UK Car Registration Years: Check Your Number Plate Year

Want to know how old a car is from its registration number? UK car registration years make it easy to identify when a vehicle was first registered, whether you're buying a used car, checking a vehicle's history or simply trying to work out what year a registration plate belongs to.

Different registration systems have been used throughout the years, including suffix registrations (1963-1983), prefix registrations (1983-2001) and the current registration format introduced in 2001. Each uses letters and numbers differently to indicate the year of registration.

Use the registration year charts below to check a number plate year, find out when a vehicle was first registered and understand how UK registration numbers have changed over time.

How UK Car Registration Years Work

UK registration numbers are designed to show when a vehicle was first registered. In most cases, you can use a registration plate to determine a vehicle's age without carrying out any additional checks.

However, the year shown by a registration plate is based on the vehicle registration date, not necessarily when the vehicle was built. A car manufactured in late 2024, for example, may not be registered until 2025. This means a vehicle's registration year, manufacture year, production year and model year can sometimes differ.

What Does A Registration Number Tell You?

A registration number can help you identify:

When a vehicle was first registered
The approximate vehicle age
Which registration system was in use at the time
Whether the vehicle has a current, prefix or suffix registration

Are Registration Year And Manufacture Year The Same?

Not always. A registration plate shows when a vehicle was first registered for use on the road. The manufacture year refers to when the vehicle was built, which may be weeks or even months earlier.

For most vehicles, the difference is small. However, registration numbers should not be used as a definitive way to identify a vehicle's exact production year or model release year.

If you're trying to determine a vehicle's exact age rather than its registration year, see our Vehicle Age Checker.

The UK has used three main registration systems since 1963:

Suffix registrations (1963-1983) - A year-identifying letter appears at the end of the registration.
Prefix registrations (1983-2001) - The year-identifying letter appears at the beginning of the registration.
Current registrations (2001-present) - A two-digit age identifier shows the registration period, with new registrations issued every March and September.

Use the registration year charts below to identify the year of registration for almost any UK vehicle.

Current UK Registration Years (2001-Present)

Current UK registration plates use a two-digit age identifier to show when a vehicle was first registered. The chart below shows every current registration year from 2001 onwards, making it easy to identify when a vehicle was first registered from its number plate.

Current Registration Year Chart

Year of release	1st March - 31st August	1st September - 28/29th February
2001/02		51
2002/03	02	52
2003/04	03	53
2004/05	04	54
2005/06	05	55
2006/07	06	56
2007/08	07	57
2008/09	08	58
2009/10	09	59
2010/11	10	60
2011/12	11	61
2012/13	12	62
2013/14	13	63
2014/15	14	64
2015/16	15	65
2016/17	16	66
2017/18	17	67
2018/19	18	68
2019/20	19	69
2020/21	20	70
2021/22	21	71
2022/23	22	72
2023/24	23	73
2024/25	24	74
2025/26	25	75

How To Read A Current Registration Plate

The current registration system was introduced in September 2001 and remains in use today. Modern registrations follow the format:

AB25 CDE

Each part of the registration has a specific meaning:

AB – The local memory tag, identifying the area where the vehicle was first registered.
25 – The age identifier, showing when the vehicle was first registered.
CDE – A random combination of letters allocated by the DVLA.

Understanding this format makes it much easier to determine what year a car registration belongs to and carry out a quick car registration year check.

How The Current Age Identifier Works

The two numbers in the middle of a registration show the registration period in which the vehicle was first registered.

Registrations issued between March and August use the current year. For example, 25 registrations were issued between March 2025 and August 2025.
Registrations issued between September and February add 50 to the year. For example, 75 registrations were issued between September 2025 and February 2026.

This system allows two new registration series to be introduced every year while making it easy to identify the approximate age of a vehicle.

Current Registration Examples

AB25 CDE – Registered between March 2025 and August 2025
AB75 CDE – Registered between September 2025 and February 2026
AB26 CDE – Registered between March 2026 and August 2026
AB76 CDE – Registered between September 2026 and February 2027

Prefix Registration Years (1983-2001)

Prefix registrations were introduced in August 1983 and remained in use until August 2001. Unlike the current system, these registrations used a single letter at the beginning of the registration number to indicate the year of registration, making it easy to identify when a vehicle was first registered.

Prefix Registration Year Chart

Year of release	Prefix
1983	A
1984	B
1985	C
1986	D
1987	E
1988	F
1989	G
1990	H
1991	J
1992	K
1993	L
1994	M
1995	N
1996	P
1997	R
1998	S
1999	T
1999	V
2000	W
2000	X
2001	Y

How To Read A Prefix Registration Plate

Prefix registrations follow the format:

A123 ABC

Each part of the registration has a specific meaning:

A – The age identifier, showing the year the vehicle was first registered.
123 – A sequential number issued by the registration authority.
ABC – Random letters used to create a unique registration number.

