FAQ: Number Plate Types

Here you can find answers to the questions we get asked the most by our customers. Clicking on a questions or the '+' button below to reveal the answer.

• What is a prefix registration?

  Prefix registrations contain the year identifier at the beginning of a registration. The first prefix issued was in 1983 the 'A' prefix.

• What is a new style registration?

  New style registrations consist of two letters, a two-figure age identifier and finally three letters. This format started with the two-figure age letter '51' and continues twice a year.

• What are the issue dates for prefix registrations?

  A	Aug 83 to July 84	B	Aug 84 to July 85	C	Aug 85 to July 86	D	Aug 86 to July 87	E	Aug 87 to July 88	F	Aug 88 to July 89	G	Aug 89 to July 90	H	Aug 90 to July 91	J	Aug 91 to July 92	K	Aug 92 to July 93	L	Aug 93 to July 94	M	Aug 94 to July 95	N	Aug 95 to July 96	P	Aug 96 to July 97	R	Aug 97 to July 98	S	Aug 98 to Feb 99	T	Mar 99 to Aug 99	V	Sep 99 to Feb 00	W	Mar 00 to Aug 00	X	Sep 00 to Feb 01	Y	Mar 01 to Aug 01

• What are the issue dates for new style registrations?

  51	Sep 01 – Feb 02	02	Mar 02 – Aug 02	52	Sep 02 – Feb 03	03	Mar 03 – Aug 03	53	Sep 03 – Feb 04	04	Mar 04 – Aug 04	54	Sep 04 – Feb 05	05	Mar 05 – Aug 05	55	Sep 05 – Feb 06	06	Mar 06 – Aug 06

• What is the correct display of a registration number?

  The exact requirements on the display of characters can be found at the DVLA website. If you intend purchasing a personalised registration to misrepresent it on your number plate, we would rather you did not buy.