A Guide to Registration Numbers

The Registration Number section of this Register is primarily aimed as an access gateway into the main register, and as an aid to identifying cars and their history, including upgrades, etc. The listings of registration numbers has been assembled strictly in alphanumerical and numerical sequence for the whole registration number of each vehicle in this Register.

We have also tried to aid the reader, who, faced with a chassis number of up to 15 letters and numbers, may find difficulty in identifying which model of Aston Martin they are researching, by including a “model” description beside each registration number.

It may, however, be of interest to understand the way Registration Numbers are presented by the Licencing Authorities, and be helpful to have a “potted” history of how they have evolved in the UK from very simple one letter, one number, through to our present day format, and the information that each registration contains.

Up to 1963

The Motor Car Act of 1903 required all self-propelled vehicles to be clearly identifiable and as a result “A1” was issued by the London County Council in January of 1904. As the number of vehicles grew, the available number combinations diminished, and this format was quickly followed by double-digit letters and up to four numbers, “AA 1234” etc.

By the mid 1930’s this format of numbering, especially in the higher population density areas of the country, became somewhat stretched, and thereafter three letters with up to three numbers came into force, “AAA 123” etc.

In the mid 50’s, some licencing authorities were again experiencing difficulties, and as a result the registration number format was reversed, “123 AAA” etc.

This system worked well for over thirty years, and at the same time identified the original licencing authority of the vehicle using the last two letters of the Registration Number, as the following list of licencing offices indicates:

