Car companies’ passion for plates

UK car companies have some of the most desirable registrations in the land. We spoke to a few to discover their passion for plates.

Personalised registrations are generally owned by individuals, reflecting someone’s name, their passion for something or even for someone. Many though are owned by companies and some of the most interesting and for that matter valuable, are owned by car companies.

The most notable of these private registrations is CAR 1 which belongs to Ford of Great Britain and has been in its possession for decades. Like many registrations owned by automakers, it is moved from one vehicle to another, often being used on cars used for press fleets or marketing events. So how much is CAR 1 worth? Well not surprisingly it’s worth around £175,000 but we don’t think Ford will ever sell it.

We also don’t think Porsche Great Britain will ever part with some of its cool plates, the coolest of which has to be A 911, valued at a rather hot £225,000. It’s one of a collection that Porsche owns, including 911 GB. The company has always had a thing for personalised registrations and going back a few years it owned THE 928S on, not surprisingly, a Porsche 928 S.

Another very well known one that is often seen in marketing material is AML 1, belonging to Aston Martin Lagonda. Valued at £185,000 it is also moved around vehicles both old and new. One minute it might be on a brand new model straight off the production line, the next on a heritage vehicle from the 1960s. It’s one of a number of registrations belonging to the company including DBS 1, usually found on an Aston Martin DBS and V12 AML.

Across the road from Aston, Jaguar Land Rover has the most valuable plate that we are aware of within those owned by automakers. LR 1 is usually only found on the car used to shuttle the CEO or visiting dignitaries and VIPs around. It’s worth a cool quarter of a million and is unlikely to ever be seen on sale.

Another one that will probably never be sold is 1 WO which belongs to Bentley Motors Limited and reflects the initials of the company’s founder W.O. Bentley. The luxury automaker has a series of registrations that end in BML with the first digits usually reflecting the project number of a specific model.

When it comes to VIP transport it’s quite common to see personalised registrations. They are great at hiding the age of a car so VIPs never know how old the Mercedes or Range Rover is that they are being shuttled around in and they can help as a marketing tool for the company. BMW UK has 1 BMW and 2 BMW on its VIP cars, with 1 BMW valued at around £100,000. We’ve rarely seen these plates out and about, only once spotting them in the multi-storey car park at BMW head office in Farnborough. Clearly you have to be very special to be shuttled in a car wearing this plate.

Another interesting one we discovered is SU13 ARU, which we’re quite sure you can tell reads as Subaru and belongs to the importer of the Japanese marque, IM Group. They have a few others too but none are quite as close to the actual name as this one, or at £18,000 worth as much.

Volkswagen owns a few too, including VWW 1 which is currently on an original Beetle in the UK heritage fleet. It also has G8 VWW on a Golf 8 GTi. but one we particularly like is P45 SAT, or Passat. It’s worth around £8,000 and with VW soon to end production of the Passat, we wonder if it might find its way onto the market.

If you are after a desirable plate, then you can’t get much better than DE51 RED, desired. Worth around £35,000 it belongs to Vauxhall.

In the course of our research we were contacted about quite a few examples of personalised registrations, some more clever than others but one that had us baffled for a while was OEM 155N on a Kia. OEM is the abbreviation of original equipment manufacturer, the official term for an automaker, but we couldn’t figure out the 155N. Was it the power? Maybe the location of the factory at 155-degrees north? Eventually we gave up and it was explained to us – it’s not OEM 155N, it’s 0 EM155N or zero emission on a Kia E-Niro electric car, valued at about £3,000. That’s quite clever. Another we rather like and which didn’t tax us too much is VW51 EEP, which is used on one of their California camper vans.

There are plenty more around, including MMC 11 which has been with Morgan Motor Company for over 50 years, T1 FCV which sits on a Toyota Mirai fuel cell vehicle and B16 HYU which is on the big Santa Fe SUV of Hyundai which also has N1 HYU on one of its N performance models. RR1 belongs to a private individual who won’t sell so Rolls-Royce has to settle for RRM 1 and Ferrari has a series of plates ending in FNE for Ferrari North Europe.

Then there’s a registration that one manufacturer would really like to get their hands on. AUD 1 (AUDI). It belongs not to Audi UK, but to the Jardine Motor Group. Valued today at £125,000 it has been with the Group for many years and we’re told that they have no intention of parting with it.

Finally a plate that might have no major financial value – RE20 WTF. It sits on an electric Honda-e belonging to Honda UK and we happen to think it summed up 2020 rather well.

So the next time you see a plate on a car in an ad on the telly, don’t assume it’s a made up registration, it could actually belong to the car company concerned. Search & buy your very own number plate today at Newreg.co.uk!

