Car Registrations

Car Registration Information

From 01 September 2001

A new registration system is in place for all new vehicle registrations in England, Scotland and Wales.

The format is AB51 CDE.

In this example, AB indicates the original area of registration or Local Memory Tag, 51 is the Age Identifier and CDE are random letters or Random Element. For reasons best known to the DVLA, or an organisation above them, they have seen fit to change the letters that have represented the original area completely!

Like before, I and Q will not be used on regular registrations, but a change means that Z can be used in the three-letter suffix.

Until 31 August 2001

Modern registrations in England, Scotland and Wales were made up with a single letter suffix or prefix representing the year of registration based around 01 August each year, this has now been changed to 01 March and 01 September each year, followed by one to three digits, then prefixed or suffixed by three letters, the last two of which designate the area of original registration.

Since 'H' year it has been possible to purchase personalised registrations by using the year letter followed by the digits 1 to 19 followed by any three letters (except I, Q and Z).

This also applies to the digit groups 100, 200 etc and 111, 222 etc. The digit group 666 is not allowed on this scheme ;) The prefix letter can currently be chosen from A-D and G-Y. In these cases, obviously, the table below will not necessarily indicate the original place of registration of the vehicle.

In Northern Ireland there are one to four digits and no year prefix or suffix letter.

It seems that the older two letter plus one to four digit registrations used to follow the same patterns as the areas listed below. With the apparent exception of GPO, MAN & USN (this source is old - 1982, but seems still to apply generally) the last two letters of the registration prefix or suffix denote the original registration office or area (nowadays).

'X' does not seem to be used as the initial pair of letters in my list. Remember that 'I' and 'Z' only appear in Northern Ireland registrations (shown at the end of the list - though it seems that they also used to appear in Eire when this list was produced). Eire registrations are now quite different and quite independent, but I have included them for the sake of old registrations.

Also remember that 'Q' does not appear in registrations except for the year suffix or prefix where the true age of the vehicle cannot be satisfactorily proved.

New Registration Age Identifiers From 01 September 2001

September 2001 - February 2002 51

March 2002 - August 2002 02 September 2002 - February 2003 52

March 2003 - August 2003 03 September 2003 - February 2004 53

March 2004 - August 2004 04 September 2004 - February 2005 54

March 2005 - August 2005 05 September 2005 - February 2006 55

March 2006 - August 2006 06 September 2006 - February 2007 56

March 2007 - August 2007 07 September 2007 - February 2008 57

March 2008 - August 2008 08 September 2008 - February 2009 58

March 2009 - August 2009 09 September 2009 - February 2010 59

March 2010 - August 2010 10 September 2010 - February 2011 60

March 2011 - August 2011 11 September 2011 - February 2012 61

This pattern will continue until all permutations are exhausted

New Registration Locations From 01 September 2001

AA - AN Peterborough

AO - AU Norwich

AV - AY Ipswich

BA - BY Birmingham

CA - CO Cardiff

CP - CV Swansea

CW - CY Bangor

DA - DK Chester

DL - DY Shrewsbury

EA - EY Chelmsford

FA - FP Nottingham

FR - FY Lincoln

GA - GO Maidstone

GP - GY Brighton

HA - HJ Bournemouth

HK - HV Portsmouth

HW Isle of Wight

HX - HY Portsmouth

KA - KL Luton

KM - KY Northampton

LA - LJ Wimbledon

LK - LT Stanmore

LU - LY Sidcup

MA - MY Manchester

NA - NO Newcastle

NP - NY Stockton

OA - OY Oxford

PA - PT Preston

PU - PY Carlisle

RA - RY Reading

SA - SJ Glasgow

SK - SO Edinburgh

SP - ST Dundee

SU - SW Aberdeen

SX - SY Inverness

VA - VY Worcester

WA - WJ Exeter

WK - WL Truro

WM - WY Bristol

YA - YK Leeds

YL - YU Sheffield

YV - YY Beverley

Original Registration Locations Until 31 August 2001

AA to AY

AA Salisbury

AB Worcester

AC Coventry

AD Gloucester

AE Bristol

AF Truro

AG Hull

AH Norwich

AJ Middlesborough

AK Sheffield

AL Nottingham

AM Swindon

AN Reading

AO Carlisle

AP Brighton

AR Chelmsford

AS Inverness

AT Hull

AU Nottingham

AV Peterborough

AW Shrewsbury

AX Cardiff

AY Leicester

BA to BY

BA Manchester

BB Newcastle

BC Leicester

BD Northampton

BE Grimsby

BF Stoke-on-Trent

BG Liverpool

BH Luton

BJ Ipswich

BK Portsmouth

BL Reading

BM Luton

BN Bolton

BO Cardiff

BP Portsmouth

BR Durham

BS Kirkwall

BT York

BU Manchester

BV Preston

BW Oxford

BX Haverfordwest

BY London NW

CA to CY

CA Chester

CB Bolton

CC Bangor

CD Brighton

CE Cambridge

CF Reading

CG Salisbury

CH Nottingham

CJ Hereford

CK Preston

CL Norwich

CM Liverpool

CN Newcastle

CO Plymouth

CP Huddersfield

CR Portsmouth

CS Ayr

CT Boston

CU Newcastle-upon-Tyne

CV Truro

CW Preston

CX Huddersfield

CY Swansea

DA to DY

DA Birmingham

DB Manchester

DC Middlesborough

DD Gloucester

DE Haverfordwest

DF Gloucester

DG Gloucester

DH Dudley

DJ Warrington

DK Bolton

DL Newport (IoW)

