Beginning in September 2001, the DVLA changed the format of all new number plates from the Prefix style to the Current style.
The current format consists of a total of 7 characters, including a 2-digit age identifier that denotes the original year of issue.
These 2 digits aren’t immediately obvious what year they convey, but recognising the pattern of these numbers is an easy way to determine the approximate age of the vehicle on which the number plate resides.
(Although older-issue registrations can be applied to newer vehicles as cherished plates, so it’s not always an accurate determination.)
There are two variations of the numbers on these plates depending on what time of year they were released. The easiest to decipher are the number plates released in March as these are simply the final 2 digits of the current year, e.g. a 17 plate is from 2017, a 21 plate from 2021 etc.
The number plates released in September of a given year use a slightly different format. It’s the current year digits once again, but plus 50.
So a 67 plate is from 2017 (17 + 50 = 67), and a 71 plate is from 2021. You get the idea.
Here’s a guide on what these 2 digit age identifiers mean in terms of years, for all existing and future years of registration plates – up to the year 2050.
Year Identifier Reference Table
| Year | March – August | September – February |
|---|---|---|
| 2001/02 | 51 | |
| 2002/03 | 02 | 52 |
| 2003/04 | 03 | 53 |
| 2004/05 | 04 | 54 |
| 2005/06 | 05 | 55 |
| 2006/07 | 06 | 56 |
| 2007/08 | 07 | 57 |
| 2008/09 | 08 | 58 |
| 2009/10 | 09 | 59 |
| 2010/11 | 10 | 60 |
| 2011/12 | 11 | 61 |
| 2012/13 | 12 | 62 |
| 2013/14 | 13 | 63 |
| 2014/15 | 14 | 64 |
| 2015/16 | 15 | 65 |
| 2016/17 | 16 | 66 |
| 2017/18 | 17 | 67 |
| 2018/19 | 18 | 68 |
| 2019/20 | 19 | 69 |
| 2020/21 | 20 | 70 |
| 2021/22 | 21 | 71 |
| 2022/23 | 22 | 72 |
| 2023/24 | 23 | 73 |
| 2024/25 | 24 | 74 |
| 2025/26 | 25 | 75 |
| 2026/27 | 26 | 76 |
| 2027/28 | 27 | 77 |
| 2028/29 | 28 | 78 |
| 2029/30 | 29 | 79 |
| 2030/31 | 30 | 80 |
| 2031/32 | 31 | 81 |
| 2032/33 | 32 | 82 |
| 2033/34 | 33 | 83 |
| 2034/35 | 34 | 84 |
| 2035/36 | 35 | 85 |
| 2036/37 | 36 | 86 |
| 2037/38 | 37 | 87 |
| 2038/39 | 38 | 88 |
| 2039/40 | 39 | 89 |
| 2040/41 | 40 | 90 |
| 2041/42 | 41 | 91 |
| 2042/43 | 42 | 92 |
| 2043/44 | 43 | 93 |
| 2044/45 | 44 | 94 |
| 2045/46 | 45 | 95 |
| 2046/47 | 46 | 96 |
| 2047/48 | 47 | 97 |
| 2048/49 | 48 | 98 |
| 2049/50 | 49 | 99 |
| 2050/51 | 50 | 00 |
What Year is a 51 Number Plate?
A 51 reg number plate is a 2001 year registration. 51 Plates were released in September 2001 and were originally applied to new vehicles up until March 2002.
Check out a selection of 51 reg number plates for sale that can be applied to any vehicle registered after September 2001.
What Year is a 52 Number Plate?
A 52 reg number plate is a 2002 year registration. 52 Plates were released in September 2002 and were originally applied to new vehicles up until March 2003.
Check out a selection of 52 reg number plates for sale that can be applied to any vehicle registered after September 2002.
What Year is a 53 Number Plate?
A 53 reg number plate is a 2003 year registration. 53 Plates were released in September 2003 and were originally applied to new vehicles up until March 2004.
Check out a selection of 53 reg number plates for sale that can be applied to any vehicle registered after September 2003.
What Year is a 54 Number Plate?
A 54 reg number plate is a 2004 year registration. 54 Plates were released in September 2004 and were originally applied to new vehicles up until March 2005.
Check out a selection of 54 reg number plates for sale that can be applied to any vehicle registered after September 2004.
What Year is a 55 Number Plate?
A 55 reg number plate is a 2005 year registration. 55 Plates were released in September 2005 and were originally applied to new vehicles up until March 2006.
Check out a selection of 55 reg number plates for sale that can be applied to any vehicle registered after September 2005.
