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Did you know? Our love affair with personalised number plates began over a century ago, but it wasn’t until 1903 that the very first number plate, “A1” hit the roads, marking the start of a fascinating journey through the history of private plates. Today, let’s embark on a tour through the world of UK number plates, from the cherished (dateless) classics to the modern (millennium) era. At the end of this journey, you’ll be able to tell the style of any plate you see, where it’s from (which is a bit harder) and how old it is.
1903 - 1962
Dateless plates are the classics of the number plate world, boasting a format that lacks any age identifier. They typically feature a combination of up to three letters followed by up to four numbers, or vice versa. The letters often represent the district code where the plate was originally issued—for instance, “A” for London. This style’s beauty lies in its simplicity, offering no clues about the vehicle’s age, making them highly sought after for their aesthetic appeal and historical value.
1963 - 1982
Introduced in 1963, suffix plates added a twist to the traditional format by appending a letter at the end of the plate to indicate the year of registration. These plates start with one to three letters (the area code, revealing where the car was registered), followed by a sequence of up to three numbers, and finally, the year-identifying suffix letter. For instance, “YAB 123 C” where “AB” is the area code, “123” is a sequential number, and “C” denotes the registration year.
1983 - 2001
The prefix style plates reverse the suffix format by placing the year-identifying letter at the beginning. Following the age identifier, you’ll find up to three numbers and then one to three letters indicating the area code. This era continued the tradition of geographical identification while making it easier to discern a vehicle’s age at first glance.
2001 - now
Current style plates (millennium plates) bring us to the modern era of UK registrations, featuring a format that is both informative and flexible. The first two letters are the area code, indicating where the vehicle was registered. The following two numbers serve as age identifiers, pinpointing the vehicle’s registration half-year period. The plate ends with three random letters, offering a vast pool of personalisation options. This style perfectly balances tradition with the need for a larger combination pool due to the increasing number of vehicles on the road.
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Personalised Number Plates
© 2025 Yellowhite
Yellowhite is proud to be a DVLA-registered supplier of personalised number plates and feature on the on the DVLA Registrations website. We work closely with the DVLA to ensure your registration transfers are completed quickly and smoothly. Our plates meet all DVLA standards and regulations, so you can be confident you're getting top quality.
DVLA is a registered trade mark of the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency. Yellowhite is not affiliated to the DVLA or DVLA Personalised Registrations. Yellowhite is a recognised reseller of DVLA registrations. Yellowhite is registered with the DVLA to supply physical number plates, i.e. the actual acrylic plate.
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