What Do The Numbers Stand For On UK Number Plates?

Part of the driving information section on UK Traffic News.

So your wondering what the numbers stand for on UK numbers plates?

The current number plate system was introduced in the UK on 1 September 2001 and will operate until 28 February 2051.

It started with "51" number plates like in 2001 and will end in 2051 with "00" number plates like

A new system will then need to be introduced from 2052.

How are Number Plate Numbers Selected For Vehicles?

The DVLA allocates number plates to new cars being registered with the DVLA by car retailers based on the period in which the vehicle is first being registered with the DVLA.

The letters are allocated to the vehicle number plate are based on the region and area and the number based on the date the vehicle is first registered in the UK. See our what do the letters stand for on UK number plates page for a table of UK registration regions and areas.

The two registration date periods run 1 September to 28 February and 1 March to 31 August each year.

The above examples of number plates are actually possible and would related to a a vehicle registered in the Peterborough area of the Anglia region in Eastern England. The first letter in the number plate being the main region of Angla "A" and the second "A" representing Peterborough.

The main regions (first letter in the number plate) and sub regions (second letter in the number plate) are on our number plate areas page.

The number represent when the vehicle is first registered with the table below showing which years related to which registration numbers.

The 29th February refers to "leap" years with the last date in February normally being the 28th.

Year	1 March to 31 August	1 September to 29 February	Year	1 March to 31 August	1 September to 29 February
2001/02	Y	51	2026/27	26	76
2002/03	02	52	2027/28	27	77
2003/04	03	53	2028/29	28	78
2004/05	04	54	2029/30	29	79
2005/06	05	55	2030/31	30	80
2006/07	06	56	2031/32	31	81
2007/08	07	57	2032/33	32	82
2008/09	08	58	2033/34	33	83
2009/10	09	59	2034/35	34	84
2010/11	10	60	2035/36	35	85
2011/12	11	61	2036/37	36	86
2012/13	12	62	2037/38	37	87
2013/14	13	63	2038/39	38	88
2014/15	14	64	2039/40	39	89
2015/16	15	65	2040/41	40	90
2016/17	16	66	2041/42	41	91
2017/18	17	67	2042/43	42	92
2018/19	18	68	2043/44	43	93
2019/20	19	69	2044/45	44	94
2020/21	20	70	2045/46	45	95
2021/22	21	71	2046/47	46	96
2022/23	22	72	2047/48	47	97
2023/24	23	73	2048/49	48	98
2024/25	24	74	2049/50	49	99
2025/26	25	75	2050/51	50	00

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What Do The Numbers Stand For On UK Number Plates?

How are Number Plate Numbers Selected For Vehicles?

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