What year is my number plate?

The two numbers in the middle of a UK number plate tell you when the car was first registered. Since September 2001 they change twice a year: in March the plate takes the last two digits of the year, so 26 means March to August 2026, and in September it adds 50, so 76 means September 2026 to February 2027. Enter a plate to find its year.

How UK number plates work

A current UK number plate has three parts, set by the DVLA. The first two letters are the memory tag, which shows the region where the car was first registered. The two numbers are the age identifier, which shows when. The last three letters are chosen at random. Together they make every registration unique.

Every number plate since 2001

Older number plates

Cars first registered before September 2001 carry a single letter at the start or end of the registration instead of two numbers. Pages for those plates are being prepared; until then, the free check shows the first registration date for any car.

Last updated 11 November 2026. Age identifiers: DVLA leaflet INF104. ULEZ standards: Transport for London. MOT and vehicle tax rules: GOV.UK. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.