A	London	HU	Bristol	RN	Preston
AA	Bournemouth	HV	LondonC	RO	Luton
AB	Worcester	HX	Bristol	RP	Northampton
AC	Coventry	HY	Bristol	RR	Nottingham
AD	Gloucester	J	Durham	RS	Aberdeen
AE	Bristol	JA	Manchester	RT	Ipswich
AF	Truro	JB	Reading	RV	Portsmouth
AG	Ayrshire	JC	Bangor	RU	Bournemouth
AH	Norwich	JD	LondonC	RV	Portsmouth
AJ	Middlesborough	JE	Peterborough	RW	Coventry
AK	Sheffield	JF	Leicester	RX	Reading
AL	Nottingham	JG	Maidstone	RY	Leicester
AM	Swindon	JH	Reading	S	Edinburgh
AN	Reading	JJ	Maidstone	SA	Aberdeen
AO	Carlisle	JK	Brighton	SB	Glasgow
AP	Brighton	JL	Lincoln	SC	Edinburgh
AR	Chelmsford	JM	Reading	SD	Glasgow
AS	Inverness	JN	Chelmsford	SE	Aberdeen
AT	Hull	JO	Oxford	SF	Edinburgh
AU	Nottingham	JP	Liverpool	SG	Edinburgh
AV	Peterborough	JR	Newcastle-upon-Tyne	SH	Edinburgh
AW	Shrewsbury	JS	Inverness	SJ	Glasgow
AX	Cardiff	JT	Bournemouth	SK	Inverness
AY	Leicester	JU	Leicester	SL	Dundee
AZ	Belfast	JV	Lincoln	SM	Carlisle
B	Lancashire	JW	Birmingham	SN	Dundee
BA	Manchester	JX	Huddersfield	SO	Aberdeen
BB	Newcastle-upon-Tyne	JY	Exeter	SP	Dundee
BC	Leicester	JZ	Down	SR	Dundee
BD	Northampton	K	Liverpool	SS	Aberdeen
BE	Lincoln	KA	Liverpool	ST	Inverness
BF	Stoke-on-Trent	KB	Liverpool	SU	Glasgow
BG	Liverpool	KC	Liverpool	SV	Kinross-shire
BH	Luton	KD	Liverpool	SW	Carlisle
BJ	Ipswich	KE	Maidstone	SX	Edinburgh
BK	Portsmouth	KF	Liverpool	SY	Midlothian
BL	Reading	KG	Cardiff	T	Devon
BM	Luton	KH	Hull	TA	Exeter
BN	Manchester	KJ	Maidstone	TB	Liverpool
BO	Cardiff	KK	Maidstone	TC	Bristol
BP	Portsmouth	KL	Maidstone	TD	Manchester
BR	Newcastle	KM	Maidstone	TE	Manchester
BS	Inverness	KN	Maidstone	TF	Reading
BT	Leeds	KO	Maidstone	TG	Cardiff
BU	Manchester	KP	Maidstone	TH	Swansea
BV	Preston	KR	Maidstone	TJ	Liverpool
BW	Oxford	KS	Edinburgh	TK	Exeter
BX	Haverfordwest	KT	Maidstone	TL	Lincoln
BY	LondonNW	KU	Sheffield	TM	Luton
BZ	Down	KV	Coventry	TN	Newcastle-upon-Tyne
C	YorkshireWR	KW	Sheffield	TO	Nottingham
CA	Chester	KX	Luton	TP	Portsmouth
CB	Manchester	KY	Sheffield	TR	Portsmouth
CC	Bangor	L	Glamorgan	TS	Dundee
CD	Brighton	LA	LondonNW	TT	Exeter
CE	Peterborough	LB	LondonNW	TU	Chester
CF	Reading	LC	LondonNW	TV	Nottingham
CG	Bournemouth	LD	LondonNW	TX	Cardiff
CH	Nottingham	LE	LondonNW	TY	Newcastle
CJ	Gloucester	LF	LondonNW	TZ	Belfast
CK	Preston	LG	Chester	U	Leeds
CL	Norwich	LG	Chester	UA	Leeds
CM	Liverpool	LH	LondonNW	UB	Leeds
CN	Newcastle-upon-Tyne	LJ	Bournemouth	UC	LondonC
CO	Exeter	LK	LondonNW	UD	Oxford
CP	Huddersfield	LL	LondonNW	UE	Dudley
CR	Portsmouth	LM	LondonNW	UF	Brighton
CS	Glasgow	LN	LondonNW	UG	Leeds
CT	Lincoln	LO	LondonNW	UH	Cardiff
CU	Newcastle-upon-Tyne	LP	LondonNW	UJ	Shrewsbury
CV	Truro	LR	LondonNW	UK	Birmingham
CW	Preston	LS	Edinburgh	UL	LondonC
CX	Huddersfield	LT	LondonNW	UM	Leeds
CY	Swansea	LU	LondonNW	UN	Exeter
CZ	Belfast	LV	Liverpool	UO	Exeter
D	Kent	LW	LondonNW	UP	Newcastle
DA	Birmingham	LX	LondonNW	UR	Luton
DB	Manchester	LY	LondonNW	US	Glasgow
DC	Middlesborough	M	Cheshire	UT	Leicester
DD	Gloucester	MA	Chester	UU	LondonC
DE	Haverfordwest	MB	Chester	UV	LondonC
DF	Gloucester	MC	LondonNE	UW	LondonC
DG	Gloucester	MD	LondonNE	UX	Shrewsbury
DH	Dudley	ME	LondonNE	UY	Worcester
DJ	Liverpool	MF	LondonNE	UZ	Belfast
DK	Manchester	MG	LondonNE	V	Lanarkshire
DL	Portsmouth	MH	LondonNE	VA	Peterborough
DM	Chester	MJ	Luton	VB	Maidstone
DN	Leeds	MK	LondonNE	VC	Coventry
DO	Lincoln	ML	LondonNE	VD	Lanark
DP	Reading	MM	LondonNE	VE	Peterborough
DR	Exeter	MP	London	VF	Norwich
DS	Glasgow	MO	Reading	VG	Norwich
DT	Sheffield	MP	LondonNE	VH	Huddersfield
DU	Coventry	MR	Swindon	VJ	Gloucester
DV	Exeter	MS	Edinburgh	VK	Newcastle-upon-Tyne
