The World of Gadget


Vehicle Number Plates

(introduced on 1 September 2001)


The Euro Plate
There is also provision, on a voluntary basis, for the display of the Euro symbol and GB national identifier on the plate. This enables motorists to dispense with a separate GB sticker when travelling within the EU, if they wish.


A New Format
A new registration mark system commenced on 1 September 2001 for all new vehicles being registered. The new format is as follows:

The new format will comprise seven characters and include local and age identifiers, as shown above. The local memory tag is linked to the DVLA local office where the vehicle was first registered and is intended to help witnesses recall details of the number plate. The age identifier changes every six months in March and September. In the example above BD signifies Birmingham, 51 represents September 2001 and SMR is the random element. Lists of local memory tags and age identifiers are shown overleaf. Please note, DVLA local office identifiers may on occasion be subject to change.

Age Identifiers
DateCodeDateCode
 Sept 2001 - Feb 200251
March 2002 - Aug 200202Sept 2002 - Feb 200352
March 2003 - Aug 200303Sept 2003 - Feb 200453
March 2004 - Aug 200404Sept 2004 - Feb 200554
March 2005 - Aug 200505Sept 2005 - Feb 200655
March 2006 - Aug 200606Sept 2006 - Feb 200756
March 2007 - Aug 200707Sept 2007 - Feb 200857
March 2008 - Aug 200808Sept 2008 - Feb 200958
March 2009 - Aug 200909Sept 2009 - Feb 201059
March 2010 - Aug 201010Sept 2010 - Feb 201160
March 2011 - Aug 201111Sept 2011 - Feb 201261

This pattern will continue until all permutations are exhausted.

Local Memory Tags
  Letter   Local Office - DVLA local office Identifier
  A - Anglia
Peterborough AA AB AC AD AE AF AG AH AJ AK AL AM AN
Ipswich AV AW AX
Norwich AO AP AR AS AT AU AY
  B - Birmingham
Birmingham BA– BY
  C - Cymru
Cardiff CA CB CC CD CE CF CG CH CJ CK CL CM CN CO
Swansea CP CR CS CT CU CV
Bangor CW CX CY
  D - Deeside to Shrewsbury
Chester DA DB DC DD DE DF DG DH DJ DK
Shrewsbury DL DM DN DO DP DR DS DT DU DV DW DX DY
  E - Essex
Chelmsford EA - EY
  F - Forest & Fens
Nottingham FA FB FC FD FE FF FG FH FJ FK FL FM FN FP
Lincoln FR FS FT FV FW FX FY
  G - Garden of England
Maidstone GA GB GC GD GE GF GG GH GJ GK GL GM GN GO
Brighton GP GR GS GT GU GV GW GX GY
  H - Hampshire & Dorset
Bournemouth HA HB HC HD HE HF HG HH HJ
Portsmouth HK HL HM HN HO HP HR HS HT HU HV HW HX HY
(HW will be used exclusively for Isle of Wight residents)
  K 
Luton KA KB KC KD KE KF KG KH KJ KK KL
Northampton KM KN KO KP KR KS KT KU KV KW KX KY
  L - London
Wimbledon LA LB LC LD LE LF LG LH LJ
Stanmore LK LL LM LN LO LP LR LS LT
Sidcup LU LV LW LX LY
  M - Manchester & Merseyside
Manchester MA - MY
(MN + MAN Reserved for the Isle of Man)
  N - North
Newcastle NA NB NC ND NE NG NH NJ NK NL NM NN NO
Stockton NP NR NS NT NU NV NW NX NY
  O - Oxford
Oxford OA - OY
  P - Preston
Preston PA PB PC PD PE PF PG PH PJ PK PL PM PN PO PP PR PS PT
Carlisle PU PV PW PX PY
  R - Reading
Reading RA - RY
  S - Scotland
Glasgow SA SB SC SD SE SF SG SH SJ
Edinburgh SK SL SM SN SO
Dundee SP SR SS ST
Aberdeen SU SV SW
Inverness SX SY
  V - Severn Valley
Worcester VA - VY
  W - West of England
Exeter WA WB WC WD WE WF WG WH WJ
Truro WK WL
Bristol WM WN WO WP WR WS WT WU WV WW WX WY
  Y - Yorkshire
Leeds YA YB YC YD YE YF YG YH YJ YK
Sheffield YL YM YN YO YP YR YS YT YU
Beverley YV YW YX YY