In short
- Current-format plates use the middle two digits, with changes in March and September.
- Suffix plates carry their year letter at the end, while prefix plates put it first.
- A calendar year may cross several issue periods, so the month of first registration matters.
A year character only works after you identify its format and position. Search by year, current age code or letter below, then use the complete tables when the month of first registration matters.
How do you find a UK number plate year?
Identify whether the registration is current, suffix or prefix, then read the age code in the middle, at the end or at the start respectively. A letter without its position can be ambiguous because the suffix and prefix schemes reused it.
The search deliberately returns every checked match. Searching 2026, for example, can include the end of the 75 period, the complete 26 period and the beginning of the 76 period because a calendar year crosses three registration windows.
What are the current UK number plate age codes?
The middle two digits change twice a year. March to August uses the last two digits of the year, while September to February uses that number plus 50. The checked table below stops at 79 because that is the last identifier printed in the current DVLA INF104 leaflet.
| Age code | First registration period |
|---|---|
| 51 | September 2001 to February 2002 |
| 02 | March 2002 to August 2002 |
| 52 | September 2002 to February 2003 |
| 03 | March 2003 to August 2003 |
| 53 | September 2003 to February 2004 |
| 04 | March 2004 to August 2004 |
| 54 | September 2004 to February 2005 |
| 05 | March 2005 to August 2005 |
| 55 | September 2005 to February 2006 |
| 06 | March 2006 to August 2006 |
| 56 | September 2006 to February 2007 |
| 07 | March 2007 to August 2007 |
| 57 | September 2007 to February 2008 |
| 08 | March 2008 to August 2008 |
| 58 | September 2008 to February 2009 |
| 09 | March 2009 to August 2009 |
| 59 | September 2009 to February 2010 |
| 10 | March 2010 to August 2010 |
| 60 | September 2010 to February 2011 |
| 11 | March 2011 to August 2011 |
| 61 | September 2011 to February 2012 |
| 12 | March 2012 to August 2012 |
| 62 | September 2012 to February 2013 |
| 13 | March 2013 to August 2013 |
| 63 | September 2013 to February 2014 |
| 14 | March 2014 to August 2014 |
| 64 | September 2014 to February 2015 |
| 15 | March 2015 to August 2015 |
| 65 | September 2015 to February 2016 |
| 16 | March 2016 to August 2016 |
| 66 | September 2016 to February 2017 |
| 17 | March 2017 to August 2017 |
| 67 | September 2017 to February 2018 |
| 18 | March 2018 to August 2018 |
| 68 | September 2018 to February 2019 |
| 19 | March 2019 to August 2019 |
| 69 | September 2019 to February 2020 |
| 20 | March 2020 to August 2020 |
| 70 | September 2020 to February 2021 |
| 21 | March 2021 to August 2021 |
| 71 | September 2021 to February 2022 |
| 22 | March 2022 to August 2022 |
| 72 | September 2022 to February 2023 |
| 23 | March 2023 to August 2023 |
| 73 | September 2023 to February 2024 |
| 24 | March 2024 to August 2024 |
| 74 | September 2024 to February 2025 |
| 25 | March 2025 to August 2025 |
| 75 | September 2025 to February 2026 |
| 26 | March 2026 to August 2026 |
| 76 | September 2026 to February 2027 |
| 27 | March 2027 to August 2027 |
| 77 | September 2027 to February 2028 |
| 28 | March 2028 to August 2028 |
| 78 | September 2028 to February 2029 |
| 29 | March 2029 to August 2029 |
| 79 | September 2029 to February 2030 |
This scheme began in September 2001, so 51 is its first identifier. Do not extend the arithmetic beyond the published table and present the result as a checked fact. DVLA can change a future system before those registrations are issued.
Which year does a suffix registration letter mean?
Read the final letter. A suffix registration has the shape ABC 123A, with A indicating 1963 and Y covering August 1982 to July 1983. The change moved from January to August during 1967, which is why E lasted only seven months.
| Final letter | First registration period |
|---|---|
| A | 1963 |
| B | 1964 |
| C | 1965 |
| D | 1966 |
| E | January to July 1967 |
| F | August 1967 to July 1968 |
| G | August 1968 to July 1969 |
| H | August 1969 to July 1970 |
| J | August 1970 to July 1971 |
| K | August 1971 to July 1972 |
| L | August 1972 to July 1973 |
| M | August 1973 to July 1974 |
| N | August 1974 to July 1975 |
| P | August 1975 to July 1976 |
| R | August 1976 to July 1977 |
| S | August 1977 to July 1978 |
| T | August 1978 to July 1979 |
| V | August 1979 to July 1980 |
| W | August 1980 to July 1981 |
| X | August 1981 to July 1982 |
| Y | August 1982 to July 1983 |
Which year does a prefix registration letter mean?
Read the first letter. A prefix registration has the shape A123 BCD, with A covering August 1983 to July 1984. From March 1999 the identifier changed twice a year, so T, V, W, X and Y each cover a six-month period.
| First letter | First registration period |
|---|---|
| A | August 1983 to July 1984 |
| B | August 1984 to July 1985 |
| C | August 1985 to July 1986 |
| D | August 1986 to July 1987 |
| E | August 1987 to July 1988 |
| F | August 1988 to July 1989 |
| G | August 1989 to July 1990 |
| H | August 1990 to July 1991 |
| J | August 1991 to July 1992 |
| K | August 1992 to July 1993 |
| L | August 1993 to July 1994 |
| M | August 1994 to July 1995 |
| N | August 1995 to July 1996 |
| P | August 1996 to July 1997 |
| R | August 1997 to July 1998 |
| S | August 1998 to February 1999 |
| T | March 1999 to August 1999 |
| V | September 1999 to February 2000 |
| W | March 2000 to August 2000 |
| X | September 2000 to February 2001 |
| Y | March 2001 to August 2001 |
What does a number plate year prove?
It identifies a registration issue period, not a vehicle build date or its complete identity. Dateless and Northern Irish registrations do not carry a GB age identifier, and a transferred registration must not make a vehicle appear newer than it is.
The current table and display guidance come from the official DVLA INF104 publication. DVLA’s own registration search also shows the prefix format. For the shape and history of every scheme, use the complete UK plate formats guide. If a private registration is moving cars, check whether it can make the vehicle look newer before assigning it.
Questions people actually ask
- How do I find the year from a UK number plate?
- Identify the format first. Current plates use the middle two digits, suffix plates use the final letter and prefix plates use the first letter. Then match that code to its issue period, remembering that March and September changeovers can split a calendar year.
- What year is a 26 number plate?
- A 26 age identifier was issued from March to August 2026. Registrations first issued from September 2026 to February 2027 use 76 instead, so the two-digit code needs its position in the current seven-character format to mean anything.
- Why does one number plate letter show two possible years?
- The suffix and prefix schemes reused many of the same letters. An A at the end indicates a 1963 suffix registration, while an A at the front indicates a prefix registration issued from August 1983 to July 1984.
- Does a number plate prove when a car was built?
- No. A dated registration limits how new the vehicle may appear, but it records an issue period rather than a build date. Confirm an individual vehicle through its registration documents, VIN evidence and official history instead of treating the plate as a manufacturing record.
Written by Jonathan in Derby. Last updated .