What year is a 72 plate?
Why “72”?
September plates add 50 to the year: 22 + 50 = 72.
What can a 72 plate go on?
As a private plate, it can go on any vehicle first registered on or after 1 September 2022. 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 |
|---|---|
| 71 plate | 1 September 2021 – 28 February 2022 |
| 22 plate | 1 March 2022 – 31 August 2022 |
| 72 plate | 1 September 2022 – 28 February 2023 |
| 23 plate | 1 March 2023 – 31 August 2023 |
| 73 plate | 1 September 2023 – 29 February 2024 |
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 72 plate 2022 or 2023?
It can be either. 72 plates were issued from 1 September 2022 to 28 February 2023, so a 72 plate car was first registered in 2022 or 2023.
How old is a 72 plate car?
In November 2026, a 72 plate car is 3–4 years old, counted from its first registration. If the plate is a private one the car could be newer.
Can I put a 72 plate on an older car?
No. A plate can’t make a vehicle look newer than it is, so a 72 plate can only go on a vehicle first registered on or after 1 September 2022.
What plate came after 72?
23, issued from 1 March 2023.
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.