UK number plate year chart
Find out when a car was registered from its number plate. Every age identifier issued since 1963, with the exact dates it covers. The identifier being issued today is 76, from 1 September 2026.
Current plates, 2001 to today
Two identifiers a year. March uses the last two digits of the year, September adds fifty. Newest first.
| Identifier | First registered between |
|---|---|
| 76 plate (current) | 1 Sep 2026 and 28 Feb 2027 |
| 26 plate | 1 Mar 2026 and 31 Aug 2026 |
| 75 plate | 1 Sep 2025 and 28 Feb 2026 |
| 25 plate | 1 Mar 2025 and 31 Aug 2025 |
| 74 plate | 1 Sep 2024 and 28 Feb 2025 |
| 24 plate | 1 Mar 2024 and 31 Aug 2024 |
| 73 plate | 1 Sep 2023 and 29 Feb 2024 |
| 23 plate | 1 Mar 2023 and 31 Aug 2023 |
| 72 plate | 1 Sep 2022 and 28 Feb 2023 |
| 22 plate | 1 Mar 2022 and 31 Aug 2022 |
| 71 plate | 1 Sep 2021 and 28 Feb 2022 |
| 21 plate | 1 Mar 2021 and 31 Aug 2021 |
| 70 plate | 1 Sep 2020 and 28 Feb 2021 |
| 20 plate | 1 Mar 2020 and 31 Aug 2020 |
| 69 plate | 1 Sep 2019 and 29 Feb 2020 |
| 19 plate | 1 Mar 2019 and 31 Aug 2019 |
| 68 plate | 1 Sep 2018 and 28 Feb 2019 |
| 18 plate | 1 Mar 2018 and 31 Aug 2018 |
| 67 plate | 1 Sep 2017 and 28 Feb 2018 |
| 17 plate | 1 Mar 2017 and 31 Aug 2017 |
| 66 plate | 1 Sep 2016 and 28 Feb 2017 |
| 16 plate | 1 Mar 2016 and 31 Aug 2016 |
| 65 plate | 1 Sep 2015 and 29 Feb 2016 |
| 15 plate | 1 Mar 2015 and 31 Aug 2015 |
| 64 plate | 1 Sep 2014 and 28 Feb 2015 |
| 14 plate | 1 Mar 2014 and 31 Aug 2014 |
| 63 plate | 1 Sep 2013 and 28 Feb 2014 |
| 13 plate | 1 Mar 2013 and 31 Aug 2013 |
| 62 plate | 1 Sep 2012 and 28 Feb 2013 |
| 12 plate | 1 Mar 2012 and 31 Aug 2012 |
| 61 plate | 1 Sep 2011 and 29 Feb 2012 |
| 11 plate | 1 Mar 2011 and 31 Aug 2011 |
| 60 plate | 1 Sep 2010 and 28 Feb 2011 |
| 10 plate | 1 Mar 2010 and 31 Aug 2010 |
| 59 plate | 1 Sep 2009 and 28 Feb 2010 |
| 09 plate | 1 Mar 2009 and 31 Aug 2009 |
| 58 plate | 1 Sep 2008 and 28 Feb 2009 |
| 08 plate | 1 Mar 2008 and 31 Aug 2008 |
| 57 plate | 1 Sep 2007 and 29 Feb 2008 |
| 07 plate | 1 Mar 2007 and 31 Aug 2007 |
| 56 plate | 1 Sep 2006 and 28 Feb 2007 |
| 06 plate | 1 Mar 2006 and 31 Aug 2006 |
| 55 plate | 1 Sep 2005 and 28 Feb 2006 |
| 05 plate | 1 Mar 2005 and 31 Aug 2005 |
| 54 plate | 1 Sep 2004 and 28 Feb 2005 |
| 04 plate | 1 Mar 2004 and 31 Aug 2004 |
| 53 plate | 1 Sep 2003 and 29 Feb 2004 |
| 03 plate | 1 Mar 2003 and 31 Aug 2003 |
| 52 plate | 1 Sep 2002 and 28 Feb 2003 |
| 02 plate | 1 Mar 2002 and 31 Aug 2002 |
| 51 plate | 1 Sep 2001 and 28 Feb 2002 |
Letter plates, 1963 to 2001
Each letter was used twice: at the end of the plate from 1963, then at the start from 1983.
