# Number Plate Years: What Year Is Any UK Reg?

> Number plate year chart: what year is a 65, 70 or 58 plate, when new number plates come out, and every UK reg year from A reg to 77. Free check by reg.

The year behind every UK number plate, from the 51 plate to the 77 plate and the older letter plates. Enter a reg for the exact date the car was first registered, free.

## What year is my number plate?

On a number plate issued in Great Britain since September 2001, the two numbers in the middle are the year. A plate issued from 1 March carries the last two digits of the year (26 means March to August 2026); a plate issued from 1 September carries the year plus 50 (76 means September 2026 to February 2027). The **76 plate** is the one on new cars now, and the **27 plate** starts on 1 March 2027. The chart below gives the dates for every plate. To see the exact date one car was first registered, enter its registration in the search box above: the free check reads it from the DVLA record.

## Number plate year chart: every plate from 51 to 77

Each age identifier and the dates cars were registered with it. The dates are the DVLA's (leaflet INF104); a car keeps its original plate for life unless a keeper moves a private number onto it.

| Number plate | Registered from | Registered to |
|---|---|---|
| **51 plate** | 1 September 2001 | 28 February 2002 |
| **02 plate** | 1 March 2002 | 31 August 2002 |
| **52 plate** | 1 September 2002 | 28 February 2003 |
| **03 plate** | 1 March 2003 | 31 August 2003 |
| **53 plate** | 1 September 2003 | 29 February 2004 |
| **04 plate** | 1 March 2004 | 31 August 2004 |
| **54 plate** | 1 September 2004 | 28 February 2005 |
| **05 plate** | 1 March 2005 | 31 August 2005 |
| **55 plate** | 1 September 2005 | 28 February 2006 |
| **06 plate** | 1 March 2006 | 31 August 2006 |
| **56 plate** | 1 September 2006 | 28 February 2007 |
| **07 plate** | 1 March 2007 | 31 August 2007 |
| **57 plate** | 1 September 2007 | 29 February 2008 |
| **08 plate** | 1 March 2008 | 31 August 2008 |
| **58 plate** | 1 September 2008 | 28 February 2009 |
| **09 plate** | 1 March 2009 | 31 August 2009 |
| **59 plate** | 1 September 2009 | 28 February 2010 |
| **10 plate** | 1 March 2010 | 31 August 2010 |
| **60 plate** | 1 September 2010 | 28 February 2011 |
| **11 plate** | 1 March 2011 | 31 August 2011 |
| **61 plate** | 1 September 2011 | 29 February 2012 |
| **12 plate** | 1 March 2012 | 31 August 2012 |
| **62 plate** | 1 September 2012 | 28 February 2013 |
| **13 plate** | 1 March 2013 | 31 August 2013 |
| **63 plate** | 1 September 2013 | 28 February 2014 |
| **14 plate** | 1 March 2014 | 31 August 2014 |
| **64 plate** | 1 September 2014 | 28 February 2015 |
| **15 plate** | 1 March 2015 | 31 August 2015 |
| **65 plate** | 1 September 2015 | 29 February 2016 |
| **16 plate** | 1 March 2016 | 31 August 2016 |
| **66 plate** | 1 September 2016 | 28 February 2017 |
| **17 plate** | 1 March 2017 | 31 August 2017 |
| **67 plate** | 1 September 2017 | 28 February 2018 |
| **18 plate** | 1 March 2018 | 31 August 2018 |
| **68 plate** | 1 September 2018 | 28 February 2019 |
| **19 plate** | 1 March 2019 | 31 August 2019 |
| **69 plate** | 1 September 2019 | 29 February 2020 |
| **20 plate** | 1 March 2020 | 31 August 2020 |
| **70 plate** | 1 September 2020 | 28 February 2021 |
| **21 plate** | 1 March 2021 | 31 August 2021 |
| **71 plate** | 1 September 2021 | 28 February 2022 |
| **22 plate** | 1 March 2022 | 31 August 2022 |
| **72 plate** | 1 September 2022 | 28 February 2023 |
| **23 plate** | 1 March 2023 | 31 August 2023 |
| **73 plate** | 1 September 2023 | 29 February 2024 |
| **24 plate** | 1 March 2024 | 31 August 2024 |
| **74 plate** | 1 September 2024 | 28 February 2025 |
| **25 plate** | 1 March 2025 | 31 August 2025 |
| **75 plate** | 1 September 2025 | 28 February 2026 |
| **26 plate** | 1 March 2026 | 31 August 2026 |
| **76 plate** | 1 September 2026 | 28 February 2027 |
| **27 plate** | 1 March 2027 | 31 August 2027 |
| **77 plate** | 1 September 2027 | 29 February 2028 |

The 27 and 77 plates are the next two to come. The DVLA has published the identifiers up to the 79 plate (September 2029), and says the pattern carries on until every combination has been used.

