About Current Style Plates
Current Style Number Plates: The Complete Guide
Current style number plates are the registration format used for new vehicles in Great Britain since September 2001. They contain two letters, followed by two numbers that identify the age of the registration, followed by three letters.
A typical current style registration takes the form AB12 ABC. The first two letters relate to the region where the registration was originally issued, the two numbers identify its age and the final three letters complete the registration.
Current style registrations are also widely used as private number plates. Certain combinations can resemble names, words, initials, football clubs and other recognisable terms, with the most desirable examples selling for well over £100,000.
What is a current style number plate?
A current style number plate is a seven-character UK registration in the format AB12 ABC.
It consists of:
- two letters at the beginning;
- two numbers identifying the registration period; and
- three letters at the end.
Examples include:
This registration format was introduced in September 2001 and remains the standard format used for new vehicles today.
When were current style number plates introduced?
Current style number plates were introduced on 1 September 2001.
They replaced prefix registrations, which had been used since 1983 and placed a single age-identifying letter at the beginning of the registration.
For example:
Prefix: A123 ABC
Current style: AB51 ABC
The first current style age identifier was 51, covering registrations issued between September 2001 and February 2002.
Since then, a new age identifier has been introduced twice every year – once in March and again in September.
How do current style number plates work?
Each section of a current style registration has a different purpose.
Take AB12 ABC as an example.
The first two letters form the local memory tag and relate to the region in which the registration was originally allocated.
The two numbers form the age identifier and show when the registration was issued.
The final three letters are chosen from an available sequence to create a unique registration.
What do the first two letters on a number plate mean?
The first two letters of an ordinary current style registration refer to the region where the vehicle was first registered.
These letters are commonly known as the local memory tag.
For example, registrations allocated in different parts of the country use different combinations of opening letters.
When a current style registration is bought and used as a private number plate, however, those letters simply remain part of that registration. Moving the registration to another vehicle does not change them.
The first two letters therefore should not be treated as evidence of where a vehicle is currently located.
What do the two numbers on a current number plate mean?
The two numbers in the middle of a current style registration identify the six-month period in which the registration was issued.
New age identifiers are introduced twice a year:
- March to August – the identifier is the final two digits of the year;
- September to February – 50 is added to the final two digits of the year.
For example:
- 02 – March 2002 to August 2002
- 52 – September 2002 to February 2003
- 10 – March 2010 to August 2010
- 60 – September 2010 to February 2011
- 20 – March 2020 to August 2020
- 70 – September 2020 to February 2021
- 25 – March 2025 to August 2025
- 75 – September 2025 to February 2026
- 26 – March 2026 to August 2026
- 76 – September 2026 to February 2027
This system is designed to continue until 2050, with 49 covering March to August 2049 and 99 covering September 2049 to February 2050.
What do the final three letters mean?
The final three letters of a normal current style registration are used to create a unique combination and do not identify the vehicle's age.
For private number plate buyers, these letters can be particularly important because they may represent:
- initials;
- a first name or surname;
- a company or brand;
- a football club;
- a location; or
- part of a recognisable word.
The combination of the first two letters, age identifier and final three letters can sometimes create an unusually effective personalised registration.
Why are current style number plates popular?
Current style registrations offer millions of possible combinations and are often one of the most affordable ways to buy a personalised number plate.
The two numbers in the middle can also be used creatively to resemble letters or form part of a name or word.
Examples include:
- KR15 HNA – resembles "KRISHNA"
- MR51 NGH – resembles "MR SINGH"
- RU55 ELL – resembles "RUSSELL"
- WE57 HAM – resembles "WEST HAM"
- CO17 RAD – resembles "CONRAD"
- HU11 CTY – resembles "HULL CITY"
- WH15 KEY – resembles "WHISKEY"
This ability to create recognisable names and words can make an exceptional current style registration worth many times more than an ordinary combination from the same year.
Can a current style plate go on any car?
No. Current style registrations contain an age identifier and cannot be used to make a vehicle appear newer than it actually is.
For example, a 15 registration was issued from March 2015. It cannot be assigned to a vehicle first registered in 2010 because it would make the vehicle appear five years newer.
The same 15 registration can generally be assigned to an eligible vehicle first registered from March 2015 onwards.
An older current style registration can therefore be used on a newer vehicle, but a newer age identifier cannot be used on an older vehicle. Private registration age rules
Can I put an old current style plate on a new car?