The identifying letter appears at the beginning of the registration, which is why these are known as prefix registrations.

How Prefix Registration Years Worked

A new letter was introduced each August to indicate a new registration year.

For example:

A registrations were issued between August 1983 and July 1984.
M registrations were issued between August 1994 and July 1995.
R registrations were issued between August 1997 and July 1998.
Y registrations were issued between March 2001 and August 2001 before the current registration system was introduced.

Suffix Registration Years (1963-1983)

Suffix registrations were used between 1963 and 1983 – these number plates used a single letter at the end of the registration to indicate the year a vehicle was first registered.

If you're checking the age of a classic vehicle, the chart below shows every suffix registration year and the dates each letter was issued.

Suffix Registration Year Chart

Year of release	Suffix
1963	A
1964	B
1965	C
1966	D
1967	E
1967	F
1968	G
1969	H
1970	J
1971	K
1972	L
1973	N
1974	M
1975	P
1976	R
1977	S
1978	T
1979	V
1980	W
1981	X
1982	Y

How To Read A Suffix Registration Plate

Suffix registrations follow the format:

ABC 123A

ABC – Letters issued by the registration authority.
123 – A sequential number.
A – The year identifier.

Because the identifying letter appears at the end of the registration, these are known as suffix registrations.

The final suffix series was Y, which was issued between 1982 and 1983 before the introduction of prefix registrations.

How Suffix Registration Years Worked

Suffix registrations were introduced in 1963 to make it easier to identify a vehicle's registration year. Before this, registration numbers did not include an age identifier.

A new suffix letter was introduced each year and added to the end of the registration number to indicate when the vehicle was first registered.

For example:

A registrations were issued between 1963 and 1964.
J registrations were issued between 1970 and 1971.
S registrations were issued between 1977 and 1978.
Y registrations were issued between 1982 and 1983 before the introduction of prefix registrations.

Understanding UK Car Registration Years

The registration year shown on a number plate tells you when a vehicle was first registered, making it one of the quickest ways to estimate a vehicle's age. Current registrations use a two-digit age identifier, while older vehicles use prefix or suffix letters to indicate their registration year.

It's worth remembering that a registration year reflects when a vehicle was first registered, not necessarily when it was manufactured. While the difference is often small, registration numbers should be used as a guide to a vehicle's age rather than its exact production date.

If you're researching a registration, looking for a specific year or considering a personalised number plate, National Numbers has been helping motorists buy and sell registrations since 1984. Our team can help you find registrations from a particular year, registration format or series, as well as advise on age-related transfer rules and vehicle eligibility.

Call 01642 363738 or contact our team for expert advice.

FAQs: UK Car Reg Years

What Year Is A W Registration?

W registrations can refer to two different registration periods, depending on where the letter appears on the number plate.

W suffix registrations (where the W appears at the end of the registration, e.g. ABC 123W) were issued between 1980 and 1981.
W prefix registrations (where the W appears at the beginning of the registration, e.g. W123 ABC) were issued during 2000 and early 2001.

What Year Is An R Registration?

R registrations can refer to two different registration periods, depending on where the letter appears on the number plate.

R suffix registrations (ABC 123R) were issued between 1976 and 1977.
R prefix registrations (R123 ABC) were issued between 1997 and 1998.

What Year Is An S Registration?

S registrations can refer to two different registration periods, depending on where the letter appears on the number plate.

S suffix registrations (ABC 123S) were issued between 1977 and 1978.
S prefix registrations (S123 ABC) were issued between 1998 and 1999.

What Year Is An H Registration?

H registrations can refer to two different registration periods, depending on where the letter appears on the number plate.

H suffix registrations (ABC 123H) were issued between 1969 and 1970.
H prefix registrations (H123 ABC) were issued between 1990 and 1991.

What Year Is A Y Registration?

Y registrations can refer to two different registration periods, depending on where the letter appears on the number plate.

Y suffix registrations (ABC 123Y) were issued between 1982 and 1983.
Y prefix registrations (Y123 ABC) were issued during 2001 before the current registration system was introduced.

What Year Is A 25 Registration Plate?

25 registrations were issued between March 2025 and August 2025. In the current registration system, the age identifier reflects the year in which the vehicle was first registered.

What Year Is A 75 Registration Plate?

75 registrations were issued between September 2025 and February 2026. Registrations issued between September and February use the current year plus 50.

When Do UK Registration Plates Change?

New registration plates are released twice a year in the UK. New registrations are introduced in March and September, creating two registration periods each year.

How Do I Check A Number Plate Year?

The easiest way to carry out a number plate year check is to use the registration year charts above. Current registrations use a two-digit age identifier, while older vehicles use prefix or suffix letters to indicate their registration year.