While most individuals recognise the conventional structure of car registration plates—comprising a blend of numbers and letters—few are aware that this amalgamation holds more than arbitrary significance.
It’s widely understood that the numerical element of the plate signifies the year of the vehicle’s registration, along with the specific half of the year during which this event transpired. For instance, in the current year, vehicles registered before September 1st feature a 23 number plate, while those registered thereafter display a 73.
However, a lesser-known fact pertains to the dual letters that precede the numerals. Jon Kirkbright, Sales Director at Private Number Plates and boasting over a decade of experience in the field, unveils these letters’ hidden purpose.
Kirkbright explains, “To the untrained eye, number plates might appear as an arbitrary assortment of letters and numbers. While many are aware of the numbers’ tie to the car’s production and registration year, the hidden significance of the preceding letters might elude them. These letters serve as ‘regional identifiers,’ signifying the DVLA office responsible for the car’s registration.”
He further elucidates that this phenomenon could account for similar starting letters across multiple vehicles procured from the same dealership, dispelling the notion of mere coincidence.
For motorists seeking to acquire a personalised registration plate, this rule of regional identification no longer holds sway. These individuals are empowered to select their preferred letter and number composition.
Yet, Kirkbright underscores that private registration plates cannot be employed to confer the illusion of a more recent manufacturing year onto vehicles. He asserts, “Misrepresenting the registration is a punishable offence. While it’s permissible to make your car seem older than it truly is, you’re prohibited from making it appear newer. For instance, attaching an ’11’ number plate to a car from 2007 is not permissible.”
Those interested in concealing their vehicle’s age might find dateless private registration plates appealing. Kirkbright notes, “Contrary to popular belief, dateless personalised registrations are often available at budget-friendly prices. These are an ideal choice for those seeking an utterly distinctive plate or one that obscures their car’s age. However, such plates tend to move swiftly.”
Armed with this knowledge of concealed letter meanings, original plate holders can unveil their car’s registration location using the following guide:
Regional Identifiers | Location | Postal area
AA AB AC AD AE AF AG AH AJ AK AL AM AN | Anglia | Peterborough
AO AP AR AS AT AU | Anglia | Norwich
AV AW AX AY | Anglia | Ipswich
BA – BY | Birmingham | Birmingham
CA CB CC CD CE CF CG CH CJ CK CL CM CN CO | Cymru | Cardiff
CP CR CS CT CU CV | Cymru | Swansea
CW CX CY | Cymru | Bangor
DA DB DC DD DE DF DG DH DJ DK | Deeside to Shrewsbury | Chester
DL DM DN DO DP DR DS DT DU DV DW DX DY | Deeside to Shrewsbury | Shrewsbury
EA – EY | Essex | Chelmsford
FA FB FC FD FE FF FG FH FJ FK FL FM FN FP | Forest & Fens | Nottingham
FR FS FT FV FW FX FY | Forest & Fens | Lincoln
GA GB GC GD GE GF GG GH GJ GK GL GM GN GO | Garden of England | Maidstone
GP GR GS GT GU GV GW GX GY | Garden of England | Brighton
HA HB HC HD HE HF HG HH HJ | Hampshire & Dorset | Bournemouth
HK HL HM HN HO HP HR HS HT HU HV HW HX HY (HW will be used exclusively for Isle of Wight residents) | Hampshire & Dorset | Portsmouth
KA KB KC KD KE KF KG KH KJ KK KL | | Borehamwood
KM KN KO KP KR KS KT KU KV KW KX KY | | Northampton
LA LB LC LD LE LF LG LH LJ | London | Wimbledon
LK LL LM LN LO LP LR LS LT | London | Borehamwood
LU LV LW LX LY | London | Sidcup
MA – MY (MN + MAN Reserved for the Isle of Man) | Manchester & Merseyside | Manchester
NA NB NC ND NE NG NH NJ NK NL NM NN NO | North | Newcastle
NP NR NS NT NU NV NW NX NY | North | Stockton
OA – OY | Oxford | Oxford
PA PB PC PD PE PF PG PH PJ PK PL PM PN PO PP PR PS PT | Preston | Preston
PU PV PW PX PY | Preston | Carlisle
RA – RY | Reading | Theale
SA SB SC SD SE SF SG SH SJ | Scotland | Glasgow
SK SL SM SN SO | Scotland | Edinburgh
SP SR SS ST | Scotland | Dundee
SU SV SW | Scotland | Aberdeen
SX SY | Scotland | Inverness
VA – VY | Severn Valley | Worcester
WA WB WC WD WE WF WG WH WJ | West of England | Exeter
WK WL | West of England | Truro
WM WN WO WP WR WS WT WU WV WW WX WY | West of England | Bristol
YA YB YC YD YE YF YG YH YJ YK | Yorkshire | Leeds
YL YM YN YO YP YR YS YT YU | Yorkshire | Sheffield
YV YW YX YY | Yorkshire | Beverley
For more information or assistance in procuring or selling private number plates, you can turn to Private Number Plates. Alternatively, you can connect with them via Facebook.
