Free UK number plate year checker
What year is my number plate?
Type a reg, or just the age identifier, to see when it was issued, how old the car is and what the plate can go on. Every format since 1963.
Try , , , , . Checked in your browser: we never see or store the reg.
How UK plates show their age
Current format
September 2001 – now
The two numbers are the age identifier. March plates use the year (18 = March 2018); September plates add 50 (68 = September 2018).
Latest: the 76 platePrefix
August 1983 – August 2001
The first letter shows the year. It changed every August until 1999, then every March and September.
What year is an S reg?Suffix
1963 – July 1983
The last letter shows the year, changing each January until 1967 and each August after that.
What year is a V reg?Northern Ireland plates and pre-1963 plates carry no age identifier. Dateless, Northern Irish and Q plates
Latest age identifiers
Full year chart, 1963 to now| Plate | Issued | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 27 plate | 1 March 2027 – 31 August 2027 | Coming next |
| 76 plate | 1 September 2026 – 28 February 2027 | Being issued now |
| 26 plate | 1 March 2026 – 31 August 2026 | Issued |
| 75 plate | 1 September 2025 – 28 February 2026 | Issued |
| 25 plate | 1 March 2025 – 31 August 2025 | Issued |
| 74 plate | 1 September 2024 – 28 February 2025 | Issued |
| 24 plate | 1 March 2024 – 31 August 2024 | Issued |
Guides
- How old is my car? Working out age from the regWhat the plate tells you about a car’s age, and when it doesn’t.
- What year car can my private plate go on?The one rule DVLA applies, with examples for every plate format.
- How UK number plates show their ageCurrent, prefix and suffix formats explained, and why plates change in March and September.
- Dateless, Northern Irish and Q platesPlates with no year on them: what they are and what they can go on.
Common questions
How can I tell what year my number plate is?
Find the age identifier. On plates since September 2001 it’s the two numbers (AB67 CDE). On older plates it’s a single letter: at the start for 1983–2001 (S123 ABC) or at the end for 1963–1983 (ABC 123V). Plates with no identifier are dateless.
What is the newest number plate?
76 plates are issued from 1 September 2026 to 28 February 2027. The 27 plate starts on 1 March 2027.
When do number plates change?
Twice a year, on 1 March and 1 September. March plates use the last two digits of the year; September plates add 50.
Does the number plate show how old my car is?
It shows when the car was first registered in the UK, which is usually close to when it was built. Imported cars and cars on private plates can be older or newer than the plate suggests, so check the V5C log book for the exact date.
Can a private plate make my car look newer?
No. DVLA doesn’t allow a plate that makes a vehicle look newer than it is. A plate can go on a vehicle first registered on or after the start of the plate’s period, and dateless plates can go on anything.