Dateless, Northern Irish and Q plates
Last checked 3 November 2026
Dateless plates
ABC 123 1 AB
Before 1963, Great Britain plates were one to three letters and one to four numbers, with no year letter. Some local offices kept issuing them for a year or two after 1963. Today most dateless marks are traded as private plates because they hide a car’s age.
Northern Ireland plates
ABZ 1234
Northern Ireland never adopted age identifiers. NI registrations are usually three letters, including an I or Z, followed by up to four numbers. A Northern Irish car’s plate can’t tell you its age. NI marks are popular as cheaper dateless private plates in Great Britain.
Q plates
Q123 ABC
DVLA issues a Q plate when it can’t confirm a vehicle’s age or identity. Examples include some kit cars, vehicles rebuilt from parts of different ages, and imports without enough paperwork. A Q plate tells a buyer the age is unknown, and it can’t be transferred to another vehicle.
Finding the age of a car with no year on its plate
Use DVLA’s free vehicle enquiry service, which shows the date of first registration and year of manufacture, or check the V5C log book.
Curious what a dateless plate is worth? Value My Numberplate values them.
Common questions
Can a dateless plate go on any car?
Yes. Dateless plates have no age identifier, so they can’t make a vehicle look newer than it is. They can go on a vehicle of any age, subject to DVLA’s normal transfer conditions.
Can I put a Northern Ireland plate on a car in England, Scotland or Wales?
Yes. Northern Ireland registrations can be transferred to vehicles registered in Great Britain, and because they are dateless they can go on a vehicle of any age.
Can I swap a Q plate for a private plate?
A Q registration can’t be transferred to another vehicle. Ask DVLA about your options if your vehicle has one.