DW	Cardiff	MT	LondonNE	VL	Lincoln
DX	Ipswich	MU	LondonNE	VM	Manchester
DY	Brighton	MV	LondonNE	VN	Middlesbrough
DZ	Antrim	MW	Swindon	VO	Nottingham
E	Staffordshire	MX	LondonNE	VP	Birmingham
EA	Dudley	MY	LondonNE	VR	Manchester
EB	Peterborough	MZ	Belfast	VS	Glasgow
EC	Preston	N	Manchester	VT	Stoke-on-Trent
ED	Liverpool	NA	Manchester	VU	Manchester
EE	Lincoln	NB	Manchester	VV	Northampton
EF	Middlesbrough	NC	Manchester	VW	Chelmsford
EG	Peterborough	ND	Manchester	VX	Chelmsford
EH	Stoke-on-Trent	NE	Manchester	VY	Leeds
EJ	Bangor	NF	Manchester	W	Sheffield
EK	Liverpool	NG	Norwich	WA	Sheffield
EL	Bournemouth	NH	Northampton	WB	Sheffield
EM	Liverpool	NJ	Brighton	WC	Chelmsford
EN	Manchester	NK	Luton	WD	Dudley
EO	Preston	NL	Newcastle	WE	Sheffield
EP	Swansea	NM	Luton	WF	Sheffield
ER	Peterborough	NN	Nottingham	WG	Sheffield
ES	Dundee	NO	Chelmsford	WH	Manchester
ET	Sheffield	NP	Worcester	WJ	Sheffield
EU	Bristol	NR	Leicester	WK	Coventry
EV	Chelmsford	NS	Glasgow	WL	Oxford
EW	Peterborough	NT	Shrewsbury	WM	Liverpool
EX	Norwich	NU	Nottingham	WN	Swansea
EY	Bangor	NV	Northampton	WO	Cardiff
EZ	Belfast	NW	Leeds	WP	Worcester
F	Essex	NX	Dudley	WR	Leeds
FA	Stoke-on-Trent	NY	Cardiff	WS	Leith
FB	Bristol	O	Birmingham	WT	Leeds
FC	Oxford	OA	Birmingham	WU	Leeds
FD	Dudley	OB	Birmingham	WV	Brighton
FE	Lincoln	OC	Birmingham	WW	Leeds
FF	Bangor	OD	Exeter	WX	Leeds
FG	Brighton	OE	Birmingham	WY	Leeds
FH	Gloucester	OF	Birmingham	WZ	Belfast
FJ	Exeter	OG	Birmingham	X	Northumberland
FK	Dudley	OH	Birmingham	XA	London
FL	Peterborough	OJ	Birmingham	XB	London
FM	Chester	OK	Birmingham	XC	London
FN	Maidstone	OL	Birmingham	XD	London
FO	Gloucester	OM	Birmingham	XE	London
FP	Leicester	ON	Birmingham	XF	London
FR	Preston	OO	Chelmsford	XG	Middlesbrough
FS	Edinburgh	OP	Birmingham	XH	London
FT	Newcastle-upon-Tyne	OR	Portsmouth	XI	Belfast
FU	Lincoln	OS	Glasgow	XJ	Manchester
FV	Preston	OT	Portsmouth	XK	London
FW	Lincoln	OU	Bristol	XL	London
FX	Bournemouth	OV	Birmingham	XM	London
FY	Liverpool	OX	Birmingham	XN	London
FZ	Belfast	OW	Southampton	XO	London
G	Glasgow	OY	LondonNW	XP	London
GA	Glasgow	OZ	Belfast	XR	London
GB	Glasgow	P	Surrey	XS	Paisley
GC	LondonSW	PA	Guildford	XT	London
GD	Glasgow	PB	Guildford	XU	London
GE	Glasgow	PC	Guildford	XV	London
GF	LondonSW	PD	Guildford	XW	London
GG	Glasgow	PE	Guildford	XY	London
GH	LondonSW	PF	Guildford	Y	Somerset
GJ	LondonSW	PG	Guildford	YA	Taunton
GK	LondonSW	PH	Guildford	YB	Taunton
GL	Truro	PJ	Guildford	YC	Taunton
GM	Reading	PK	Guildford	YD	Taunton
GN	LondonSW	PL	Guildford	YE	LondonC
GO	LondonSW	PM	Guildford	YF	LondonC
GP	LondonSW	PN	Brighton	YG	Leeds
GR	Newcastle	PO	Portsmouth	YH	LondonC
GS	Luton	PP	Luton	YJ	Brighton
GT	LondonSW	PR	Bournemouth	YK	LondonC
GU	LondonSE	PS	Aberdeen	YL	LondonC
GV	Ipswich	PT	Newcastle	YM	LondonC
GW	LondonSE	PU	Chelmsford	YN	LondonC
GX	LondonSE	PV	Ipswich	YO	LondonC
GY	LondonSE	PW	Norwich	YP	LondonC
GZ	Belfast	PX	Portsmouth	YR	LondonC
H	London	PY	Middlesbrough	YS	Glasgow
HA	Dudley	PZ	Belfast	YT	LondonC
HB	Cardiff	Q	NumberswithQ	YU	LondonC
HC	Brighton		aretemporaryor	YV	LondonC
HD	Huddersfield		one-offspecials	YW	LondonC
HE	Sheffield	R	Derbyshire	YX	LondonC
HF	Liverpool	RA	Nottingham	YY	LondonC
HG	Preston	RB	Nottingham	Z	Dublin
HH	Carlisle	RC	Nottingham	ZA	Dublin
HJ	Chelmsford	RD	Reading	ZC	Dublin
HK	Chelmsford	RE	Stoke-on-Trent	ZD	Dublin
HL	Sheffield	RF	Stoke-on-Trent	ZE	Dublin
HM	LondonC	RG	Newcastle-upon-Tyne	ZG	Dublin
HN	Middlesbrough	RH	Hull	ZH	Dublin
HO	Bournemouth	RJ	Manchester	ZJ	Dublin
HP	Coventry	RK	LondonNW	ZL	Dublin
HR	Swindon	RL	Truro	ZO	Dublin
HS	Glasgow	RP	Northampton	ZU	Dublin
HT	Bristol	RM	Carlisle