## When do new number plates come out?

Twice a year, on **1 March** and **1 September**. The March plate is the year itself and the September plate is the year plus 50, so the dates ahead are:

- **1 March 2027:** the 27 plate
- **1 September 2027:** the 77 plate
- **1 March 2028:** the 28 plate
- **1 September 2028:** the 78 plate

March and September are the busiest months of the year for new car registrations, because many buyers wait for the new plate.

## What year is a 65 plate, a 70 plate or a 58 plate?

The plates people look up most, from the chart above:

- **58 plate:** 1 September 2008 to 28 February 2009
- **12 plate:** 1 March to 31 August 2012
- **15 plate:** 1 March to 31 August 2015
- **65 plate:** 1 September 2015 to 29 February 2016
- **70 plate:** 1 September 2020 to 28 February 2021
- **24 plate:** 1 March to 31 August 2024
- **74 plate:** 1 September 2024 to 28 February 2025
- **25 plate:** 1 March to 31 August 2025
- **75 plate:** 1 September 2025 to 28 February 2026

A September plate spans two calendar years, so a 65 plate car can be a 2015 or a 2016 car. Adverts usually quote the year of first registration; the [year of manufacture check](https://carcheckup.co.uk/year-of-manufacture-check) shows both the registration date and the year the car was built.

## Car registration years before 2001: the prefix letters (A reg to Y reg)

From August 1983 to August 2001 the year was a single letter at the start of the plate. The letter changed every August until 1998, then every March and September. I, O, Q, U and Z were not used as year letters.

| Plate | Registered |
|---|---|
| **A reg** (A123 ABC) | August 1983 to July 1984 |
| **B reg** (B123 ABC) | August 1984 to July 1985 |
| **C reg** (C123 ABC) | August 1985 to July 1986 |
| **D reg** (D123 ABC) | August 1986 to July 1987 |
| **E reg** (E123 ABC) | August 1987 to July 1988 |
| **F reg** (F123 ABC) | August 1988 to July 1989 |
| **G reg** (G123 ABC) | August 1989 to July 1990 |
| **H reg** (H123 ABC) | August 1990 to July 1991 |
| **J reg** (J123 ABC) | August 1991 to July 1992 |
| **K reg** (K123 ABC) | August 1992 to July 1993 |
| **L reg** (L123 ABC) | August 1993 to July 1994 |
| **M reg** (M123 ABC) | August 1994 to July 1995 |
| **N reg** (N123 ABC) | August 1995 to July 1996 |
| **P reg** (P123 ABC) | August 1996 to July 1997 |
| **R reg** (R123 ABC) | August 1997 to July 1998 |
| **S reg** (S123 ABC) | August 1998 to February 1999 |
| **T reg** (T123 ABC) | March 1999 to August 1999 |
| **V reg** (V123 ABC) | September 1999 to February 2000 |
| **W reg** (W123 ABC) | March 2000 to August 2000 |
| **X reg** (X123 ABC) | September 2000 to February 2001 |
| **Y reg** (Y123 ABC) | March 2001 to August 2001 |

## Number plate years 1963 to 1983: the suffix letters

Before the prefix plates, the year letter came at the end. It changed each January until 1967, when the change moved to August.

| Plate | Registered |
|---|---|
| **A suffix** (ABC 123A) | 1963 |
| **B suffix** (ABC 123B) | 1964 |
| **C suffix** (ABC 123C) | 1965 |
| **D suffix** (ABC 123D) | 1966 |
| **E suffix** (ABC 123E) | January to July 1967 |
| **F suffix** (ABC 123F) | August 1967 to July 1968 |
| **G suffix** (ABC 123G) | August 1968 to July 1969 |
| **H suffix** (ABC 123H) | August 1969 to July 1970 |
| **J suffix** (ABC 123J) | August 1970 to July 1971 |
| **K suffix** (ABC 123K) | August 1971 to July 1972 |
| **L suffix** (ABC 123L) | August 1972 to July 1973 |
| **M suffix** (ABC 123M) | August 1973 to July 1974 |
| **N suffix** (ABC 123N) | August 1974 to July 1975 |
| **P suffix** (ABC 123P) | August 1975 to July 1976 |
| **R suffix** (ABC 123R) | August 1976 to July 1977 |
| **S suffix** (ABC 123S) | August 1977 to July 1978 |
| **T suffix** (ABC 123T) | August 1978 to July 1979 |
| **V suffix** (ABC 123V) | August 1979 to July 1980 |
| **W suffix** (ABC 123W) | August 1980 to July 1981 |
| **X suffix** (ABC 123X) | August 1981 to July 1982 |
| **Y suffix** (ABC 123Y) | August 1982 to July 1983 |

So "what year is a Y reg?" has two answers: Y at the start (Y123 ABC) is March to August 2001, and Y at the end (ABC 123Y) is August 1982 to July 1983. A T reg is March to August 1999 as a prefix and August 1978 to July 1979 as a suffix. Plates from before 1963 carry no year letter at all.