Guide to Irish Number Plates

When the term “Irish number plates” is being used, first of all, it’s important to clarify which nation’s registrations are being discussed. Northern Ireland is part of the UK, whereas the Republic of Ireland (sometimes referred to as ‘Southern Ireland’) is its own country. Both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have their own unique number plate systems that follow very different formats.

As part of the UK, it’s possible for Northern Ireland number plates to be legally displayed on UK cars, but this isn’t the case with the plates used in the Republic of Ireland. It’s quite easy to quickly distinguish between the two types of registrations at a glance. Like other plates in the UK, the Northern Irish registrations currently issued begin with letters rather than numerals, whereas in the Republic of Ireland they always start with numbers.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has merged with its Northern Irish counterpart the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency Northern Ireland (DVLANI) and subsequently Northern Irish plates are now also issued from the DVLA in Swansea, Wales. When the term “Irish plates” is used, this commonly refers to Northern Irish plates that can be used by drivers in mainland UK.

While there are many similarities between Irish plates and other plates available to use in the UK, there are some differences that can make them an attractive option to car owners, especially those in the market for a private or personalised number plate.

For further information on the registrations used on cars throughout Ireland, read the following sections of our comprehensive guide to Irish number plates, where we answer some commonly asked questions.

Northern Irish number plates

The system for car number plates in Northern Ireland makes use of the national system employed by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, that first began in 1904 when the Motor Car Act of 1903 was officially made law. At this time, Ireland’s registrations featured two-letter codes to represent counties and cities, but today they stand for councils.

Irish dateless number plates

Irish number plates contain both letters and numbers, but these alphanumeric characters don’t represent an age indicator. This means effectively that Irish plates are dateless and can therefore be assigned to cars of any age without drivers worrying if they’re suitable or fearing breaking the law. The current style of number plates for the UK, along with prefix and suffix style, means that plates all contain an indication of age, so motorists have to be aware of the rules regarding attaching them to a vehicle.

It’s expressly forbidden under UK law to attempt to disguise the age of a vehicle by attaching number plates from an earlier year than the one in which the car was first registered. Auto traders and private sellers caught trying to pass off a vehicle as a younger model can be expected to at the very least pay weighty fines, and in the worst case face charges in a court of law for such a criminal offence.

Buyers of number plates should always ensure the registrations they’re purchasing are appropriate for the vehicle they’re assigning to them. For this very reason, Irish plates are often considered a popular option, as they sidestep the age issue and any risk of breaking the law.

There are a number of possible reasons why people may wish to hide the age of a car. For example, some car buyers are keen to keep the age of their vehicle less public for the sake of personal privacy. A Northern Irish number plate that disguises the date on which a car was first registered can be an appropriate choice for such drivers.

Northern Irish registrations are among the lowest priced number plates, which means they’re also the most cost-effective solution for keeping the age of a car unknown.

Irish private number plates

Those seeking to pick up a personalised or private plate, whether for their own car or as a gift, can sometimes benefit from buying an Irish registration.

As mentioned, Irish number plates have no age indicator, which means you don’t have to consider the car they’ll be assigned to in the future. This can be a great help if you’re purchasing a private plate for a friend or family member as a present. It gives you a lot more scope when buying a private registration for someone else, when you’re not yet sure what year the car they’ll be using in the future will be from, as you can be sure that whichever car they opt for, your number plate present will be a fit.

Only recently has Z become a letter used on number plates here in the UK, and the letter I is still not utilised. It was commonly believed that these characters could be mistaken for the numerals two and one respectively, and to avoid false identification of number plates by the authorities, they were omitted from registrations issued.

On Irish number plates, the letters I or Z are always included to identify them as Irish plates. For car owners with these letters in their name seeking a private plate to show off vehicle ownership, Irish plates can open previously impossible options.

While private plates are notoriously more expensive than regular plates to purchase, Irish plates are often far less costly, allowing those in the market for a personalised plate a more affordable range of choices to consider.

What does an Irish number plate look like?

At a glance, a Northern Irish number plate might look quite similar to the other plates on mainland UK, using black alphanumeric characters on a white background on the front of vehicles and the same style of characters on a yellow plate at the rear, with the registrations always presented on a plate made from reflective material to allow it to be seen clearly at night when unlit.

This style used today in the UK was first adopted by Northern Ireland in 1973 and was the last significant change to number plates in Northern Ireland. This change also saw Northern Irish plates adhere to specific regulations of characters displayed on number plates in terms of size and shape.

The format of the characters and letters that can be used on Irish plates are different, however. Whereas a current UK number plate consists typically of two letters, followed by two numbers, followed by three letters, an Irish registration sequence will display one to three letters followed by between one and four numbers.

The numerals from one through to 999 are for the most part referred to as “cherished registrations” issued only through special requests for an additional fees, and the same is true of numerals with four identical digits like 1111 or 9999. Any other sequence of numbers that exists between the numbers 1000 and 9998 are just allotted on a first come first served basis.

