Read about British Registrations
There have been several patterns used in mainland UK number plates for the majority of numbers issued. In roughly
historical order -
a) 1 or 2 letters, followed by 1 to 4 digits, e.g. A1 and DY 4832
b) 3 letters, followed by 1 to 3 digits, e.g. TXN 476
c) 1 to 4 digits, followed by 1 or 2 letters, e.g. 20 D and 1164 CX
d) 1 to 3 digits, followed by 3 letters, e.g. 166 KVD
e) 3 letters, 1 to 3 digits, and a year letter, e.g. GEY 309E
f) a year letter, 1 to 3 digits, and 3 letters, e.g. J21 YTB
Year letters began with A suffix in July 1963, and originally changed
each January, becoming compulsory for all areas from the beginning of C
suffix in January 1965. E lasted only from January to July 1967 :
thereafter the year letter changed (as now) each August. By 1983 year
suffixes had been exhausted with the end of Y suffix (I, O, U and Z
were not used); year prefixes were then begun as in (f) above.
It is currently understood that as from March 1999 the year letter will
change every 6 months instead of 12, and will occur in March and
September. This would mean that T to Y prefix would last only 6
months each, and a new system would be required in September 2001,
assuming the same letters are used as were first time round.
Just as the above helps us to tell the age of a vehicle, most number
plates will of course also tell us the area where the vehicle was issued
with that number. In 1903 all the existing Counties, County Boroughs
(and Scottish Burghs of over 50,000 population) were instructed to
register all vehicles in their area, and were issued with a one or two
letter code, those in England and Wales in order of size (from A for
London to Y for Somerset, and AA for Hampshire to FP for Rutland).
Scotland had mainly S combinations, and Ireland (then including the
south) had Is and Zs; both were allocated alphabetically, first counties
then towns. As for each allocated code the digits reached 9999, new
codes were allocated as required, likewise to new County Boroughs and
Burghs as they were created. In 1963 XA to XY were taken away from
London, and subsequently reallocated. Many of the surviving
registrations from this time and earlier have now been transferred onto
newer vehicles as so-called "cherished numbers".
With local government reorganisation in the seventies all these issuing
authorities disappeared, and the issue of registrations was transferred
to the DVLA computer at Swansea. The actual business of issuing new
registrations was now done by 81 regional offices, currently called
Vehicle Registration Offices (VRO). The 2 letter combinations (marks)
were allocated to the VROs, largely based on the old authorities (above)
in their area. Some VROs have since been closed, and their marks often
continued to be issued by neighbouring VROs.
So what does the registration newsletter (RNL) cover in all this ? For
non-year letter formats we track the highest number issued for each
local authority, and the extent of all known gaps. For each year
letter, suffix and prefix, we track for each authority or VRO what
three-letter combinations were used with that year letter, and what were
the lowest and highest numbers issued. The most significant gaps are
(a) when non-year letter issues finished (b) between the end of each
year letter and the beginning of the next, where often several three
letter combinations (trios) in the sequence are left unused. As well as
registering new vehicles, VROs regularly need to issue fresh
registrations to used vehicles. These must receive a number with the
year letter which applied when they were new : the progress of these
"reregistrations" is tracked by RNL, and they often begin to fill in the
year-end gaps. The coverage in RNL is a mixture of summaries and lists
of all the latest known advances.
Tax discs are also a useful source of information. As well as usually
confirming the registration (in cases of plate errors), a first tax disc
(as distinct from the subsequent ones issued by a post office) when
issued by a VRO can tell us which one issued it, from a computer-printed
code in the range 301-399. A new move in
the past few years has been Automated Registration and First Licensing
(AFRL). Increasingly new cars are registered by the dealer using a
computer link with DVLA (via the manufacturer), so the VRO is not
involved, although the letters used will still indicate the area of
origin. AFRL registrations can be identified from the original tax
disc, which carries a stamp with the word "dealer" and a 4 digit code,
which identifies the dealer.
Some year prefix registrations are not generally covered by RNL, because
they don't follow rules such as the above. This applies to most of them
with digits between 1 and 20, and for H prefix onwards any whose digits
are multiples of 10, 100 or 111; also for H and R prefixes, certain
digits which DVLA identify as matching car model numbers of the time
e.g. 106, 325, and 911. These all come under DVLA's Custom or Select
schemes, where the public can obtain by phone a registration of their
choice, provided it is not already taken. Because the letters and
numbers are purely the owner's choice, there is no pattern, so nothing
for RNL to track. We do however list the (usually) previously unissued
cherishable registrations which are sold at DVLA's auctions.
Other types of vehicle registrations covered by RNL are listed below :
Diplomatic. Apart from some specials, generally with the digit "1" and
often with no year letter, most UK diplomatic issues comprise three
digits identifying the foreign embassy, mission or body, then D (for
accredited diplomats) or X (for other personnel), followed by a serial
of three digits. RNL tracks the highest digits known for each initial
three digit code. A few year letter marks with trio RXS were once used.
UK Diplomatic Registrations
Exports to EU countries. Special issues began with K prefix, are
identified by ending in XP, confined to trios AXP to MXP which show the
month of issue : each calendar year A for January through to M for
December. Only issued by a handful of VROs, and it appears each one is
allocated a block of digits each month. The VRO can be determined from
the tax disc or more usually the make of vehicle.
Age Related (Non Year Letter). Theses are the only non-letter marks now
being issued, apart from at auctions and a few specials. These are
confined to, and compulsory for, vehicles made before 1963 (when year
letters began) and arise because all vehicles reregistered since 1983
have had to be given a registration appropriate to their age. For those
new before 1963 (originally 1956) the format is three letters followed
by three digits, from series previously never used, in the range
ASV-YSV, CSU-YSU, BSK-YSK, GVS-YVS, TYJ-YYJ, KFF-YFF, MFO-YFO, PSY-YSY,
and most recently ASJ onwards (also "reversed" ASV). Even older
vehicles have used remaining high 4 digit numbers in DS, BS and SV.
Q prefix. Where a vehicle needs to be reregistered, but either no proof
of age exists, or the vehicle is made up of components of varying ages,
a Q prefix mark will be issued. The format is Q, 2 or 3 digits, then
three letters, which indicate the VRO of issue as for normal
registrations, but Qs are in a separate series. Not to be confused with
temporary imports in the format 123 QR, with 3 serial digits (or
sometimes 4 in earlier years), "Q" and the year of registration, R
prefix.
Trade Plates. Used by garages and manufacturers : they must be carried
by vehicles driven on the road which are not currently taxed (including
those not yet registered), and are moved from vehicle to vehicle as
required. Unlike most other plates, these have red characters on a
white background and consist of 3 digits followed by 2 letters, or
sometimes 4 digits and one letter. The allocation of the 2 letter codes
originated with the old local authorities, and these have been inherited
and continued by the VROs.
The newsletter is currently available in printed form by post, but it is
hoped to additionally put large parts of it on the web.
By now you're either keen to learn more about RNL, or totally confused
and looking for more explanation. Either way, send us an email.
Email Graham Cox - RNL editor:-coxg@logica.com
Email Paul Haynes - Web site administrator:- Haynes1@compuserve.com
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UK Diplomatic Registrations
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