Yes.
For example, a 51 registration from 2001 can generally be assigned to a brand-new eligible vehicle because doing so would make the vehicle appear older rather than newer.
The restriction only applies where a registration would make the receiving vehicle appear newer than its actual age.
What letters cannot be used on current style number plates?
Current style registrations do not use the letters I or Q.
The letter Z is not used in the first two characters, although it can appear within the final three letters.
This means combinations that appear possible when written as a word may not actually exist within the current style registration system.
How much is a current style number plate worth?
Current style registrations cover a very wide range of values.
Millions of ordinary combinations are available and many can be bought directly from DVLA from around £250. Particularly desirable names, words and initials can be worth thousands or tens of thousands of pounds, while the best publicly recorded examples have sold for more than £200,000 including fees and taxes.
The main factors affecting value include:
How well the registration reads
Readability is one of the biggest factors in the current style market.
A registration that immediately resembles a recognisable name, word or phrase can be significantly more valuable than another plate from exactly the same registration period.
The age identifier
Certain number combinations are particularly useful for creating words.
For example, 11 can resemble two letter Is or Ls, 15 can form part of "IS", while repeated numbers such as 55 can resemble letters when incorporated naturally into a registration.
The strongest combinations work without requiring excessive imagination or illegal spacing.
The letters
The five letters surrounding the age identifier can create initials, names, businesses, locations or words.
Registrations that appeal to a broad group of buyers tend to have greater market potential than combinations relevant to only one person.
Previous sales
Previous public sale results provide useful evidence when valuing a current style registration.
Our Number Plate Sales Explorer contains more than 220,000 recorded UK number plate sales, including current style registrations sold through DVLA auctions.
Current competition
A desirable-looking registration may still struggle to achieve a high price if numerous similar alternatives are available for much less.
Current DVLA stock, dealer listings and recent sale results should therefore all be considered when establishing a realistic value.
If you own a current style registration, you can request a free number plate valuation based on comparable sales and current market evidence.
The most expensive current style number plates ever sold
The strongest current style registrations tend to use their two numbers creatively to form names, words or other highly recognisable combinations.
Below are the 15 most expensive publicly recorded current style number plate sales in the NumberPlates.org database, ranked by the total recorded sale price including auction fees and taxes where applicable.
- KR15 HNA – £233,360 total (£180,000 hammer), DVLA, May 2015
- MR51 NGH – £101,130 total (£80,000 hammer), DVLA, April 2006
- KR15 HAN – £98,576 total (£76,000 hammer), DVLA, May 2015
- DH11 LON – £78,690 total (£61,000 hammer), DVLA, February 2012
- RU55 ELL – £78,394 total (£62,000 hammer), DVLA, April 2006
- DO54 NJH – £63,156 total (£50,000 hammer), DVLA, October 2004
- AR52 NAL – £60,780 total (£49,110 hammer), DVLA, July 2026
- WE57 HAM – £56,921 total (£45,000 hammer), DVLA, October 2007
- CO17 RAD – £48,872 total (£38,000 hammer), DVLA, September 2017
- HU11 CTY – £46,656 total (£36,000 hammer), DVLA, March 2013
- FA71 MAH – £46,365 total (£36,110 hammer), DVLA, September 2021
- AR53 NAL – £45,553 total (£36,000 hammer), DVLA, October 2004
- FA15 ALS – £45,360 total (£35,000 hammer), DVLA, February 2015
- SA22 RAH – £44,953 total (£35,010 hammer), DVLA, June 2022
- WH15 KEY – £43,496 total (£33,500 hammer), DVLA, November 2015
The results show how important readability is within the current style market. Registrations such as KR15 HNA, MR51 NGH, RU55 ELL, WE57 HAM, CO17 RAD and WH15 KEY use the complete seven-character format to create recognisable names or words.
Are current style number plates cheaper than prefix, suffix and dateless plates?
Generally, ordinary current style registrations are among the most affordable personalised number plates because of the huge number of combinations available.
DVLA releases millions of new current style combinations with each new age identifier, so supply is considerably greater than for old dateless registrations.
However, the format alone does not determine value.
An exceptional current style registration that forms a highly desirable name or word can be worth far more than an ordinary prefix, suffix or dateless plate.
At the very top of the overall number plate market, short dateless registrations still tend to command the highest prices because of their extreme scarcity.
Are current style number plates a good investment?
