P number plates: Preston area codes
A current number plate starting with P was first registered in the Preston region. The second letter shows which of 2 DVLA office areas it comes from: Preston and Carlisle.
P area codes and office areas
| Office area | Area codes |
|---|---|
| Preston | PA PB PC PD PE PF PG PH PJ PK PL PM PN PO PP PR PS PT |
| Carlisle | PU PV PW PX PY |
Area code questions
Where is a PA number plate from?
PA plates come from the Preston office area, in the Preston region. The memory tag shows where the car was first registered, not where it is kept now.
Does the area code tell you where the car has been kept?
No. The memory tag is set when the car is first registered and stays with the registration, so a car can be kept anywhere in the country for its whole life. A private plate can also carry a memory tag from anywhere.
What do the other parts of the number plate mean?
The two numbers after the memory tag are the age identifier, which shows when the car was first registered, and the last three letters are chosen at random so that every registration is unique.
Other regions
- A Anglia
- B Birmingham
- C Cymru (Wales)
- D Deeside to Shrewsbury
- E Essex
- F Forest and Fens
- G Garden of England
- H Hampshire and Dorset
- K Borehamwood and Northampton
- L London
- M Manchester and Merseyside
- N North
- O Oxford
- R Reading
- S Scotland
- V Severn Valley
- W West of England
- Y Yorkshire
Last updated 11 November 2026. Memory tags: DVLA leaflet INF104, Vehicle registration numbers and number plates. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.