Dateless (Cherished)
1903–1962. No age identifier, so it can go on a vehicle of any age. The rarest and most prestigious style.
New style number plates for sale.
The UK format used since September 2001. Two letters, two numbers, three random letters, with the largest pool of personalised combinations of any style.
A current style number plate, also called a new style plate, is the format the UK has used since September 2001. It is made up of two letters, two numbers and three letters, for example AB51 CDE. The first two letters are a regional code, the two numbers identify the age, and the last three are random. It is the format on most cars on UK roads today, and because of those three random letters it offers the largest pool of personalised combinations of any style.
The +50 rule
How to tell the year of a number plate
The two numbers in the middle tell you when the plate was issued. New plates are released twice a year, in March and September.
A March plate uses the last two digits of the year. So 25 means March 2025.
A September plate adds 50 to that. So 70 means September 2020.
This is why the very first current style plates, issued in September 2001, used the number 51.
Every age identifier since 2001
What year is each number plate?
March plates on the left, September plates on the right. Each row shows the full registration period.
March plates
- 02 1 March 2002 – 31 August 2002
- 03 1 March 2003 – 31 August 2003
- 04 1 March 2004 – 31 August 2004
- 05 1 March 2005 – 31 August 2005
- 06 1 March 2006 – 31 August 2006
- 07 1 March 2007 – 31 August 2007
- 08 1 March 2008 – 31 August 2008
- 09 1 March 2009 – 31 August 2009
- 10 1 March 2010 – 31 August 2010
- 11 1 March 2011 – 31 August 2011
- 12 1 March 2012 – 31 August 2012
- 13 1 March 2013 – 31 August 2013
- 14 1 March 2014 – 31 August 2014
- 15 1 March 2015 – 31 August 2015
- 16 1 March 2016 – 31 August 2016
- 17 1 March 2017 – 31 August 2017
- 18 1 March 2018 – 31 August 2018
- 19 1 March 2019 – 31 August 2019
- 20 1 March 2020 – 31 August 2020
- 21 1 March 2021 – 31 August 2021
- 22 1 March 2022 – 31 August 2022
- 23 1 March 2023 – 31 August 2023
- 24 1 March 2024 – 31 August 2024
- 25 1 March 2025 – 31 August 2025
- 26 1 March 2026 – 31 August 2026
September plates
- 51 1 September 2001 – 28 February 2002
- 52 1 September 2002 – 28 February 2003
- 53 1 September 2003 – 29 February 2004
- 54 1 September 2004 – 28 February 2005
- 55 1 September 2005 – 28 February 2006
- 56 1 September 2006 – 28 February 2007
- 57 1 September 2007 – 29 February 2008
- 58 1 September 2008 – 28 February 2009
- 59 1 September 2009 – 28 February 2010
- 60 1 September 2010 – 28 February 2011
- 61 1 September 2011 – 29 February 2012
- 62 1 September 2012 – 28 February 2013
- 63 1 September 2013 – 28 February 2014
- 64 1 September 2014 – 28 February 2015
- 65 1 September 2015 – 29 February 2016
- 66 1 September 2016 – 28 February 2017
- 67 1 September 2017 – 28 February 2018
- 68 1 September 2018 – 28 February 2019
- 69 1 September 2019 – 29 February 2020
- 70 1 September 2020 – 28 February 2021
- 71 1 September 2021 – 28 February 2022
- 72 1 September 2022 – 28 February 2023
- 73 1 September 2023 – 29 February 2024
- 74 1 September 2024 – 28 February 2025
- 75 1 September 2025 – 28 February 2026
- 76 1 September 2026 – 28 February 2027
Check any plate against your vehicle with our free vehicle age checker.
Read any plate
How to read a current number plate
Take AB51 CDE as an example.
AB51 CDE- First two letters — the local memory tag. The first letter shows the region, for example L for London, S for Scotland or Y for Yorkshire, and the second narrows it to a local registration office.
- Two numbers — the age identifier, as above.
- Last three letters — random, which is what gives this style its huge range of combinations.
A piece of motoring history
The current plate era
The current style was introduced in September 2001 to provide a clearer, larger system as the prefix style ran out of room. Its twice-yearly release, every March and September, is now a fixture of the car-buying calendar, and the format's three random letters make it the easiest style to find a personalised combination in. For the style that came before, see prefix number plates. For plates with no age restriction, see dateless and cherished plates.
Explore other UK number plate styles.
Suffix Style
1963–1983. Three letters, a sequence number, then a year letter at the end. The classic plate of the 60s, 70s and early 80s.
Prefix Style
1983–2001. Year letter at the front, followed by numbers and area code letters. The most popular personalised style.
All plate styles
Compare every UK plate style side by side. Years, formats and examples, plus how to read any plate.
Current number plate FAQs.
A new or current style number plate is the UK format used since September 2001: two letters, two numbers and three letters, such as AB51 CDE. The two numbers show the age and the first two letters show the region.
Read the two middle numbers. A March plate uses the last two digits of the year, so 25 is March 2025. A September plate adds 50, so 75 is September 2025.
A 65 plate is from September 2015. Because 65 is above 50, it is a September registration: 65 minus 50 is 15, giving 2015.
Twice a year, in March and September. The March plate takes the year's last two digits and the September plate adds 50.
They are the local memory tag. The first letter shows the region and the second points to a local registration office where the plate was first issued.
From £40 plus VAT and the £80 DVLA fee. Current style plates offer the largest pool of combinations, so there is plenty of choice at the lower end.
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