UK Number Plate Formats — Current, Prefix, Suffix, Dateless & NI
Every UK registration belongs to one of five formats, and the format tells you the plate's era, its age rules and roughly what it costs. The quick decoder:
Current style (2001–present)
Two letters, two digits, three letters — AB51 CDE. The digits are the half-year age identifier (51 = Sep 2001, 26 = Mar 2026, 76 = Sep 2026). Cheapest and most abundant; name plates come from leetspeak matches.
Prefix (1983–2001)
One letter, 1–3 digits, three letters — A123 BCD. The leading letter is the year. Big name-plate territory and where most cherished single-letter combos live.
Suffix (1963–1983)
Three letters, 1–3 digits, one letter — ABC 123D. The mirror of prefix. Older and increasingly collectible.
Dateless (pre-1963)
Up to three letters and three digits with no year identifier — fits any vehicle, which is why they command the highest prices. Short dateless plates are the investment grade of the market.
Northern Irish
Always contains an I or Z (ABZ 1234). Ageless like dateless, but at budget prices — the cheapest way to make a car's age disappear.