DM Chester

DN York

DO Boston

DP Reading

DR Plymouth

DS Glasgow

DT Sheffield

DU Coventry

DV Exeter

DW Cardiff

DX Ipswich

DY Hastings

EA to EY

EA Dudley

EB Cambridge

EC Kendal

ED Warrington

EE Grimsby

EF Middlesborough

EG Peterborough

EH Stoke-on-Trent

EJ Aberystwyth

EK Warrington

EL Bournemouth

EM Liverpool

EN Bolton

EO Barrow-in-Furness

EP Swansea

ER Cambridge

ES Dundee

ET Sheffield

EU Bristol

EV Chelmsford

EW Peterborough

EX Norwich

EY Bangor

FA to FY

FA Stoke-on-Trent

FB Bristol

FC Oxford

FD Dudley

FE Lincoln

FF Aberystwyth

FG Brighton

FH Gloucester

FJ Exeter

FK Dudley

FL Peterborough

FM Chester

FN Canterbury

FO Hereford

FP Leicester

FR Preston

FS Edinburgh

FT Newcastle

FU Grimsby

FV Preston

FW Lincoln

FX Bournemouth

FY Liverpool

GA to GY

GA Glasgow

GB Glasgow

GC London SW

GD Glasgow

GE Glasgow

GF London SW

GG Glasgow

GH London SW

GJ London SW

GK London SW

GL Truro

GM Reading

GN London SW

GO London SW

GP London SW

GR Durnham

GS Luton

GT London SW

GU London SE

GV Ipswich

GW London SE

GX London SE

GY London SE

HA to HY

HA Dudley

HB Cardiff

HC Hastings

HD Huddersfield

HE Sheffield

HF Liverpool

HG Preston

HH Carlisle

HJ Chelmsford

HK Chelmsford

HL Sheffield

HM London C

HN Middlesborough

HO Salisbury

HP Coventry

HR Swindon

HS Glasgow

HT Bristol

HU Bristol

HV London C

HW Bristol

HX London C

HY Bristol

JA to JY

JA Manchester

JB Reading

JC Bangor

JD London C

JE Cambridge

JF Leicester

JG Canterbury

JH Reading

JJ Canterbury

JK Hastings

JL Boston

JM Reading

JN Chelmsford

JO Oxford

JP Warrington

JR Newcastle

JS Stornoway

JT Bournemouth

JU Leicester

JV Grimsby

JW Birmingham

JX Huddersfield

JY Plymouth

KA to KY

KA Liverpool

KB Liverpool

KC Liverpool

KD Liverpool

KE Maidstone

KF Liverpool

KG Cardiff

KH Hull

KJ Maidstone

KK Maidstone

KL Maidstone

KM Maidstone

KN Maidstone

KO Maidstone

KP Maidstone

KR Maidstone

KS St Boswells

KT Canterbury

KU Sheffield

KV Coventry

KW Sheffield

KX Luton

KY Sheffield

LA to LY

LA London NW

LB London NW

LC London NW

LD London NW

LE London NW

LF London NW

LG Chester

LH London NW

LJ Bournemouth

LK London NW

LL London NW

LM London NW

LN London NW

LO London NW

LP London NW

LR London NW

LS Stirling

LT London NW

LU London NW

LV Liverpool

LW London NW

LX London NW

LY London NW

MA to MY

MA Chester

MB Chester

MC London NE

MD London NE

ME London NE

MF London NE

MG London NE

MH London NE

MJ Luton

MK London NE

ML London NE

MM London NE

MN (not used)