1963 to 1983

While the last two letter identifiers remained, the number plate format again changed in 1963, this time with a suffix letter being added, indicating a particular year, starting in February of 1963. “AAA123 C” would indicate that the vehicle was originally registered in Bournemouth between January and December 1965.

In 1967 the licencing authorities decided to make the registration year commence in August and as a result make the new suffix letter “F”, run from August 1967 to July 1968. The following list of “Suffix Numbers” indicate the appropriate years:

A	February 1963 to December 1963	L	August 1972 to July 1973
B	January 1964 to December 1964	M	August 1973 to July 1974
C	January 1965 to December 1965	N	August 1974 to July 1975
D	January 1966 to December 1966	P	August 1975 to July 1976
E	January 1967 to July 1967	R	August 1976 to July 1977
F	August 1967 to July 1968	S	August 1977 to July 1978
G	August 1968 to July 1969	T	August 1978 to July 1979
H	August 1969 to July 1970	V	August 1979 to July 1980
J	August 1970 to July 1971	W	August 1980 to July 1981
K	August 1971 to July 1972	X	August 1981 to July 1982
		Y	August 1982 to July 1983

1983 to 2001

As a result of the alphabet “running out” in July 1983, the format was once again modified to drop the suffix, but include a prefix letter and at the same time reverse the registration number, “C123 AAA” etc. This, with one or two modifications for the car trade to try and offset a dearth of sales throughout the quiet half of the year, saw us up until August 2001, where it ran out with the prefix “Y”, as the following list shows:

A	August 1983 to July 1984	L	August 1993 to July 1994
B	August 1984 to July 1985	M	August 1994 to July 1995
C	August 1985 to July 1986	N	August 1995 to July 1996
D	August 1986 to July 1987	P	August 1996 to July 1997
E	August 1987 to July 1988	R	August 1997 to July 1998
F	August 1987 to July 1989	S	August 1998 to February 1999
G	August 1988 to July 1990	T	March 1999 to August 1999
H	August 1989 to July 1991	V	September 1999 to February 2000
J	August 1990 to July 1992	W	March 2000 to August 2000
K	August 1991 to July 1993	X	September 2000 to February 2001
		Y	March 2001 to August 2001

2001 to Date

A major change in the format of Registration Numbering occurred in September 2001 with the introduction of an Area letter followed by a Local Office Identifier. This double lettering was followed by a double digit age identifier which changed every 6 months, in the months of September and March, the first indicating which half of the year with the second indicating the year of registration, followed by three totally random letters. Therefore “AA 57 AAA” would have been issued in the Area of Anglia at the Local Office of Peterborough between September 2007 and February 2008 as the following tables show:

Area Letter	Area	Local Office	DVLA Local Office Identifier
A	Anglia	Peterborough	A B C D E F G H J K L M N
		Norwich	O P R S T U
		Ipswich	V W X Y
B	Birmingham	Birmingham	A – Y
C	Cymru	Cardiff	A B C D E F G H J K L M N O
		Swansea	P R S T U V
		Bangor	W X Y
D	Chester to Shrewsbury	Chester	A B C D E F G H J K
		Shrewsbury	L M N O P R S T U V W X Y
E	Essex	Chelmsford	A – Y
F	Forrest & Fens	Nottingham	A B C D E F G H J K L M N P
		Lincoln	R S T V W X Y
G	Garden of England	Maidstone	A B C D E F G H J K L M N O
		Brighton	P R S T U V W X Y
H	Hampshire & Dorset	Bournemouth	A B C D E F G H J
		Portsmouth	K L M N O P R S T U V W X Y
K		Borehamwood	A B C D E F G H J K L
		Northampton	M N O P R S T U V W X Y
L	London	Wimbledon	A B C D E F G H J
		Borehamwood	K L M N O P R S T
		Sidcup	U V W X Y
M	Manchester & Merseyside	Manchester	A – Y ( Except N & MAN Reserved for the Isle of Man )
N	North	Newcastle	A B C D E F G H J K L M N O
		Stockton	P R S T U V W X Y
O	Oxford	Oxford	A – Y
P	Preston	Preston	A B C D E F G H J K L M N O P R S T
		Carlisle	U V W X Y
R	Reading	Theale	A – Y
S	Scotland	Glasgow	A B C D E F G H J
		Edinburgh	K L M N O
		Dundee	P R S T
		Aberdeen	U V W
		Inverness	X Y
V	Severn Valley	Worcester	A – Y
W	West of England	Exeter	A B C D E F G H J
		Truro	K L
		Bristol	M N O P R S T U V W X Y
Y	Yorkshire	Leeds	A B C D E F G H J K
		Sheffield	L M N O P R S T U
		Beverley	V W X Y

