Number Plate Formats Explained

The Four UK Number Plate Formats

Since vehicle registration began in 1903, the UK has used four main number plate formats. Each format reflects the era it was introduced and the DVLA's evolving approach to creating enough unique registrations for an ever-growing number of vehicles.

Understanding the formats helps you make better buying decisions — each has different characteristics in terms of availability, cost, age restrictions, and personalisation potential.

Dateless Plates (1903–1963)

Dateless plates are the oldest format, issued from 1903 until 1963. They contain no year identifier, making them the only format that can go on any vehicle regardless of age. The format consists of letters and numbers with no fixed age code — for example, ABC 123 or 1 AB.

Dateless plates range from one character (the ultra-rare single-letter or single-number plates) to seven characters. Shorter plates are exponentially more valuable due to their scarcity. The format is considered the most prestigious and desirable among collectors and enthusiasts.

Because no new dateless plates will ever be issued, their supply can only decrease over time — making them a fundamentally scarce asset class in the plate market.

Suffix Plates (1963–1983)

Suffix plates were introduced in February 1963 when the dateless system was running out of combinations. The format places a year letter at the end: three letters (area code), one to three numbers, then a year letter — for example, ABC 123A.

The year letter started at A (1963) and progressed to Y (1983). Letters I, O, U, Q, and Z were not used as year identifiers. New letters were initially issued each January, moving to August from 1967. This means a suffix plate always reveals the vehicle's minimum age.

Prefix Plates (1983–2001)

Prefix plates reversed the suffix format, placing the year letter at the beginning: a year letter, one to three numbers, then three letters (area code) — for example, A123 ABC. This format ran from August 1983 to August 2001.

The year letters ran from A (1983) to Y (2001), again excluding I, O, U, Q, and Z. Prefix plates are particularly popular for personalisation because the leading letter can be read as an initial, and the three trailing letters can spell names or words.

Current Style Plates (2001–Present)

The current system was introduced in September 2001 and remains in use today. The format consists of two letters (area code), two numbers (age identifier), and three random letters — for example, AB51 CDE.

The age identifier changes twice yearly: from March to August, it matches the year (e.g., 24 for 2024); from September to February, it's the year plus 50 (e.g., 74 for September 2024). This system is designed to last until 2050, providing billions of possible combinations.

Current-style plates are the most common and affordable format. While they may lack the prestige of dateless registrations, many combinations can represent names, initials, or meaningful numbers — and their low cost makes personalisation accessible to everyone.

Northern Ireland Plates

Northern Ireland operates a separate registration system with its own format: one to three letters (beginning with I or Z) followed by one to four numbers — for example, IAZ 1234. These plates are technically dateless and can be assigned to any vehicle in the UK.

NI plates are popular on the mainland because their dateless nature means they can mask a vehicle's age, similar to traditional dateless plates but often at lower prices.

Comparing Formats

In terms of prestige and value: dateless > suffix > prefix > current. In terms of availability and affordability, it's the reverse. Each format has its own character and appeal — the best choice depends on your budget, your vehicle's age, and the look you're going for.

MONIKR scores plates across all formats using the same algorithm, making it easy to compare registrations of different types. A high-scoring current-style plate may offer better personalisation value than a mediocre dateless plate at ten times the price.