP	Maidstone
KR	Maidstone
KS	Edinburgh
KT	Maidstone
KU	Sheffield
KV	Coventry
KW	Sheffield
KX	Luton
KY	Sheffield
KZ	County Antrim
L	Glamorganshire
LA	London (North-West) (used for London County Council before 1965)
LB	London (North-West) (used for London County Council before 1965)
LC	London (North-West) (used for London County Council before 1965)
LD	London (North-West) (used for London County Council before 1965)
LE	London (North-West) (used for London County Council before 1965)
LF	London (North-West) (used for London County Council before 1965)
LG	Chester
LH	London (North-West) (used for London County Council before 1965)
KJ	Bournemouth
LK	London (North-West) (used for London County Council before 1965)
LL	London (North-West) (used for London County Council before 1965)
LM	London (North-West) (used for London County Council before 1965)
LN	London (North-West) (used for London County Council before 1965)
LO	London (North-West) (used for London County Council before 1965)
LP	London (North-West) (used for London County Council before 1965)
LR	London (North-West) (used for London County Council before 1965)
LS	Edinburgh
LT	London (North-West) (used for London County Council before 1965)
LU	London (North-West) (used for London County Council before 1965)
LV	Liverpool
LW	London (North-West) (used for London County Council before 1965)
LX	London (North-West) (used for London County Council before 1965)
LY	London (North-West) (used for London County Council before 1965)
LZ	County Armagh
M	Cheshire
MA	Chester
MB	Chester
MC	London (North-East) (used for Middlesex before 1965)
MD	London (North-East) (used for Middlesex before 1965)
ME	London (North-East) (used for Middlesex before 1965)
MF	London (North-East) (used for Middlesex before 1965)
MG	London (North-East) (used for Middlesex before 1965)
MH	London (North-East) (used for Middlesex before 1965)
MJ	Luton
MK	London (North-East) (used for Middlesex before 1965)
ML	London (North-East) (used for Middlesex before 1965)
MM	London (North-East) (used for Middlesex before 1965)
MN	used in the Isle of Man
MO	Reading
MP	London (North-East) (used for Middlesex before 1965)
MR	Swindon
MS	Edinburgh
MT	London (North-East) (used for Middlesex before 1965)
MU	London (North-East) (used for Middlesex before 1965)
MV	London (North-East) (used for Middlesex before 1965)
MW	Swindon
MX	London (North-East) (used for Middlesex before 1965)
MY	London (North-East) (used for Middlesex before 1965)
MZ	Belfast

N	Manchester
NA	Manchester
NB	Manchester
NC	Manchester
ND	Manchester
NE	Manchester
NF	Manchester
NG	Norwich
NH	Northampton
NJ	Brighton
NK	Luton
NL	Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NM	Luton
NN	Nottingham
NO	Chelmsford
NP	Worcester
NR	Leicester
NS	Glasgow
NT	Shrewsbury
NU	Nottingham
NV	Northampton
NW	Leeds
NX	Dudley
NY	Cardiff
NZ	County Londonderry/Derry
O	Birmingham
OA	Birmingham
OB	Birmingham
OC	Birmingham
OD	Exeter
OE	Birmingham
OF	Birmingham
OG	Birmingham
OH	Birmingham
OI	Belfast
OJ	Birmingham
OK	Birmingham
OL	Birmingham
OM	Birmingham
ON	Birmingham
OO	Chelmsford
OP	Birmingham
OR	Portsmouth
OS	Glasgow
OT	Portsmouth
OU	Bristol
OV	Birmingham
OW	Southampton
OX	Birmingham
OY	London (North-West)
OZ	Belfast
P	Surrey
PA	Guildford
PB	Guildford
PC	Guildford
PD	Guildford
PE	Guildford
PF	Guildford
PG	Guildford
PH	Guildford
PJ	Guildford
PK	Guildford
PL	Guildford
PM	Guildford
PN	Brighton
PO	Portsmouth (GPO formerly used for General Post Office vehicles)
PP	Luton
PR	Bournemouth
PS	Aberdeen
PT	Newcastle-upon-Tyne
PU	Chelmsford
PV	Ipswich
PW	Norwich
PX	Portsmouth
PY	Middlesbrough
PZ	Belfast
R	Derbyshire
RA	Nottingham
RB	Nottingham
RC	Nottingham
RD	Reading
RE	Stoke-on-Trent
RF	Stoke-on-Trent
RG	Newcastle-upon-Tyne
RH	Hull
RJ	Manchester
RK	London (North-West)
RL	Truro
RM	Carlisle
RN	Preston
RO	Luton
RP	Northampton
RR	Nottingham
RS	Aberdeen
RT	Ipswich
RU	Bournemouth
RV	Portsmouth
RW	Coventry
RX	Reading
RY	Leicester
RZ	County Antrim
S	Edinburgh
SA	Aberdeen
SB	Glasgow
SC	Edinburgh
SD	Glasgow
SE	Aberdeen
SF	Edinburgh
SG	Edinburgh
SH	Edinburgh
SJ	Glasgow
SK	Inverness
SL	Dundee
SM	Carlisle
SN	Dundee
SO	Aberdeen
SP	Dundee
SR	Dundee
SS	Aberdeen
ST	Inverness
SU	Glasgow
SW	Carlisle
SX	Edinburgh
T	Devon
TA	Exeter
TB	Liverpool
TC	Bristol
TD	Manchester
TE	Manchester
TF	Reading
TG	Cardiff
TH	Swansea

