Dateless Number Plates

Information about Dateless Number Plates

Dateless number plates are probably the most sought-after type of personalised car registrations. In part, this is because the format does not give away the age of the vehicle. This means they can be used on any kind of car or van, no matter how old or new it is. This differs from current style, or ‘new style’, plates, as these cannot be used if they would make the vehicle appear newer than it is - although they can be used where the opposite is true and they would make the vehicle seem older.

Dateless registration plates can therefore be the best investment for those considering a personalised plate purchase. No matter what kind of vehicle you might own in the future, and whatever the age, you can place a dateless plate like this on it. This desirability makes dateless car registration plates an attractive option.

In 1903, the format of a dateless number plate began with one or two letters that denoted the region of issue followed by a space and then a sequence of numbers from 1-9999 issued sequentially by the issuing office. In 1932, the format of a dateless number plate changed to three letters taken from AAA to YYY, followed by a space and then a sequence of numbers from 1-999 issued sequentially by the issuing office.

As the plates begin with letters, initials are a popular choice, and short names are very sought after indeed. As a general rule, the more common the name, the more people will want that plate. This means that plates representing names that many people share are among the highest demand - think along the lines of JON, SUE, TOM, ANN or BEN, for example.

Dateless plates featuring a very short sequence of letters and numbers are also highly sought after. A plate that comprises just one letter followed by one number will generally fetch the highest prices, while longer sequences tend to be a little more affordable - although once again popularity comes into play.

Plates that end in two numbers are also attractive to buyers, as they can denote the person’s year of birth or perhaps their age. As ages will obviously change each year, they are often avoided, but if the plate is intended as a gift to mark a special occasion - such as a milestone birthday like 18, 21 or 50, then this can serve as a constant reminder of that cherished gift. A wedding anniversary will also fall on the same date each year, which makes a plate showing the day of the wedding a great gift idea.

A dateless number plate may also prove to be a shrewd investment. The perennial popularity of such sequences means they are highly likely to increase in value during ownership. Fashion can play a large part here, however. Take, for instance, the names mentioned above. There are currently lots of drivers called Jon, Sue, Tom, Ann or Ben, but will there be in the future? Tom and Ben remain ever-popular names for boys, but Sue or Susan and Ann or Anne are no longer common choices for baby girls. This can, and will, of course change again in the future. If you own an OLY plate you might be in luck, as Oliver and Olivia were the most popular baby names in Britain in 2018.

You will find it quick and easy to search for your preferred dateless number plate on our website.

What are dateless number plates?

In summary, a dateless number plate is one which contains a letter or sequence of letters, a space, and then a number or combination of numbers. It can be used on any vehicle of any age, which may partially explain the popularity of the dateless style of private number plates among buyers in the UK. We also have a collection of cheap number plates