Find GuideA brief history of number plates

The UK number plate system was introduced in late 1903, with the registration 'A1' (issued in London) debatably being the first. Registration marks would be issued in sequence and relate to the area in which they were issued. The number plate system has undergone many changes in the last 100 years. We have put together a brief guide for you below.

Plate Styles

Dateless Style number plates (Mainland UK) (issued between 1903 and 1963)

123 ABCABC 123 Show Me How
A1
The ultimate registration mark
25 JR
Janet's And Ronald’s 25th Anniversary
999 ROB
Rob the fire-fighter
TOY 5
Ideal for Toyota or toy store owners
AJL 33
April Jeanette Lee
4 CMP
For Christopher Michael Parkinson
ALF 45
Alfred or Alfie
XMA 55
It’s Christmas!
  • Can be transferred to any age vehicle
  • Very rare due to their age
  • Generally the most expensive style
  • No I, Q or Z in the registration
Brett, Dateless plate

I wanted a Dateless plate to cover the age of my vehicle and that would hopefully act as an investment. Plates4Less suggested BB 1967, BJB 808 and XOX 222.

Brett James Brown, DOB 1967, Accountant

Our Dateless Number Plates area is the most comprehensive in the industry, including lots of useful tools, check out these areas (these links open in new window):

Suffix Style number plates (issued between 1963 and 1983)

ABC 1A Show Me How
ANG 314D
Angela Davies
KEN 1X
Kenneth, Number 1, Kiss
JON 3S
Jones
EDW 412D
Edward
GHO 5T
Ideal for Rolls Royce Owners, or believers in the supernatural!
RAC 3R
Racer
JAC 1P
Jack or Jacqueline, Number 1, Peters
CAB 846E
Cabbage, for vegetarians!
  • Age identifier is the last letter (suffix)
  • No I, Q or Z in the registration
Tom, plate as a present

Plates4Less offered me SAL 19Y which was a great option for us.

Tom, searching for a present for Sally

Here are interesting areas for you to look at (these links open in new window):

Prefix Style number plates (issued between 1983 and 2001)

A1 ABC Show Me How
L4 URA
Laura
E12 ROR
For computer developers!
G3 MMA
Gemma
M155 GEG
Miss Grace Elizabeth Gallagher
K155 AJS
Kiss, Amy Jane Smith
J46 UAR
Jaguar
X999 ROB
A kiss for Rob, who works in the emergency services
N16 GKM
Nov 16th (Date of Birth), George K Moore
X40 JHD
Kiss, 40th Birthday, Janet Hannah Davies
K8 KLX
Katherine (Kate) Lambert, X for a kiss
  • Age identifier is the first letter (prefix)
  • No I, Q or Z in the registration
Amy, plate for new car

I wanted a fun plate for my new car. Plates4Less found K155ESS for me which I love!

Amy, looking for a plate for her new car

Take a look at the useful features within our Prefix Style Area (opens in new window)

Current Style number plates (issued since 2001)

AA51 ABC Show Me How
OO07 RAY
For Ray, a James Bond fan
AN63 LAJ
Angela Jones
YU11 MMY
Tasty plate!
LO12 RYS
Haulage firm
AN11 MAL
For sports car fans or vets
SH12 LEY
Best plate for Shirley
SA12 AHJ
Sarah Jayne
BO55 RPJ
Boss, Rhys Paul James
JE55 GAZ
Jessica and Gary
MR52 DVS
Mrs Davies
XK03 JRC
XK Jaguar, John Robert Clark
JD04 CPD
Mr John Dawson and Mrs Claire P Dawson
  • Age identifier is the two digit number in the middle
  • No I or Q and Z only in the last three letters
Shirley, prefect plate

I was looking for a plate that spelled my name exactly. Plates4Less suggested the ultimate ‘Shirley’ plate, SH12LEY.

Shirley, looking for the perfect plate for her name

Find your perfect plate by searching in our Current Style Area (opens in new window)

Northern Ireland Format Number Plates

ABZ 1234 Show Me How
SHZ 40
Sharon's 40th birthday present
BAZ 101
Barry
BIG 8055
Big boss
GIL 2068
Gillian
GAZ 6468
Gareth
LNZ 12
Lyndsey
OIL 999
For a petrol-head!
  • Can be transferred to any age vehicle
  • Always have an I or Z in the registration
  • A cheaper alternative to a dateless number plate
Ai, searching for a gift

I wanted to get my husband a unique gift. Plates4Less suggested DAZ 84 which is perfect as it’s his nickname and year of birth!

Ai, searching for a gift for her husband, Darren

Find your perfect plate by searching in our Northern Ireland Format Area (opens in new window)

Frequently Asked Questions

Whether you are purchasing for yourself, or as a gift for someone else, you are able to secure this private number plate today and transfer it to a vehicle of your choice when you are ready.

We have two transfer options available for you to choose between. You’ll see them when you enter the checkout by clicking “Buy It Now” or you can preview them by clicking “Learn More About My Order Options”.

If you select the 'Do-It-Yourself' transfer service, the Government Certificate and full instructions will be sent by post to you, normally within 5-10 days. You will need to liaise with the DVLA to complete the transfer.

