Current UK plate format
The current system for Great Britain started on 1st September 2001, each plate has 7 characters in the below format:
-
Area Code (2 letters)
-
Age identifier (2 numbers)
-
Random Letters (3 letters)
Area Code
Sometimes referred to as a "Local memory tag", this consist of 2 letters which indicate where the plate was registered. The first letter relates to the area, while the second is the DVLA office identifier. In December 2013 all office were closed, but they still represent a region.
There are three letters which cannot be used as a local identifier - I, Q & Z. The letter O is used for Oxford
Age Identifier
This is a two digit age identifier. These numbers change twice per year, on the 1st March and 1st September. This is the last 2 digits of the year if registered between March 1st and 31st August, then between 1st September and 28th February the last 2 digits plus 50.
Random Letters
These random letters are used to uniquelty identify a vahicle, there are 2 exclusions
-
The letter I & Q
-
Offensive word's (English & Foreign languages)
Local Memory Tags
| First letter | Area | DVLA Office | Second letter (DVLA Office identifier) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Anglia | Peterborough | A B C D E F G J K M N |
| Reserved for select issue | H L | ||
| Norwich | O P R S T U | ||
| Ipswich | V W X Y | ||
| B | Birmingham | Birmingham | A B C D E F G H J K L M N O P R S T U V W X |
| Reserved for select issue | Y | ||
| C | Cymru (Wales) | Cardiff | A B C D E F G H J K L M N O |
| Swansea | P R S T U V | ||
| Bangor | W X Y | ||
| D | Deeside | Chester | A B C D E F G H J K |
| Shrewsbury | L M N O P S T U V W X Y | ||
| Reserved for select issue | R | ||
| E | Essex | Chelmsford | A B C E F G J K L M N O P R S T U V W X Y |
| Reserved for select issue | D H | ||
| F | Forest and Fens | Nottingham | A B C D E F G H J K L M N P |
| Banned and not issued | O U | ||
| Lincoln | R S T V W X Y | ||
| G | Garden of England | Maidstone | A B C D E F G H J K L M N |
| Reserved for select issue | O | ||
| Brighton | P R S T U V W X Y | ||
| H | Hampshire and Dorset | Bournemouth | A B C D E F G H J |
| Portsmouth | K L M N P R S T U V X Y | ||
| Reserved for select issue | O | ||
| Reserved for the Isle of Wight (issued in Portsmouth) | W | ||
| K | No official mnemonic | Borehamwood (previously Luton) | A B C D E F G H J K L |
| Northampton | M N O P R S T U V W X Y | ||
| L | London | Wimbledon | A B C D E F G H J |
| Stanmore | K L M N O P R S T | ||
| Sidcup | U V W X Y | ||
| M | Manchester & Merseyside | Manchester | A B C D E F G H J K L M P T U V W X |
| Reserved for the Isle of Man (not issued) | N | ||
| Reserved for select issue | O R S Y | ||
| N | Newcastle | Newcastle | A B C D E F G H J K L M N O |
| Stockton | P R S T U V W X Y | ||
| O | Oxford | Oxford | A B C D E F G H J L M O P T U V W X Y |
| Reserved for select issue | K N R S | ||
| P | Preston | Preston | A B C D E F G H J K L M N O P R S T |
| Carlisle | U V W X Y | ||
| R | Reading | Reading | A B C D E F G H J K L M N O P R S T V W X Y |
| Reserved for select issue | U | ||
| S | Scotland | Glasgow | A B C D E F G H J |
| Edinburgh | K L M N O | ||
| Dundee | P R S T | ||
| Reserved for select issue | U | ||
| Aberdeen | V W | ||
| Inverness | X Y | ||
| V | Severn Valley | Worcester | A B C E F G H J K L M N O P R S T U V X Y |
| Reserved for select issue | D W | ||
| W | West of England | Exeter | A B D E F G H J |
| Reserved for select issue | C | ||
| Truro | K L | ||
| Bristol | M N O P R S T U V W X Y | ||
| X | Personal export |
|
A (March/September issue) B (April/October issue) C (May/November issue) D (June/December issue) E (July/January issue) F (August/February issue) |
| Reserved for select issue | G H J K L M N O P R S T U V W X Y | ||
| Y | Yorkshire | Leeds | A B C D E F G H J K L |
| Sheffield | M N O P R S T U V | ||
| Beverley | W X Y |
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