MO Reading

MP London NE

MR Swindon

MS Stirling

MT London NE

MU London NE

MV London SE

MW Swindon

MX London SE

MY London SE

NA to NY

NA Manchester

NB Manchester

NC Manchester

ND Manchester

NE Manchester

NF Manchester

NG Norwich

NH Northampton

NJ Brighton

NK Luton

NL Newcastle

NM Luton

NN Nottingham

NO Chelmsford

NP Worcester

NR Sheffield

NS Glasgow

NT Shrewsbury

NU Nottingham

NV Northampton

NW Leeds

NX Dudley

NY Cardiff

OA to OY

OA Brighton

OB Birmingham

OC Birningham

OD Exeter

OE Birningham

OF Birningham

OG Birningham

OH Birningham

OJ Birningham

OK Birningham

OL Birningham

OM Birningham

ON Birningham

OO Chelmsford

OP Birningham

OR Portsmouth

OS Stranraer

OT Portsmouth

OU Bristol

OV Birningham

OW Portsmouth

OX Birningham

OY London NW

PA to PY

PA Guildford

PB Guildford

PC Guildford

PD Guildford

PE Guildford

PF Guildford

PG Guildford

PH Guildford

PJ Guildford

PK Guildford

PL Guildford

PM Guildford

PN Brighton

PO Portsmouth

PP Luton

PR Bournemouth

PS Kerwick

PT Durham

PU Chelmsford

PV Ipswich

PW Norwich

PX Portsmouth

PY Middlesborough

RA to RY

RA Nottingham

RB Nottingham

RC Nottingham

RD Reading

RE Stoke

RF Stoke

RG Newcastle

RH Hull

RJ Manchester

RK London NW

RL Truro

RM Carlisle

RN Preston

RO Luton

RP Northampton

RR Nottingham

RS Aberdeen

RT Ipswich

RU Bournemouth

RV Portsmouth

RW Coventry

RX Reading

RY Sheffield

SA to SY

SA Aberdeen

SB Oban

SC Edinburgh

SD Ayr

SE Kieth

SF Edinburgh

SG Edinburgh

SH St Boswells

SJ Ayr

SK Wick

SL Dundee

SM Dumfries

SN Dundee

SO Aberdeen

SP Dundee

SR Dundee

SS Aberdeen

ST Inverness

SU Glasgow

SV (spare)

SW Dumfries

SX Edinburgh

SY (spare)

TA to TY

TA Exeter

TB Warrington

TC Bristol

TD Bolton

TE Bolton

TF Reading

TG Cardiff

TH Swansea

TJ Liverpool

TK Plymouth

TL Lincoln

TM Luton

TN Newcastle

TO Nottingham

TP Portsmouth

TR Portsmouth

TS Dundee

TT Exeter

TU Chester

TV Nottingham

TW Chelmsford

TX Cardiff

TY Newcastle

UA to UY

UA Leeds

UB Leeds

UC London C

UD Oxford

UE Dudley

UF Brighton

UG Leeds

UH Cardiff

UJ Shrewsbury

UK Birmingham

UL London C

UM Leeds

UN Barnstaple

UO Barnstaple

UP Durham

UR Luton

US Glasgow

UT Leicester

UU London C

UV London C

UW London C

UX Shrewsbury

UY Worcester

VA to VY

VA Cambridge

VB Canterbury

VC Coventry

VD Luton

VE Cambridge

VF Norwich

VG Norwich

VH Huddersfield

VJ Hereford

VK Newcastle

VL Lincoln

VM Manchester

VN Middlesborough

VO Nottingham

VP Birmingham

VR Manchester

VS Luton

VT Stoke-on-Trent

VU Manchester

VV Northampton

VW Chelmsford

VX Chelmsford

VY York

WA to WY

WA Sheffield

WB Sheffield

WC Chelmsford

WD Dudley

WE Sheffield

WF Sheffield

WG Sheffield

WH Bolton

WJ Sheffield

WK Coventry

WL Oxford

WM Liverpool

WN Swansea

WO Cardiff

WP Worcester

WR Leeds

WS Bristol

WT Leeds

WU Leeds

WV Brighton

WW Leeds

WX Leeds

WY Leeds

YA to YY

YA Taunton

YB Taunton

YC Taunton

YD Taunton

YE London C

YF London C

YG Leeds

YH London C

YJ Brighton

YK London C

YL London C

YM London C

YN London C

YO London C

YP London C

YR London

YS Glasgow

YT London C

YU London C

YV London C

YW London C

YX London C

YY London C

AZ to ZZ

AZ Belfast

BZ Down

CZ Belfast

DZ Antrim

EZ Belfast

FZ Belfast

GZ Belfast

HZ Tyrone

JZ Down

KZ Antrim

LZ Armagh

MZ Belfast

NZ Londonderry

OZ Belfast

PZ Belfast

RZ Antrim

SZ Down

TZ Belfast

UZ Belfast

VZ Tyrone

WZ Belfast

XZ Armagh

YZ Londonderry

ZZ Dublin

IA to IZ

IA Antrim

IB Armagh

IC Carlow

ID Caven

IE Clare

IF Cork

IG (not used)

IH Donegal

IJ Down

IK Dublin

IL Fermanagh

IM Galway

IN Kerry

IO Kildare

IP Kilkenny

IR Offaly

IS (not used)

IT Leitrim

IU Limerick

IV (not used)

IW Londonderry

IX Longford

IY Louth

IZ Mayo

AI to YI

AI Meath

BI Monaghan

CI Laois

DI Roscommon

EI Sligo

FI Tipperary (N Rdng)

GI (not used)

HI Tipperary (S Rdng)

JI Tyrone

KI Waterford

LI Westmeath

MI Wexford

NI Wicklow

OI Belfast

PI Cork

RI Dublin

SI (not used)

TI Limerick

UI Londonderry

VI (not used)

WI Waterford

XI Belfast

YI Dublin

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