While there is no change due to the look of Irish plates in the future, others have indicated that the supply of available registrations in this format is depleting. One alternative offered has been that the number plates will reverse their format and put the numbers first, followed by letters.

How to read Irish number plates

Reading Irish plates isn’t difficult, but be prepared. As mentioned, unlike current number plates issued in the UK, you won’t be able to work out a car’s age from its registration.

The first character on an Irish plate is just a letter in a sequence, the two following letters denote the origin of where the car was registered. These two characters always feature either an I or a Z to represent Ireland and another letter to denote the county or council issuing them. The numbers that follow are again issued sequentially and have no meaning.

Are Irish number plates legal in UK?

While plates from the Republic of Ireland are illegal in the UK, plates from Northern Ireland, commonly known as “Irish number plates”, can be assigned to vehicles registered in Scotland, England, Wales and of course Northern Ireland itself.

Republic of Ireland (‘Southern Irish’) number plates

The Republic of Ireland has its own format for vehicle registrations, officially known as “index marks”. Number plates were introduced in the Republic of Ireland at the same time as they were in Northern Ireland when the Motor Car Act of 1903 was made law in 1904. The legislation stated that all motorised vehicles being used on public roads throughout Ireland must carry unique number plates issued only by the local authority where the car was first registered.

Registrations in the Republic of Ireland only use black and white plates as opposed to the ones we see on UK roads that feature a yellow plate at the rear to give drivers at-a-glance knowledge of whether they’re looking at the front or back of a car. While the alphanumeric characters used on these registrations are always black on a white reflective field, unlike in Northern Ireland, they don’t have to use a standardised font such as the Charles Wright employed on UK plates. This means that across the Republic of Ireland, you’ll see a wide variety of styles when it comes to number plate characters.

For the most part, it’s common to see the letters IRL and the European Union flag of 12 gold stars, arranged in a circle on a background with a blue reflective finish, located to the side of Republic of Ireland number plates. This symbol must always be placed on the left hand side of the alphanumeric characters. The name of the county, when represented above the registration characters on a number plate, must always be written in Irish – for example, the city of Dublin must be shown as ‘Baile Atha Cliath’.

If car owners are pulling a trailer or caravan, a duplicate of the plate must be clearly visible on the attachment when on the road in Ireland.

Unlike Northern Irish registrations, you can work out how old a Republic of Ireland car is using the current number plate format with ease if you know how to read them. The current format for plates begins with a three-character age identifier that allows you to identify how old a car is to within six months, just like plates issued today in the UK.

From January 2013, the Republic of Ireland has used two registration terms each year. Number plates feature a different three-number year identifier for the first and second six months of a year. For example, a car number plate issued in the first six months of 2019 will begin with the digits 191, and if issued in the second six-month period, they will be 192.

The next characters, often separated from the first three by a dash, feature one or two letters that represent the council or city where the car was registered. The final sequence of one to six digits is issued sequentially from the county council, beginning with the first vehicle registered for the period.

How to tell a vehicle’s age

Since 2001, vehicles registered have been issued with Millennium Registrations. This saw a standard issue registration carrying a format of 2 letters, 2 numbers and 3 letters. Here, the first 2 letters are a regional code and the next 2 are an age identifier where every 6 months a new number format is used. Wondering what the last 3 letters represent? Well, these are just randomly assigned and often sequential amongst registrations. These codes are changed in March and September each year and in March this year we saw the new issue of the ’20’ series plates that will be issued until the end of August 2020.

Therefore, one can often tell the age of a vehicle just by knowing these codes. One of the benefits of a private registration is that it is possible to disguise the age of a vehicle by choosing a dateless private plate! So – what other ways are there to tell the age of a vehicle?

Well, firstly it is important to note that there are often two dates associated with a vehicle’s age. There is the year of manufacturer and the year a vehicle was first registered. Even a brand new vehicle may often have a build year of the prior year compared to the first registered year. This is due to the timings of the vehicle coming out of the factory and on the road for the first time or occasionally not been registered for some time. Generally, these are the same and the year of first registration should be used, for further information regarding number plates meanings.

The V5 Registration Document

This document’s often referred to as a vehicle’s log book offers a wealth of information. Besides offering proof that the holder is a vehicle’s registered keeper as well as providing the necessary forms to update the DVLA of various changes it also provides explicit details of the vehicle.
The V5C has a section entitled ‘Vehicle Details’ – showing everything from the engine capacity and fuel type to the colour and weight of the car. This section also includes the full vehicle registration date. As a result, this document can be used to determine the age of a car.

