Car registration numbers dates

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The DVLA does not allow you to assign a car registration number to a vehicle if it will make it appear to be newer than it is. So, when you're looking to buy a personalised number plate, it's important to know the date the car registration number was issued. We've listed below the car registration number dates for each of the number plate styles.

• > New style car registration dates
• > Prefix style car registration dates
• > Suffix style car registration dates
• > Dateless car registration dates
• > Irish style car registration dates

New style car registration dates

The new (current) style registration numbers, began from Sept 2001. They replaced the prefix style number plate, when the prefix letters ran out. On new style number plates, the year identifier was changed from letters to numbers. This is what a current style number plate looks like: AA51 AAA The 51 tells us the date that registration number was released. We've listed below the car registration dates for new (current) style number plates:

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Prefix style car registration dates

Prefix style number plates came in in August 1983, and ran till August 2001. They replaced suffix style number plates, putting the year identifier (known as the prefix letter) at the beginning of the registration number. This is what a prefix number plate looks like: A123 AAA We've listed below the car registration dates for prefix style number plates:

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Suffix style car registration dates

Suffix style number plates were the first registrations numbers to have a year identifier, indicating the year it was released. The year identifier is the last letter - hence the term suffix style. Suffix style number plates came in in February 1963, and continued till July 1983, when we ran out of letters. They were replaced by prefix style number plates, putting the year identifier (known as the prefix letter) at the beginning of the registration number instead. This is what a suffix number plate looks like: AAA 123A We've listed below the car registration dates for suffix style number plates:

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Dateless car registration dates

Dateless number plates have no year identifier - hence the term 'dateless'. They were the first registration numbers to be issued, starting from 1903 (see car number plate history). Some very early registration numbers contain just one letter and one number. This makes them very valuable - selling for £100,000's. Most were 2 letters, and up to 4 numbers. And later this became 3-letter combinations, with up to 3 digits. Dateless car number plates continued until Jan 1963, when the letter / number combinations were running very low. This is when the idea of the year identifier was introduced, and suffix style number plates came in. This is what a dateless number plate looks like: AAA 123 Because they have no year identifier, dateless car number plates can be assigned to any vehicle, whatever its age.

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Irish style car registration dates

Irish style number plates are easily identifiable - they contain an the letter I or Z. They originate from Northern Ireland, and can be assigned to any UK vehicle. They contain up to 3 letters, and up to 4 digits. This is what an Irish number plate looks like: OUI 1234 Like dateless number plates, Irish number plates do not have a year identifier. And that means they can be assigned to any vehicle, regardless of its age. Because of the wide choice avaiable, Irish style registration numbers make a great cheap personalised number plate.

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