What year is a 59 plate?
Why “59”?
September plates add 50 to the year: 09 + 50 = 59.
What can a 59 plate go on?
As a private plate, it can go on any vehicle first registered on or after 1 September 2009. DVLA won’t let a plate make a vehicle look newer than it is, so it can’t go on anything older.
Looking for a plate for an older car? Choose an earlier identifier, or a dateless plate, which can go on a vehicle of any age.
Plates either side
| Plate | Issued |
|---|---|
| 58 plate | 1 September 2008 – 28 February 2009 |
| 09 plate | 1 March 2009 – 31 August 2009 |
| 59 plate | 1 September 2009 – 28 February 2010 |
| 10 plate | 1 March 2010 – 31 August 2010 |
| 60 plate | 1 September 2010 – 28 February 2011 |
Buying or selling the car?
The plate tells you when a car was first registered, not its history. Check its MOT record before you buy.
Common questions
Is a 59 plate 2009 or 2010?
It can be either. 59 plates were issued from 1 September 2009 to 28 February 2010, so a 59 plate car was first registered in 2009 or 2010.
How old is a 59 plate car?
In November 2026, a 59 plate car is 16–17 years old, counted from its first registration. If the plate is a private one the car could be newer.
Can I put a 59 plate on an older car?
No. A plate can’t make a vehicle look newer than it is, so a 59 plate can only go on a vehicle first registered on or after 1 September 2009.
What plate came after 59?
10, issued from 1 March 2010.
Got a full reg? Check it in the year checker or see the full year chart.
Source: GOV.UK: Vehicle registration numbers and number plates (INF104). Ages are worked out from first registration as of 3 November 2026.