The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)

The VIN is a universally used serial number used by car manufacturers that uniquely identifies every vehicle made. This alphanumeric code describes the vehicles DNA giving such intricate details of the manufacturer, model, trim, where it was made and most importantly for us, the year of manufacturer. Whilst there is some differences on the positioning of information inside the VIN between Europe and North America, globally, the 10th digit represents the year. Currently, 2020 built vehicles will have a L. This letter sequentially increases each year.
On most vehicles the VIN plate is normally found in a clear section of the glass at the bottom right of the windscreen (when viewed from outside the vehicle). It can also be found on a metal plate that is inside the drivers door below the B pillar.

Code	Year	Code	Year	Code	Year
A	1980	R	1994	8	2008
B	1981	S	1995	9	2009
C	1982	T	1996	A	2010
D	1983	V	1997	B	2011
E	1984	W	1998	C	2012
F	1985	X	1999	D	2013
G	1986	Y	2000	E	2014
H	1987	1	2001	F	2015
J	1988	2	2002	G	2016
K	1989	3	2003	H	2017
L	1990	4	2004	J	2018
M	1991	5	2005	K	2019
N	1992	6	2006	L	2020
P	1993	7	2007	M	2021

Online Services

Another method to determine the age of a vehicle is to look the vehicle up online. Leading automotive website, Car.co.uk, provides an MOT Check service where, using this free tool, It is possible to enter the vehicle’s registration and amongst the wealth of information returned the year is shown.

Is it Illegal to Have No Front Number Plate?

UK roads are used by a multitude of vehicles with a variety of different number plates on display. Cars most commonly carry white and yellow plates with black characters, but older models regarded as “classic” can still sport the previously issued silver and black registrations. Motorcycles have their own system for plates, with some models featuring plates at back and front, but most displaying only a single plate at the rear.

Seeing the different ways plates are displayed, you may be wondering where the law stands on the issue and ask the question ‘is it illegal to have no front number plate?’

Motorists caught displaying their registrations incorrectly can be stopped by traffic police, fail MOT tests and even pay fines of up to £1,000. It is also illegal to re-arrange the letters or obscure a number plate rendering it hard to read.

Read on for everything you need to know to avoid unnecessary fines and stay on the right side of the law.

Vehicles with no front registration

It is against the law in the UK for cars to display no front number plate. All cars on the road are required to display registrations at both the front and rear of the vehicle. The number plate at the front of the car must be white with the index marks clearly visible in black. The rear plate must also show black letters and numbers, but on a yellow plate. Both front and back plates must be made from reflective material to increase their visibility in low lighting conditions. The practicality of this law means that it is possible to tell the front of a vehicle from the rear of the vehicle by seeing the reflective plate and determining if the vehicle is facing you or away from you. This aids navigation, especially at night where a vehicle may not be running and have lights.

The laws governing motorcycle number plates are quite different. Any bike registered on or after September 1st 2001 must not display a registration at the front of the vehicle. A single registration plate must be displayed at the back and, like the ones used on cars, must feature black characters on a yellow reflective plate.

Older models from before September 1st 2001 are entitled to show a plate at the front, but aren’t required by law to do so.

Are stick on front number plates legal?

While stick on number plates were once used by famous models of car such as the E-type Jaguar, today they don’t conform to the British Safety standard BS AU 145D and are best avoided. While sometimes added to caravans and trailers, these should not generally be used on cars.

British Safety Standards dictate that the material a number plate should be made from must have “resistance to bending”. It also insists that plates must be resistant to impact. Unlike the sturdy acrylic utilised in modern registration plates, stick on number plates are not as durable and can potentially rip in a collision or accident.

Plates must be marked with the standard to be legal and can only display BS AU 145D if they’ve been appropriately tested. Another important thing to note is that it is illegal for a number plate to contain a background image. The colour behind the text must be solid. To ensure your plates are in keeping with the many laws and fully road legal, you can make your purchase with New Reg. All our vehicle number plates conform to British Safety Standards, offering you peace of mind.

Why don’t motorcycles have front number plates?

As we mentioned, older models of motorcycle can still use a front plate, but bikes registered after September 1st 2001 aren’t allowed to. This wasn’t always so; before 1975 it was compulsory for motorcycles to display a plate at the front attached to the top of the mudguard, nicknamed a “pedestrian slicer”. Modern motorbikes allow far more space for a plate at the back then they do at the front, making it easier to display plates clearly and safely in this single location. The plates positioned on the mudguards of bikes were only visible if you looked at the vehicle side-on and eventually became obsolete. The laws around motorcycles also cover motor tricycles, too. For more information on motorcycle plate specifications.

Most Expensive Number Plates in Britain!

I’m Steve Jackson OBE, founder of NewReg.co.uk and over the last 35 years I’ve seen that our customers love to browse potential private number plates but who’s got the most expensive taste? With great finance deals and bargain prices available, anybody can afford even the most sought after private number plates.

