Number Plates
Current Style Number Plates
The current style number plate was introduced in September 2001, and are issued twice a year. They follow the format AA51 AAA, i.e. 2 letters, then 2 digits, then 3 more letters.
The 2 digits indicate when the registration number was issued. Below is a list of vehicle registration dates indicating when each registration was issued.
Year Identifiers
02: March 2002 - August 2002
52: September 2002 - February 2003
03: March 2003 - August 2003
53: September 2003 - February 2004
04: March 2004 - August 2004
54: September 2004 - February 2005
05: March 2005 - August 2005
55: September 2005 - February 2006
06: March 2006 - August 2006
56: September 2006 - February 2007
07: March 2007 - August 2007
57: September 2007 - February 2008
08: March 2008 - August 2008
58: September 2008 - February 2008
09: March 2009 - August 2009
59: September 2009 - February 2010
10: March 2010 - August 2010
Region Identifiers
The first 2 letters of the current style number plate give an indication of where the registration number was issued. Each area in the UK has been allocated 2-letter ranges.
Below is a list of the registrations, and the area it was allocated to:
A |
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 |
|
B |
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 |
C |
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 |
|
D |
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 |
|
E |
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 |
F |
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 |
|
G |
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 |
|
H |
HA, HB, HC, HD, HE, HF, HG, HH, HJ |
Hampshire and Dorset |
Bournemouth |
HK, HL, HM, HN, HO, HP, HR, HS, HT, HU, HV |
Hampshire and Dorset |
Portsmouth |
|
HW |
Hampshire and Dorset |
Portsmouth (exclusive to IoW) |
|
HX, HY |
Hampshire and Dorset |
Portsmouth |
|
K |
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 |
|
L |
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 |
|
M |
MA, MB, MC, MD, ME, MF, MG, MH, MJ, MK, ML, MM, MN, MO, MP, MR, MS, MT, MU, MV, MW, MX, MY |
Manchester & Merseyside |
Manchester |
N |
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 |
|
O |
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 |
P |
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 |
|
R |
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 |
S |
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 |
|
V |
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 |
W |
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 |
|
Y |
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 |