Some current style registrations have increased substantially in value, but there is no guarantee that a plate will appreciate.
The strongest examples tend to have qualities such as:
- a clear name or word;
- desirable initials;
- numbers that naturally form part of the word;
- strong readability;
- few close alternatives;
- documented previous sales; and
- broad buyer demand.
Current style registrations are produced in very large numbers, so simply owning an older or unusual combination does not automatically make it valuable.
The value comes from the individual registration and the demand for its particular combination.
Can I still buy current style number plates?
Yes. Current style registrations are the main registration format still being issued and millions of personalised combinations are available.
DVLA Personalised Registrations
The majority of available current style registrations can be bought directly from DVLA at fixed prices.
Prices currently start from £250, including VAT and the £80 assignment fee. More sought-after current style registrations can instead be released through DVLA auctions.
Number plate dealers and marketplaces
Current style registrations are also available from specialist dealers and private sellers.
We have a searchable selection of private number plates for sale, including current style registrations owned by us and registrations listed directly by their current holders.
Private sales
A current style registration can also be bought directly from another person.
Before paying for a registration, establish whether it is assigned to a vehicle or held on a V750 Certificate of Entitlement or V778 Retention Document, and agree how the transfer or assignment will be completed.
Can I buy a registration before its age identifier starts?
Yes. DVLA can make future current style registrations available for purchase before the date from which they can legally be assigned to a vehicle.
For example, a registration containing the 76 age identifier can be purchased before September 2026, but it cannot be assigned to a vehicle first registered before 1 September 2026.
Buying the registration early does not override the normal rule preventing a vehicle from appearing newer than it actually is.
The main difference is whether the registration contains an age identifier and where that identifier appears.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does current style number plate mean?
A current style number plate is the registration format used for new vehicles in Great Britain since September 2001. It consists of two letters, two age-identifying numbers and three final letters, for example AB12 ABC.
When were current style number plates introduced?
Current style registrations were introduced on 1 September 2001, replacing the previous prefix registration system.
What was the first current style number plate year?
The first current style age identifier was 51, used for registrations issued between September 2001 and February 2002.
What do the first two letters mean?
The first two letters form the local memory tag and refer to the region where an ordinary registration was originally issued.
What do the two numbers mean?
The two numbers identify the registration period. March registrations use the final two digits of the year, while September registrations add 50. For example, 25 represents March to August 2025 and 75 represents September 2025 to February 2026.
What do the final three letters mean?
The final three letters complete the unique registration. They do not identify the vehicle's age, although they can be particularly important on personalised registrations because they may represent initials, a name or part of a word.
Why does a September number plate have 50 added?
The system needs two different age identifiers each year. The March identifier uses the year itself, while 50 is added for the September release. This means 26 represents March 2026 and 76 represents September 2026.
Can I put a current style plate on an older car?
Only if the age identifier does not make the vehicle appear newer than it really is. A 15 registration, for example, cannot be assigned to a vehicle first registered in 2010.
Can I put an older current style plate on a newer car?
Yes. An older current style registration can generally be assigned to a newer eligible vehicle because doing so does not make the vehicle appear newer.
Are current style number plates valuable?
Some are. Ordinary registrations can be relatively inexpensive, while combinations that form particularly desirable names, words or initials can sell for tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds.
How much do current style number plates cost?
DVLA currently offers many current style personalised registrations from £250, including VAT and the £80 assignment fee. Particularly desirable registrations can sell for considerably more.
What is the most expensive current style number plate ever sold?
The highest publicly recorded current style registration in the NumberPlates.org sales database is KR15 HNA. It sold through DVLA in May 2015 for a £180,000 hammer price and a total recorded price of £233,360 including fees and taxes.
Can current style plates contain I, Q or Z?
Current style registrations cannot contain I or Q. The letter Z cannot appear in the first two positions but can be used among the final three letters.
Can I transfer a current style registration?
Yes – see our number plate transfer guide. It can be transferred provided the registration is transferable and the receiving vehicle meets the normal eligibility and age requirements.
Can I sell a current style number plate?
Yes. A current style registration can be sold while assigned to a vehicle or while held on a valid V750 or V778, although the process differs depending on where the registration is currently held.
How do I value a current style number plate?
Compare genuine previous sale prices for similar registrations and consider the letters, age identifier, readability, name or word represented, current competition and overall buyer demand. Dealer asking prices alone should not be treated as proof of market value.
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