But what are the most expensive registration plates in Britain? Lets take a look at the top ten.

10.

D1 – £300,096

Even at number 10 on this list of most expensive number plates we are already into the hundreds of thousands. D 1 saw bidding peak over £300,000 when it went to auction at the end of 2015. This minimal number plate was once displayed on a beautiful Rolls Royce Ghost and currently graces a new Land Rover Defender.

09.

GB 1 – £325,000

This fellow Brit is representing his country through number plates. The ninth position on the “Most Expensive Number Plates in Britain” list was sold in 2009 and has also belonged to a Rolls Royce in the past. It is now held on retention and is an example of the great investment potential that number plates have as it has doubled in value!

08.

M 1 – £331,500

Over my many years in the private number plates industry I’ve seen that private plates make the perfect gift and this one was purchased by a father for his son in 2006.

07.

1 S – £340,000

In 2010 this private plate was purchased and made its home on a Rolls Royce Phantom, it is thought to have at least doubled it’s worth since.

06.

1 D – £352,411

As with many of these top-end private number plates the ‘1 D’ reg is assigned to a top-end vehicle; a Bentley Bentayga.

05.

S 1 – £404,063

This plate is believed to have been the first legal number plate assigned in Scotland, which the format reflects More recently it has been estimated closer to a value of one million pounds.

04.

F 1 – £440,625

One of the most sought after private number plates, F 1 could quite easily take over those above it in this list due to how much attention it receives. This number plate is owned by Afzal Kahn a tycoon in the car-tuning industry, who purchased the registration number in 2006. Due to offers made to its owner this number’s value is believed to be in the multiples of millions – originally assigned to his Bugatti Veyron it is now on retention.

03.

G 1 – £500,000

Currently adorned on an Range Rover Sport this number plate was sold in 2011, at the time making it the most expensive registration plate in the UK, it has since been listed at more than double this amount.

02.

X 1 – £502,500

Bought in 2012 the ‘X 1′ number plate knocked ‘G 1‘ off its top position just a year into its reign. DVLA information shows the plate belongs to a Mercedes registered in 2008.

01.

25 O – £518,480

John Collins is a classic car dealer who purchased this number plate in 2014 for over half a million pounds, and topped the UK’s ‘most expensive number plates’ table. It was the perfect registration to assign to his Ferrari 250 GT SWB, itself worth an impressive £10 million at the time but the number is now on retention.

A pair of private number plates!

Another notable private plates sale occurred in 2018 where number plates SW 1 and 1 SW were sold together at auction house Coys in Westminster for £300,000.

Private Number Plates as an Investment.

Like myself, many buyers see these unique and minimal private number plates as an investment and here at New Reg we’ve been selling personalised number plates to some of the most discerning buyers and even owned our fair share of these top-end private plates, these are just a few:

Here at NewReg we’ve had our fair share of these top-end personalised reg plates, these are just a few:

most expensive private plates (UK) - private number plates previously owned or sold by New Reg

Check out our private plate investments page to see private registration plates that are likely to raise in value. If you are looking for your own personalised number plate then we have plates to suit any budget, too! For more information on what makes plates valueable.

A Brief History Of Vehicle Number Plates

My interest in private plates isn’t limited to buying and selling them, it includes their history. Little did I know that when I started out selling personalised number plates over 35 years ago that New Reg would become part of that history being the first company with an online presence!

With the new ‘74′ number plates just on the road and the ’25’ private registrations soon to be issued you may be interested as to how and why vehicle number plates are structured the way they are.

The sheer amount of vehicles on the road have led to some major alterations . So here is a quick look into the history of the number plates of Britain.

1903 – The Birth Of The Number Plate

The Motor Car Act is issued into force. Section 2 requiring every motor vehicle (including motorbikes) to be placed on an official register and to adorn an alphanumerical plate. This was in part due to an increase in vehicle accidents becoming more frequent; being able to identify vehicles became a necessity.

With the new ‘20’ number plates just around the corner you may be interested as to how and why vehicle plates are structured the way they are. There have been four major alterations to this system so far as registrations try to keep up with the sheer amount of vehicles on the road. So here is a quick look into the history of number plates of Britain.

The first number plate was issued following the Motor Car Act of 1903

One of the first of these new registrations issued, A 1, consisted of one letter and one number and belonged to Earl Russell, who is believed to have had his butler camp outside the registry office all night to ensure he got the plate he was after. While it would make sense that A 1 was the first number plate to be issued it is thought that Y 1 and DY 1 pre-date it.

These new plates didn’t identify the vehicle’s age but each area was allocated certain letters as their area code and the numbers on the registration plates were just issued in order so A 1 was issued in London and Y 1 and DY 1 were issued in Hastings.