Alternatively, if you select the 'Done-For-You' transfer option, we will liaise with the DVLA to transfer your private number plate to the vehicle when you are ready, saving you the time and hassle. All you will need to do is submit the V5C Registration Certificate details to us, either digitally (using our online portal) or by sending us the document in the pre-paid envelope we will provide. We will email you as soon as the number plates can be displayed on the vehicle.

Please note- While 70-90% of transfer applications can be processed digitally, if you opt for our DFY service and your application does not go through digitally, we will personally hand deliver your documents to the DVLA here in Swansea to by-pass their postal sorting office to ensure a quick and secure transfer process.

Yes, low rate finance is available for this registration. We offer finance with 0% deposit and it will not delay your transfer.

Simply select 'Pay By Finance' during the checkout or you can view the finance illustration by clicking the 'Learn More About My Order Options' button on the Purchase Options page.

Registration marks make perfect gifts and we offer a number of services designed to help you surprise that special person.

Place your order in the details of the person who is paying for the registration mark and give us the lucky recipient's name later in the checkout stage.

The keeper of the vehicle will become the owner of the plate once the transfer is complete. All correspondence from ourselves will be sent in plain packaging. Number plates and presentation certificates can be easily wrapped to give as a gift on the special day!

If you are buying for Christmas read our Christmas Buying Guide

We have two transfer options available for you to choose between. You’ll see them when you enter the checkout by clicking “Buy It Now” or you can preview them by clicking “Learn More About My Order Options”.

Confident? Then choose the DIY option and we'll send you your 10 year V750 Certificate of Entitlement with self-assignment instructions to complete the transfer whenever you're ready.

No-hassle quiet-lifer? Choose DFY and you can relax with peace of mind that your transfer will be taken care of by our experts, whenever you're ready! We can also liaise with your vehicle dealers and assist with moving your other registrations, if required.

Yes! Previously unissued registration marks are valid for 10 years while on a certificate so you can buy now and transfer whenever you are ready in the future. Regardless of which transfer option you choose, you can still opt to delay the transfer.

Yes, we are DVLA Registered Number Plate Suppliers (#3166) and only supply the best quality, road legal number plates. We offer standard flat and “4D Standout” style plates as well as a range of flags and shapes to suit your vehicle.

By purchasing your number plates through us you will only need to supply us with proof of identification since we will already have your proof of entitlement (you will need to supply this to any other number plate seller).

You can include replacement number plates on your order, just enter our checkout by selecting “Buy It Now” or you can preview the plates and available options by clicking “Learn More About My Order Options”.

Please beware that many online sellers of replacement number plates are not registered with DVLA and supply illegal number plates. By placing an order with one of these sellers, your personal & vehicle information may be at risk.

Whenever possible, we negotiate a great deal for our customers. Our Previously Unissued registration marks are already at Rock Bottom Prices offering fantastic value with our industry - leading service.

Understanding that price is a big factor in the decision-making process, we remain very price-conscious, checking daily to ensure that you get more, at the lowest possible price. Super-fussy and ruthlessly efficient, we are always cutting costs and raising quality, to give you the best possible value, in the whole marketplace!

'You cannot make a vehicle look newer than it actually is' This is THE most important rule regarding personalised registrations! Most registration marks have a coded 'age identifier' letter or number, which dictates whether or not they can legally go onto your vehicle. Use our age- check tool by selecting the date your vehicle was first registered (shown on your V5) from a drop-down menu, and registrations which are suitable will be shown by way of a green tick or a red cross

Pay with VISA, Mastercard, bank transfer or cheque. Spread your payments with finance. Finance doesn't delay the arrival of your new registration mark and number plates, only the payments.

We don't offer an exchange or part-exchange service. However, we do offer a free sellers' service if you no longer wish to keep your cherished registration mark. We currently have a list of buyers waiting on registration numbers, if your registration meets one of our buyers criteria or there is interest in your registration, we will contact you. For more information on selling through us, please click here.

Do you really like this registration? Great news! You can secure this registration now and delay transferring to a vehicle until you're ready. There's only one of each registration available.

There's no need to retain your existing registration mark before you transfer your new personalised number plate onto your vehicle. When your new private plate has been transferred onto your vehicle, the DVLA will keep the existing (usually age related) registration number to one side until you are ready to take your personalised number plate off your vehicle in the future. At that point, the previous registration number will be placed back onto your vehicle.

However, if you currently have a private plate on your vehicle, you will need to retain this off your vehicle before completing the transfer if you wish to use it on another vehicle in the duration that it bears another registration mark.

Private number plates are good for advertising, and they can disguise the age of your vehicle(s). They’re distinctive, memorable, and when chosen wisely can make good investments.

We will send you a VAT invoice/receipt for your purchase. In some legitimate circumstances, business related number plates can be a company asset that's a tax deductible expense. If you are unsure, please discuss your plan with your accountant.

Check out our Plates4Business Hub here for more information.

If you have a question that we have not answered, please click here to request a callback (opens in new window) or call us on 01792 477316.