## When the plate does not show the car's age

- **Private plates.** A keeper can move a personalised number onto a car. The DVLA's rule is that you cannot use a registration number to make a vehicle look younger than it is, so a private plate can only be the same age as the car, older, or dateless. A 2019 car wearing a 2009 plate or a dateless plate is legal, and common.
- **Northern Ireland plates.** They use letters and up to four numbers with no age identifier, and can be used anywhere in the UK.
- **Q plates.** The DVLA issues a Q registration to a vehicle whose age or identity is in doubt, such as some kit cars and rebuilt vehicles. More in our guide to [imported cars and Q plates](https://carcheckup.co.uk/blog/imported-cars-and-q-plates-what-uk-buyers-should-know/).
- **Imports.** A car imported used is given an age-related plate for the year it was made or first registered abroad, not the year it arrived.

In all four cases the registration still leads to the car's record. Enter it above and the free check shows the date of first registration and the year of manufacture. Of the 4,402 cars checked with a full CarCheckUp report between March 2023 and October 2026, 34.1% had changed number plate at least once (cars people check before buying, so not a sample of every UK car; the figures are in our [used car risk report](https://carcheckup.co.uk/research/uk-used-car-risk-report/)). The full report lists every plate a car has had and the date of each change: see the [number plate change history check](https://carcheckup.co.uk/dvla-number-plate-change-history).

## Why the plate year matters when you buy a used car

- **Price.** Valuations step down with each plate, so a car advertised as a year newer than its record is overpriced. Compare the plate, the advert and the first registration date from the free check.
- **Road tax.** The first registration date decides how a car is taxed: by engine size if registered before 1 March 2001, by CO2 band from then until 31 March 2017, and at a standard yearly rate, after the first year, for cars registered from 1 April 2017. The [car tax band check](https://carcheckup.co.uk/car-tax-band-check) shows the band for one car.
- **Clean air zones.** Emissions standards came in by date, so the year is a first guide to whether a car pays a charge. The [ULEZ check](https://carcheckup.co.uk/ulez-check) answers it by registration.
- **History.** The year sets how many MOTs a car should have (in Great Britain the first is due at three years old). A gap in the [MOT history](https://carcheckup.co.uk/mot-check) is worth a question to the seller.

The plate tells you the year and nothing else. Whether the car has finance owing, was written off or is recorded as stolen is in the [full car history check](https://carcheckup.co.uk/car-history-check), which runs on the same registration.

## Number plate year FAQs

**What number plate is it now?** The 76 plate, issued from 1 September 2026 to 28 February 2027. The 27 plate follows on 1 March 2027.

**What do the numbers on a number plate mean?** They are the age identifier: the half-year in which the car was first registered. A number from 02 to 27 is March to August of that year; a number from 51 is September to February, starting in the year you get by taking away 50.

**Is a 26 plate newer than a 75 plate?** Yes. The 75 plate ran from September 2025 to February 2026, and the 26 plate from March to August 2026. The higher number is not always the newer car: compare the dates in the chart.

**What year is my number plate if it starts with a letter and three numbers?** It is a prefix plate from 1983 to 2001: the first letter is the year, from A (August 1983) to Y (March to August 2001).

**Can I put an older number plate on a newer car?** Yes, with the DVLA's approval of the transfer. You cannot do the opposite: a registration must not make the vehicle look younger than it is.

**What do the letters on a number plate mean?** The first two are the DVLA memory tag for the region where the car was first registered; the last three are random. The full list is on the [number plate area codes](https://carcheckup.co.uk/number-plate-area-codes) page.

**How do I find the exact date a car was registered?** Enter its registration above. The free check shows the month of first registration from the DVLA record, and the full report adds the dates of each keeper and plate change.

Source for the plate dates: DVLA leaflet INF104, [Vehicle registration numbers and number plates](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vehicle-registration-numbers-and-number-plates) (GOV.UK).

Run the check: enter a UK registration or VIN at https://carcheckup.co.uk/number-plate-years (free: DVLA details, MOT history and mileage readings; finance, write-off, stolen, keeper records and the mileage anomaly check are in the full report). HTML page: https://carcheckup.co.uk/number-plate-years