DVLA rules stipulate you may not use a number plate, car registration number to make a vehicle appear newer, than it actually is. Below are details of the issue dates of Suffix, Prefix & Current style registrations that these rules apply to including personal car number plates.
Current Style
Current Style Number Plates – The format changed in September 2001, the year indicated was no longer a Letter at the end of the DVLA number plate. The Year indicator is now the two numbers on the plate with the first two characters indicating the vehicle registration office that issued & the three letter combination to the right of the numbers being random. The Issue dates for current style number plates can be seen below:
| Year Indicator | Issue Date | Year Indicator | Issue Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | September 2001-February 2002 | 02 | March 2002-August 2002 |
| 52 | September 2002-February 2003 | 03 | March 2003-August 2003 |
| 53 | September 2003-February 2004 | 04 | March 2004-August 2004 |
| 54 | September 2004-February 2005 | 05 | March 2005-August 2005 |
| 55 | September 2005-February 2006 | 06 | March 2006-August 2006 |
| 56 | September 2006-February 2007 | 07 | March 2007-August 2007 |
| 57 | September 2007-February 2008 | 08 | March 2008-August 2008 |
| 58 | September 2008-February 2009 | 09 | March 2009-August 2009 |
| 59 | September 2009-February 2010 | 10 | March 2010-August 2010 |
| 60 | September 20010-February 2011 | 11 | March 2011-August 2011 |
| 61 | September 20011-February 2012 | 12 | March 2012-August 2012 |
| 62 | September 20012-February 2013 | 13 | March 2013-August 2013 |
Prefix Style
Prefix Number Plates – The style of number plates changed in August 1983 with the launch of Prefix number plates. All numbers 1-20 were omitted from the entire series of prefix numbers and most were available to purchase as personal car number plates. Issue dates for Prefix number plates can be seen in the table below:| Prefix Year Indicator | Issue Date | PrefixYear Indicator | Issue Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1St August 83 – 31St July 84 | M | 1St August 94 – 31St July 95 |
| B | 1St August 84 – 31St July 85 | N | 1St August 95 – 31St July 96 |
| C | 1St August 85 – 31St July 86 | P | 1St August 96 – 31St July 97 |
| D | 1St August 86 – 31St July 87 | R | 1St August 97 – 31St July 98 |
| E | 1St August 87 – 31St July 88 | S | 1St August 98 – 28 February 99 |
| F | 1St August 88 – 31St July 89 | T | 1st March 99 – 31Stst August 99 |
| G | 1St August 89 – 31St July 90 | V | 1st September 99 -29th February 00 |
| H | 1St August 90 – 31St July 91 | W | 1st March 00 – 31Stst August 00 |
| J | 1St August 91 – 31St July 92 | X | 1st September 00 -28th February 01 |
| K | 1St August 92 – 31St July 93 | Y | 1st March 01 – 31Stst August 01 |
| L | 1St August 93 – 31St July 94 | ||
Suffix Style
Suffix Number Plates – DVLA number plate format changed in April 1953 with the first year letter suffix AHX 1A issued in Middlesex. Year indicators for suffix registrations:
| Suffix Year Indicator | Issue Date | Suffix Year Indicator | Issue Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1st February 63 – 31st December 63 | M | 1st August 73 – 31st July 74 |
| B | 1st January 64 – 31st December 64 | N | 1st August 74 – 31st July 75 |
| C | 1st January 65 – 31st December 65 | P | 1st August 75 – 31st July 76 |
| D | 1st January 66 – 31st December 66 | R | 1st August 76 – 31st July 77 |
| E | 1st January 67 – 31st July 67 | S | 1st August 77 – 31st July 78 |
| F | 1st August 67 – 31st July 68 | T | 1st August 78 – 31st July 79 |
| G | 1st August 68 – 31st July 69 | V | 1st August 79 – 31st July 80 |
| H | 1st August 69 – 31st July 70 | W | 1st August 80 – 31st July 81 |
| J | 1st August 70 – 31st July 71 | X | 1st August 81 – 31st July 82 |
| K | 1st August 71 – 31st July 72 | Y | 1st August 82 – 31st July 83 |
| L | 1st August 72 – 31st July 73 | ||