Dateless number plates are now in very high demand due to how unique they are and the fact they hide the age of an older car for example and so are now sought after private plates. There are some combinations of number plates that were never used and DVLA will issue these into their private number plates auctions. Take a look at the following dateless private number plates examples available at NewReg.co.uk.

1920 – Local Councils Take Over Registrations

The Roads Act of 1920 saw the expansion of areas around the UK and different letters given to each council to issue on their vehicle plates. For example, London stuck with the letter A and up north my home town Lancashire was given B!

1950s – A Solution To The Motoring Boom

Car ownership increased dramatically between 1950 and 1970 and so as you can imagine it didn’t take long until the registration numbers were reaching their limit of combinations. This was countered simply by reversing the digits and letters, going instead from ‘ABC 123′ to ‘123 ABC’ but eventually these registration mark combinations also ran out.

1963 – Suffix Number Plates

The solution was the Suffix number plates system.

The Suffix system allowed for essentially a yearly re-use of each registration mark by adding a letter at the end of every number plate that changed each year to indicate the year the vehicle was manufactured. So ABC 1A in 1963, ABC 1B in 1964, ABC 1D in 1965 and so on.

Since 1903 everything had been done manually which meant it was very time consuming, leading to an over-hall of the entire system. This new system involved some much needed updated technologies such as the use of computers which improved the speed of police checks and registration details, among other areas.

1973 – Reflective Number Plates

Prior to this date physical number plates had only seen minimal changes to their black and silver design. But with 1973 came the requirement to have reflective number plates that had to be particular colours. The front number plate was to be black writing on a white background and the rear yellow background on the back.

reflective number plates were introduced in 1973

1974 – DVLA

The Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) takes over, then know as The Department of Transport (DoT), removing vehicle registration responsibilities from local councils and working from Vehicle Registration Offices. Some number plate area codes were changed.

1983 – Prefix number plates

The Prefix system comes into play, moving the letter that indicates the year to the beginning of the registration.

There are three sections to this registration plate; the first being the yearly letter beginning with A in 1983, then a number followed by three letters. The first letter is random and provides variation to the number plates but the last two letters show where the vehicle was registered using its area code.

1989 – DVLA Personalised Registrations

DVLA (or DVLC as they were known as at the time) began selling private registration plates in December 1989 at their first ever auction. The first lot offered that day was 99 MG but the biggest private plates sale that day was 1 A which sold for a whopping £160,000!

1991 – DVLA Release A Prefix Private Number Plates for sale

When DVLA registered vehicles they withheld using numbers A1-A20 realising their desirability and so in 1990 offered these “private plates” for sale, eventually increasing the range to include other prefix registrations.

I launched New Reg to coincide with the A prefix private number plates being released and also made sure to purchase several private number plates myself.

Some became the talk of the town, for example A11 BLU which was assigned to my blue Peugeot 205 Dimma, A11 RED used by my brother on his matching red Peugeot 205 Dimma and A11 GTE which my friend and New Reg’s IT Guru / future director Jon Taylor used on his Vauxhall Astra GTE.

Within 12 months the H prefix private number plates were released and I purchased H11 STE for another of my cars!

one of my first private number plates H11 STE - Hi! Ste

2001 – Current Style Number Plates

In September 2001 the Current style numbers and private plates were introduced. Consisting of two letters used as a regional identifier , a two-figure age identifier and then three random letters.

2001 - the current style number system was introduced in September

This order and structure is used as Police evidence showed that people tend to remember letters over numbers. Plus, as we read from left to right it made sense to have the number plate local code at the beginning so that is in short how the current style registration plate works.

2020

2020 sees the introduction of green plates. These can only be displayed on electric vehicles and show a green flash on the left-hand side of the number plate similar to the regional flags that can also be used on a personalised number plate.

only electric vehicles can display green number plates

The Future of Number Plates

New technologies have led to massive changes since the very first motor car with in some cases a vehicle model being unrecognisable from their original version. The registrations they display as I’ve explained have also seen changes over the years. But what’s next? It’s a while off but will the current style continue as intended until 2099 and then be reversed or will a new system replace it?

Either way private number plates are here to stay!

Why are Number Plates Yellow and White?

from the black and white plates of France to the multi-coloured registrations of Australia, every country across the world has its own laws regarding the colours that vehicle plates must be presented in. While it hasn’t always been the case, the colours of the number plates displayed on UK vehicles today are yellow and white.

Number plate colours in the UK

For UK cars to be road legal, they must feature a white plate made of reflective material at the front of the vehicle featuring characters in black, and a yellow coloured plate at the rear with the reg in black characters.

There are a few exceptions to this rule. For example, the black and white registrations sported by UK military vehicles don’t use reflective material for their plates. The reflective surface can render vehicles more easily targeted by enemy forces.