| Letter | At the end (ABC 123X) | At the start (X123 ABC) |
|---|---|---|
| A reg | Feb 1963 to Dec 1963 | Aug 1983 to Jul 1984 |
| B reg | Jan 1964 to Dec 1964 | Aug 1984 to Jul 1985 |
| C reg | Jan 1965 to Dec 1965 | Aug 1985 to Jul 1986 |
| D reg | Jan 1966 to Dec 1966 | Aug 1986 to Jul 1987 |
| E reg | Jan 1967 to Jul 1967 | Aug 1987 to Jul 1988 |
| F reg | Aug 1967 to Jul 1968 | Aug 1988 to Jul 1989 |
| G reg | Aug 1968 to Jul 1969 | Aug 1989 to Jul 1990 |
| H reg | Aug 1969 to Jul 1970 | Aug 1990 to Jul 1991 |
| J reg | Aug 1970 to Jul 1971 | Aug 1991 to Jul 1992 |
| K reg | Aug 1971 to Jul 1972 | Aug 1992 to Jul 1993 |
| L reg | Aug 1972 to Jul 1973 | Aug 1993 to Jul 1994 |
| M reg | Aug 1973 to Jul 1974 | Aug 1994 to Jul 1995 |
| N reg | Aug 1974 to Jul 1975 | Aug 1995 to Jul 1996 |
| P reg | Aug 1975 to Jul 1976 | Aug 1996 to Jul 1997 |
| R reg | Aug 1976 to Jul 1977 | Aug 1997 to Jul 1998 |
| S reg | Aug 1977 to Jul 1978 | Aug 1998 to Feb 1999 |
| T reg | Aug 1978 to Jul 1979 | Mar 1999 to Aug 1999 |
| V reg | Aug 1979 to Jul 1980 | Sep 1999 to Feb 2000 |
| W reg | Aug 1980 to Jul 1981 | Mar 2000 to Aug 2000 |
| X reg | Aug 1981 to Jul 1982 | Sep 2000 to Feb 2001 |
| Y reg | Aug 1982 to Jul 1983 | Mar 2001 to Aug 2001 |
An identifier records when the registration was issued, not when the vehicle was built. Registrations move between vehicles and a private plate hides the age entirely, but the DVLA will not let a plate make a vehicle look newer than it is. The two letters at the start of a current plate show where the car was registered. The number plate check explains how to set a plate against the vehicle's recorded first registration.
Checking a specific car?
Check its first registration date, plate transfers, finance, write-off, theft and mileage history with a £15 vehicle history report.
Number plate year FAQs
How do UK number plate years work?
Since September 2001 the two digits in the middle of the plate are the age identifier. March registrations use the last two digits of the year. September registrations add fifty to them. Before that, a single letter did the same job: at the start of the plate from 1983 to 2001, and at the end of the plate from 1963 to 1983.
What is the newest number plate?
The 76 plate, issued to vehicles first registered from 1 September 2026.
Which letters were never used?
I, O, Q, U and Z were never used as year identifiers. I and O look too much like 1 and 0, Q is reserved for vehicles of uncertain age such as kit cars and some imports, and U and Z were left out to avoid confusion with V and 2.
Does the plate tell me how old a car really is?
Only as a minimum. The DVLA does not allow a registration that would make a vehicle look newer than it is, so the identifier is a floor on the age rather than the age itself. A car can wear a much older plate than its build year, and private plates can hide the age completely. The recorded date of first registration is the reliable answer.
Registration date ranges are published DVLA reference information. Tax and MOT rules summarised from GOV.UK guidance.