What year is a 65 plate?
Why “65”?
September plates add 50 to the year: 15 + 50 = 65.
What can a 65 plate go on?
As a private plate, it can go on any vehicle first registered on or after 1 September 2015. 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 |
|---|---|
| 64 plate | 1 September 2014 – 28 February 2015 |
| 15 plate | 1 March 2015 – 31 August 2015 |
| 65 plate | 1 September 2015 – 29 February 2016 |
| 16 plate | 1 March 2016 – 31 August 2016 |
| 66 plate | 1 September 2016 – 28 February 2017 |
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 65 plate 2015 or 2016?
It can be either. 65 plates were issued from 1 September 2015 to 29 February 2016, so a 65 plate car was first registered in 2015 or 2016.
How old is a 65 plate car?
In November 2026, a 65 plate car is 10–11 years old, counted from its first registration. If the plate is a private one the car could be newer.
Can I put a 65 plate on an older car?
No. A plate can’t make a vehicle look newer than it is, so a 65 plate can only go on a vehicle first registered on or after 1 September 2015.
What plate came after 65?
16, issued from 1 March 2016.
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.