Note: The letters I, Q & Z are not used as Local Office Identifiers. The double digit Age Identifiers between the two groups of letters gives an indication, within 6 months, of when the vehicle was originally registered as the following table shows:

Date	Code	Date	Code
		September 2001 – February 2002	51
March 2002 – August 2002	02	September 2002 – February 2003	53
March 2003 – August 2003	03	September 2003 – February 2004	53
March 2004 – August 2004	04	September 2004 – February 2005	54
March 2005 – August 2005	05	September 2005 – February 2006	55
March 2006 – August 2006	06	September 2006 – February 2007	56
March 2007 – August 2007	07	September 2007 – February 2008	57
March 2008 – August 2008	08	September 2008 – February 2009	58
March 2009 – August 2009	09	September 2009 – February 2010	59
March 2010 – August 2010	10	September 2010 – February 2011	60
March 2011 – August 2011	11	September 2011 – February 2012	61
March 2012 – August 2012	12	September 2012 – February 2013	62

This pattern of Area, Local office and Age Identifiers is intended to continue until all permutations are exhausted, somewhere about 2049, and when reversed will run through till 2099. Time enough to contemplate an even more complicated system.

Non-UK Registration Number Systems

As a comparison to the British registration format, we have given below a very brief introduction to a few of the world’s other registration formats:

Austria

The Registration plate normally commences with up to two letters indicating the Administration District which the vehicle was registered in, followed by the heraldic emblem of that Province and thereafter a mix of up to six numbers and or letters always ending with the letters.

Australia

The State the vehicle was registered in is normally “written” across the top or bottom of the plate with varying colour options being used. The normal format of numbering is now three letters followed by three numbers with the various States or Territories being “allocated” specific groupings depending on population densities.

France

The registration starts with two, three or four random numbers followed by two or three random letters and culminating with two numbers which indicated the Department or region the vehicle was registered in. On 15th October 2009, however, this format was changed to two letters, three numbers and two letters, each grouping separated by hyphens and all totally random, but with the addition of a blue strip on the extreme right hand side with the issuing department number and logo of the issuing region embossed on it.

Germany

The first two letters of the German registration indicate the City or Region the vehicle was registered in, followed by the safety and emission emblems, thereafter one or two letters followed by up to four numbers separated by a hyphen, both groupings being totally random.

Guernsey

Registrations in Guernsey have no letters whatsoever and up to six numbers, which are issued in numerical order.

Holland

The Dutch Registration format used to be three groupings of two letters or numbers, each group separated by a hyphen. In 2006 this format changed to up to two letters or numbers, followed by a group of three letters or numbers and a last group of two letters or numbers, again each group separated by a hyphen. Registrations were issued in alphanumerical / numerical order, hence the plate relates only to the date of registration and not it’s place of origin.

Jersey

Jersey registrations start with the letter “J” followed by up to six numbers, issued in numerical order.

New Zealand

Before 2001 all New Zealand registrations had two letters followed by up to four numbers. In 2001 this changed to a three letter and up to three number format. The first two letters being issued alphanumerically, the third being random.

Russia

Registration numbers are set out with one letter followed by three numbers and two more letters. On the extreme right hand side they have the Region Number the vehicle was registered in with the letters RUS and the Russian flag below.

Switzerland

The first two letters indicate which of the 26 Cantons the vehicle was registered in, followed by the Swiss flag, before up to six numbers and finally the attributed Canton Shield.

United States and Canada

Registration numbers, or “Tags”, are issued by each State, Province or Territory, and the appearance of each is frequently chosen to contain slogans, symbols, shapes and colours which are associated with each one. They are normally issued alphanumerically and numerically but the format varies widely throughout, with different numbers of letters and numbers, and sometimes with hyphens between.