In September 2001 the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) introduced a new number plate registration system that was designed to last for 49 years.
The first two letters of the number plate indicate where the vehicle was registered.The first letter represents one of the 40 DVLA regional offices around the country. The second letter shows the specific city within that DVLA region.
The following two numbers represent the registration year of the vehicle. However, where as in the past there were new registrations once a year, they now happen twice a year. Therefore the two digits following the year indicator show which part of the year the car was registered.
|
Local Identifier
|
DVLA office
|
Local Office Identifier
|
|
A
|
Peterborough
|
A B C D E F G H J K L M N
|
|
Norwich
|
O P R S T U
|
|
Ipswich
|
V W X Y
|
| B |
Birmingham
|
A – Y
|
| C |
Cardiff
|
A B C D E F G H J K L M N O
|
|
Swansea
|
P R S T U V
|
|
Bangor
|
W X Y
|
| D |
Chester
|
A B C D E F G H J K
|
|
Shrewsbury
|
L M N O P R S T U V W X Y
|
| E |
Chelmsford
|
A – Y
|
| F |
Nottingham
|
A B C D E F G H J K L M N P
|
|
Lincoln
|
R S T V W X Y
|
| G |
Maidstone
|
A B C D E F G H J K L M N O
|
|
Brighton
|
P R S T U V W X Y
|
| H |
Bournemouth
|
A B C D E F G H J
|
|
Portsmouth
|
K L M N O P R S T U V W X Y
|
| K |
Luton
|
A B C D E F G H J K L
|
|
Northampton
|
M N O P R S T U V W X Y
|
| L |
Wimbledon
|
A B C D E F G H J
|
|
Stanmore
|
K L M N O P R S T
|
|
Sidcup
|
U V W X Y
|
| M |
Manchester
|
A – Y
|
| N |
Newcastle
|
A B C D E G H J K L M N O
|
|
Stockton
|
P R S T U V W X Y
|
| O |
Oxford
|
A – Y
|
| P |
Preston
|
A B C D E F G H J K L M N O P R S T
|
|
Carlisle
|
U V W X Y
|
| R |
Reading
|
A – Y
|
| S |
Glasgow
|
A B C D E F G H J
|
|
Edinburgh
|
K L M N O
|
|
Dundee
|
P R S T
|
|
Aberdeen
|
U V W
|
|
Inverness
|
X Y
|
| V |
Worcester
|
A – Y
|
| W |
Exeter
|
A B C D E F G H J
|
|
Truro
|
K L
|
|
Bristol
|
M N O P R S T U V W X Y
|
| Y |
Leeds
|
A B C D E F G H J K
|
|
Sheffield
|
L M N O P R S T U
|
|
Beverley
|
V W X Y
|
|
|
Year
|
March
|
Sept
|
|
2001
|
|
51
|
|
2002
|
02
|
52
|
|
2003
|
03
|
53
|
|
2004
|
04
|
54
|
|
2005
|
05
|
55
|
|
2006
|
06
|
56
|
|
2007
|
07
|
57
|
|
2008
|
08
|
58
|
|
2009
|
09
|
59
|
|
2010
|
10
|
60
|
|
2011
|
11
|
61
|
|
2012
|
12
|
62
|
|
2013
|
13
|
63
|
|
2014
|
14
|
64
|
|
2015
|
15
|
65
|
|
2016
|
16
|
66
|
|
2017
|
17
|
67
|
|
2018
|
18
|
68
|
|
2019
|
19
|
69
|
|
2020
|
20
|
70
|
|
2021
|
21
|
71
|
|
2022
|
22
|
72
|
|
2023
|
23
|
73
|
|
2024
|
24
|
74
|
|
2025
|
25
|
75
|
|
2026
|
26
|
76
|
|
2027
|
27
|
77
|
|
2028
|
28
|
78
|
|
2029
|
29
|
79
|
|
2030
|
30
|
80
|
|
2031
|
31
|
81
|
|
2032
|
32
|
82
|
|
2033
|
33
|
83
|
|
2034
|
34
|
84
|
|
2035
|
35
|
85
|
|
2036
|
36
|
86
|
|
2037
|
37
|
87
|
|
2038
|
38
|
88
|
|
2039
|
39
|
89
|
|
2040
|
40
|
90
|
|
2041
|
41
|
91
|
|
2042
|
42
|
92
|
|
2043
|
43
|
93
|
|
2044
|
44
|
94
|
|
2045
|
45
|
95
|
|
2046
|
46
|
96
|
|
2047
|
47
|
97
|
|
2048
|
48
|
98
|
|
2049
|
49
|
99
|
|
