Formats
UK number plate formats explained
Every registration on a UK road belongs to one of five formats. This hub explains the structure of each, when it was issued and how to identify one at a glance.
The five UK formats
Pre-1963
Dateless
Registrations issued before 1963 that carry no year identifier — the rarest and most collectible format on UK roads.
1963–1983
Suffix
Three letters, up to three numbers and a single year-identifying letter at the end. Issued 1963–1983.
1983–2001
Prefix
One year-identifying letter, up to three numbers and three letters. Issued 1983–2001.
September 2001 – present
Current style
Two area-code letters, a two-digit age identifier and three random letters. Issued from September 2001 onwards.
1904 – present (dateless)
Northern Irish
Registrations issued by Northern Ireland's DVA that always contain the letter I or Z. Popular on the mainland because they carry no visible age.