Cars considered classic by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) are also allowed to carry the older style of registration used in the UK. These plates are black in colour and feature the index marks in either white or silver. Cars that are 40 years in age or older are afforded several allowances, such as no annual MOT tests, but they are also allowed to legally use older styles of plates that differ from the yellow and white plates more commonly seen.

Why are number plates yellow and white?

The main purpose of a number plate is to allow quick and clear identification of its numbers and letters to other motorists and the authorities alike, more information regarding how number plates work. When either an accident or criminal act occurs involving a vehicle, it provides a fast way to find out essential details for the police.

It’s vital that number plates are always easy to read in a variety of weather and lighting conditions and it was deemed by experts that black characters on a white background provide the most legible combination. Black characters on a yellow background is the second most easy to read mix of colours, and so yellow was picked for rear plates.

Why are rear number plates yellow?

If white and black is the combination that’s easiest to read, why use a yellow plate at all? According to the DVLA, having a white plate at the front and a yellow plate at the back is designed to give drivers on the road a very quick way of telling if they’re looking at the front or rear of a vehicle. With this knowledge they can gauge how likely the vehicle is to be moving away or towards their own car’s location.

It’s also illegal to show a white light at the rear of your vehicle because plates are made of reflective material and so this could cause confusion.

Adding colour to your number plate

UK plates used today must be white and yellow with black alphanumeric characters, but there are still ways to put some colour on your plate while keeping to the laws. It’s possible to add one of the UK’s national flags for a little colour on your number plates. For example, you can include the white, blue and red of the Union Jack, a red and white St George cross, or a blue and white cross of St Andrew for Scotland. You can also include a red dragon of Wales standing on a field of green.

One of the latest legal styles of number plates is 4D registrations. These plates feature specially laser-cut characters that are presented in black to be legal and are raised from the registration.

Whose Number Plate Is This?

In this age of data protection, there are very strict guidelines regarding personal privacy here in the UK. However, there are still some circumstances in which it’s possible to find out who a specific number plate belongs to.

If you’ve seen a car parked on your land or left abandoned and wondered “whose number plate is this?”, read on for some steps you might be able to take to find out.

Looking up a number plate with the DVLA

There is a wealth of information you can discover about a vehicle just by glancing at it, including how old it is. This is because modern UK plates include an age indicator. You can find out even more about a car by looking up its registration online with the DVLA. You can discover if a car is taxed, its current tax rate and when it expires. You can find the exact date it was first registered and when its MOT is valid until. If the car the plate belongs to has Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) status, you’ll see this along with when its last V5 registration was issued.

You can unearth plenty of information about the car itself too. The vehicle’s weight will be listed as well as its engine size. You can see the kind of fuel it requires and further information about its CO2 emission levels. What you won’t find immediately listed is who the vehicle’s registered keeper is.

How to find a car owner by its number plate

In some cases, it’s possible to discover the owner of a vehicle or its previous owner through the DVLA, but you must have what the organisations refers to as “reasonable cause”. Such causes are listed on the government website and include discovering a driver responsible for causing an accident and tracking down the keeper of a car that’s been abandoned. If a car has been parked on private land illegally, you can also trace the registered keeper via a request.

If you’re employed by an organisation that issues parking tickets or you hand out charge notices for acts of trespass, you’ll be able to trace the owner of a plate. If your firm traces individuals suspected of committing insurance fraud, you’ll also be able to access this information – and if you are tracing a motorist who has driven off without appropriate payment for services or goods, the DVLA can also help. In this last scenario, you can also contact the police directly for information when you report the theft.

How to find an address by using a licence plate number

Since they were first introduced in the early 20th century when the Motor Car Act was officially passed, vehicle registrations have included information about the area a car was first registered. While the system for plates has changed over the years, you can still discover this information if you know what to look for.

While privacy laws in the UK don’t allow you to find someone’s address from their plate number, here at New Reg, you can use our helpful tables and search function to discover the specific region where a vehicle was first registered.

How to buy a specific number plate

If you’ve seen a number plate you wish to buy on a car, you might want to approach its owner to find out if they’re willing to sell. The DVLA won’t provide you with this personal information in this instance. With a massive selection of personalised registrations available here at New Reg, you can select from private plates where the owners have already decided to sell. Using our filtering options and helpful suggestions, there’s a good chance you’ll find a character combination close to the one you’ve seen.

When Do New Number Plates Come Out?

While this wasn’t always the case, in the UK today, vehicle number plates are issued in two releases each year. The current format for plates allows those looking at the car on which it’s displayed to work out its age down to six months.