What Year is a 56 Number Plate?
A 56 reg number plate is a 2006 year registration. 56 Plates were released in September 2006 and were originally applied to new vehicles up until March 2007.
Check out a selection of 56 reg number plates for sale that can be applied to any vehicle registered after September 2006.
What Year is a 57 Number Plate?
A 57 reg number plate is a 2007 year registration. 57 Plates were released in September 2007 and were originally applied to new vehicles up until March 2008.
Check out a selection of 57 reg number plates for sale that can be applied to any vehicle registered after September 2007.
What Year is a 58 Number Plate?
A 58 reg number plate is a 2008 year registration. 58 Plates were released in September 2008 and were originally applied to new vehicles up until March 2009.
Check out a selection of 58 reg number plates for sale that can be applied to any vehicle registered after September 2008.
What Year is a 59 Number Plate?
A 59 reg number plate is a 2009 year registration. 59 Plates were released in September 2009 and were originally applied to new vehicles up until March 2010.
Check out a selection of 59 reg number plates for sale that can be applied to any vehicle registered after September 2009.
What Year is a 60 Number Plate?
A 60 reg number plate is a 2010 year registration. 60 Plates were released in September 2010 and were originally applied to new vehicles up until March 2011.
Check out a selection of 60 reg number plates for sale that can be applied to any vehicle registered after September 2010.
What Year is a 61 Number Plate?
A 61 reg number plate is a 2011 year registration. 61 Plates were released in September 2011 and were originally applied to new vehicles up until March 2012.
Check out a selection of 61 reg number plates for sale that can be applied to any vehicle registered after September 2011.
What Year is a 62 Number Plate?
A 62 reg number plate is a 2012 year registration. 62 Plates were released in September 2012 and were originally applied to new vehicles up until March 2013.
Check out a selection of 62 reg number plates for sale that can be applied to any vehicle registered after September 2012.
What Year is a 63 Number Plate?
A 63 reg number plate is a 2013 year registration. 63 Plates were released in September 2013 and were originally applied to new vehicles up until March 2014.
Check out a selection of 63 reg number plates for sale that can be applied to any vehicle registered after September 2013.
What Year is a 64 Number Plate?
A 64 reg number plate is a 2014 year registration. 64 Plates were released in September 2014 and were originally applied to new vehicles up until March 2015.
Check out a selection of 64 reg number plates for sale that can be applied to any vehicle registered after September 2014.
What Year is a 65 Number Plate?
A 65 reg number plate is a 2015 year registration. 65 Plates were released in September 2015 and were originally applied to new vehicles up until March 2016.
Check out a selection of 65 reg number plates for sale that can be applied to any vehicle registered after September 2015.
What Year is a 66 Number Plate?
A 66 reg number plate is a 2016 year registration. 66 Plates were released in September 2016 and were originally applied to new vehicles up until March 2017.
Check out a selection of 66 reg number plates for sale that can be applied to any vehicle registered after September 2016.
What Year is a 67 Number Plate?
A 67 reg number plate is a 2017 year registration. 67 Plates were released in September 2017 and were originally applied to new vehicles up until March 2018.
Check out a selection of 67 reg number plates for sale that can be applied to any vehicle registered after September 2017.
What Year is a 68 Number Plate?
A 68 reg number plate is a 2018 year registration. 68 Plates were released in September 2018 and were originally applied to new vehicles up until March 2019.
Check out a selection of 68 reg number plates for sale that can be applied to any vehicle registered after September 2018.
What Year is a 69 Number Plate?
A 69 reg number plate is a 2019 year registration. 69 Plates were released in September 2019 and were originally applied to new vehicles up until March 2020.
Check out a selection of 69 reg number plates for sale that can be applied to any vehicle registered after September 2019.
What Year is a 70 Number Plate?
A 70 reg number plate is a 2020 year registration. 70 Plates were released in September 2020 and were originally applied to new vehicles up until March 2021.
Check out a selection of 70 reg number plates for sale that can be applied to any vehicle registered after September 2020.
What Year is a 71 Number Plate?
A 71 reg number plate is a 2021 year registration. 71 Plates were released in September 2021 and were originally applied to new vehicles up until March 2022.
Check out a selection of 71 reg number plates for sale that can be applied to any vehicle registered after September 2021.
What Year is a 72 Number Plate?
A 72 reg number plate is a 2022 year registration. 72 Plates will be released in September 2022 and will be applied to new vehicles up until March 2023.
Check out a selection of 72 reg number plates for sale that can be applied to any vehicle registered after September 2022.