TJ	Liverpool
TK	Exeter
TL	Lincoln
TM	Luton
TN	Newcastle-upon-Tyne
TO	Nottingham
TP	Portsmouth
TR	Southampton
TS	Dundee
TT	Exeter
TU	Chester
TV	Nottingham
TW	Chelmsford
TX	Cardiff
TY	Newcastle-upon-Tyne
TZ	Belfast
U	Leeds
UA	Leeds
UB	Leeds
UC	London (Central)
UD	Oxford
UE	Dudley
UF	Brighton
UG	Leeds
UH	Cardiff
UI	County Londonderry/Derry
UJ	Shrewsbury
UK	Birmingham
UL	London (Central)
UM	Leeds
UN	Exeter
UO	Exeter
UP	Newcastle-upon-Tyne
UR	Luton
US	Glasgow
UT	Leicester
UU	London (Central)
UV	London (Central)
UW	London (Central)
UX	Shrewsbury
UY	Worcester
UZ	Belfast
V	Lanarkshire
VA	Peterborough
VB	Maidstone
VC	Coventry
VD	Lanarkshire/Luton
VE	Peterborough
VF	Norwich
VG	Norwich
VH	Huddersfield
VJ	Gloucester
VK	Newcastle-upon-Tyne
VL	Lincoln
VM	Manchester
VN	Middlesbrough
VO	Nottingham
VP	Birmingham
VR	Manchester
VS	Luton
VT	Stoke-on-Trent
VU	Manchester
VV	Northampton
VW	Chelmsford
VX	Chelmsford
VY	Leeds
VZ	County Tyrone
W	Sheffield
WA	Sheffield
WB	Sheffield
WC	Chelmsford
WD	Dudley
WE	Sheffield
WF	Sheffield
WG	Sheffield
WH	Manchester or Bolton
WJ	Sheffield
WK	Coventry
WL	Oxford
WM	Liverpool
WN	Swansea
WO	Cardiff
WP	Worcester
WR	Leeds
WS	Bristol
WT	Leeds
WU	Leeds
WV	Brighton
WW	Leeds
WX	Leeds
WY	Leeds
WZ	Belfast
X	Northumberland
XI	Belfast
XZ	County Armagh
Y	Somerset
YA	Taunton
YB	Taunton
YC	Taunton
YD	Taunton
YE	London (Central)
YF	London (Central)
YG	Leeds
YH	London (Central)
YJ	Brighton
YK	London (Central)
YL	London (Central)
YM	London (Central)
YN	London (Central)
YO	London (Central)
YP	London (Central)
YR	London (Central)
YS	Glasgow
YT	London (Central)
YU	London (Central)
YV	London (Central)
YW	London (Central)
YX	London (Central)
YY	London (Central)
YZ	County Londonderry

What Do The First Two Letters On a Number Plate Mean?

Unless your number plate is a private plate, the first two letters of your UK number will always be used to refer to the location of the vehicle’s registration. The first letter is used to show the region, for example “L” for London. The second letter is used to narrow that down further to a local area within that region, for example “LA” for London, Lambeth.

How Do You Read UK Number Plates?

The order in which you read a number plate differs depending on the type of number plate you’re looking at.

New style plates follow the format of AB123ABC. With this style, AB shows us where in the country the plate was registered, while the following numbers show us the year of registration.

Prefix plates, which follow the structure of A123BCD, are the most popular plate type. Here, A represents the year of registration and CD represent the area code.

Suffix plates, which are styled as ABC123A, are similar to prefix plates but are read slightly differently. Here, the single A represents the year of registration, and BC is used as the area code.

When it comes to dateless plates, the only thing you need to look out for is an area code. As their name suggests, these plates do not include an age identifier.

Find Your Number Plate Area Code with Absolute Reg

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Use our free number plate search tool to find your dream number plate today.

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