It’s illegal in the UK to make a car appear younger than it is by attaching more recent number plates to it that don’t reflect its age, but when do new number plates come out? Read on for all the information you require:

Bi-annual releases of UK registrations

New registrations plates are issued in the UK twice a year, once in March and again in September. The third and fourth characters on the current format of registrations are numbers that reveal the age of the vehicle.

Plates issued in the first release on March 1st take these numbers from the last two digits of the year date. For example, for 2019, these characters are a one and a nine. To differentiate them from the plates issued in the first release, plates issued on September 1st take the year date numerals and add 50. Therefore, for 2019, plates issued in the second release show a six and nine for their third and fourth characters.

The present system for number plates in the UK can therefore continue until the end of February 2051. The last age identifier used on this run of plates will be “00”. After this point the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency will be required to review the number plate system and develop a new format for registrations issued.

What will 2020 number plates be?

Plates issued in January and February are still part of the second batch of registrations released for 2019, so will feature a six and nine as their third and fourth characters. From March 1st 2020, these characters will be two and zero. The second batch of plates issued for 2020, from September 1st, will present a seven and zero.

Can you pre-buy new release number plates?

If you’re looking to buy a personalised plate number at some time in the future, or you’re seeking to replace the one you have now, it might interest you to know which plate numbers will soon be released. Here at New Reg, we can help you in planning ahead to pick up the perfect plate at a future date.

With specialist understanding of all kinds of number plates, including exactly what the numbers and letters they display indicate and when during the year they’re released, our experts can ensure you’ll never miss the opportunity to purchase a soon-to-be-released plate number when it’s available for buying.

At New Reg, we allow you to register an interest in a special future plate you’d like to secure for your use. Near to the time of the plate’s release, our team will get in touch with a range of options developed to make certain you get your shot at buying your dream plate. We’ll not only register you with priority status but provide you with all the important details you need to make your order.

We employ a handy release alert tool capable of matching your interest to future number plate issues set for the UK. The only details you’ll be required to supply us with are some basic contact information along with the registration you’re seeking to buy. When our team discover your ideal plate is coming up for release, they’ll contact you immediately. Our innovative alert system tracking new registrations’ release dates is highly efficient at aiding customers in purchasing the plate they seek.

When Can A Number Plate Fail An MOT?

If your car is over three years old and less than 40 years of age, you’re required to take it for an annual MOT test to ensure it’s safe to drive on roads in the UK. Since 2018, the new guidelines for MOT tests state that vehicle number plates are the first part of a car that should be inspected.

The new rules include a clarification from the Driver and Vehicle Safety Agency (DVSA) that the term “inscription” now refers to the registration number only, and not the plate on which it is presented. It also separates vehicle issues into five categories – dangerous, minor, major, pass and advisory – and states that all major, minor and dangerous defects must be recorded.

Are non-standard number plates an MOT failure?

A customised number plate that no longer adheres to the requirements for registrations listed by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) can result in a failure at MOT testing.

If the background of your plate features any kind of overprinting, this will be classed as a “Major Defect”, also known as MOT failure. For example, if your plate features a honeycomb or other effect and your car was first registered on or after September 1st 2001, this will result in a test failure.

If the alphanumeric characters on your plate, or the fixings that attach the plate to the car, have been altered, thus changing the legibility or appearance of your registration, this will be a cause of failure as well.

If you purchase your number plates from New Reg, you can avoid the unnecessary stress of wondering if they’re likely to fail your test. All plates we provide are road legal to use here in the UK.

Is a number plate light an MOT failure?

Broken lights that are supposed to illuminate number plates will fail at MOT and need to be replaced. Also, bear in mind that while number plates should always be appropriately lit to ensure they can be clearly read by other drivers, members of the public and officials, it’s not legal for registrations to feature lights for design.

If you’ve been driving across the UK, you may have come across motorists sporting blue lights on their plates. This is an illegal feature for vehicle number plates and can result in fines of up to £1,000 if spotted by the authorities. It can also result in your car failing its annual MOT test.

The reason for blue lights being illegal is that they are employed by emergency services here in the UK. The police, fire and rescue, and ambulances all employ blue lights that can flash on their vehicles. These are designed to facilitate their movement on congested roads so they can get to where they’re needed as quickly as possible. Other drivers seeing the lights will give way and allow them to move more easily on the road.

Will a cracked number plate fail an MOT?

MOT tests insist that your number plate must not be excessively damaged, obscured, delaminated or deteriorated. If the number plate on your car has suffered extensive damage in a collision or has become worn and difficult to read over time, you should replace it before your MOT test or it could result in a failure.

If you’re worried about the condition of your plates, why run the risk of them resulting in MOT failure? Number plates are not expensive to replace, and at New Reg, we’ll be happy to assist and help ensure your plates arrive on time for your annual test. A damaged number plate could be classed by those testing your vehicle as a “Major Defect”, which would result in MOT failure.