United Kingdom license plate (UK) in 2025 ✅

Please, check matriculasdelmundo.com in Spanish here for all the updated information about license plates of United Kingdom.

How a Current UK Car License Plate Works

License plates in the United Kingdom (vehicle registration plates) since September 2001 follow the format AA00AAA, where the first two letters identify the geographic region (see all codes) where the plate was issued, the two numbers correspond to the year of registration, and the last three letters are random, progressing from AAA to ZZZ with each registration period. (Check registration year) The plates measure 520x111 millimeters (mm) and differ from those in Northern Ireland. Letters I, Q* and Y are excluded from regular numbering.

At the rear of the vehicle, plates use black characters on a yellow background, while the front uses black on white. The international code for the UK is GB, but since September 2021, vehicles leaving the UK must display an oval with the code UK.

Flags and Emblems Allowed on UK License Plates

In September 2021, several changes were made regarding the flags and codes permitted on UK license plates. Since then, the international code GB is no longer used and was replaced by UK. This means all ovals must display UK when traveling abroad. The Euroband (used during EU membership) is no longer valid and must be replaced for international travel on UK cars, motorcycles, and trucks. These changes were made to ensure that Northern Ireland is included under the term United Kingdom instead of Great Britain, which excluded it. See news article.

In 2021, the allowed flags and codes on the left side of UK license plates were also specified. The only permitted flags are: Union Jack , St George’s Cross , Saltire (St Andrew’s Cross) , and the Red Dragon of Wales . The permitted text below the stripe on the left side includes: UK, GB, CYM, ENG, SCO, and WALES. However, if any other text is displayed or nothing at all, an oval UK sticker is required on the rear of the vehicle when traveling abroad.

What is required to travel abroad with a UK vehicle?

If you plan to travel abroad with a UK vehicle (including Northern Ireland), it is mandatory to display a rear oval with the clearly visible letters UK. The oval code is optional if the plate already includes the UK flag and the UK code. If traveling to Spain, Cyprus or Malta, the oval code must be displayed in all cases, regardless of what is shown on the plate. The only exception is Ireland, where the oval code is never required. You can check the full list of allowed symbols on UK plates here.

Codes on UK License Plates Since 2001

The current UK plate system includes a set of regional codes that can be decoded. The first two letters identify the different DVLA offices across Great Britain. Note that Northern Ireland uses its own system of regional codes. Below you can see all regional codes used in the UK in an image and in

DVLA Codes and History of Current UK Regional Codes on License Plates

Since 2001, it is required that below the numbers on the plate, a text or small image identifying the dealership where the vehicle originated is displayed. At the end of 2013, plates began being issued by the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency), based in Swansea. The first two letters of the license plate have since identified the first workshop where the vehicle is to be serviced.

Following the Brexit process completed at the end of March, several measures were implemented regarding UK vehicles traveling abroad. It is required to display the international code "UK" as an oval sticker at the rear of the vehicle, since the Euroband only applies within the European Union. Furthermore, since March 29, 2019 (news), commercial trailers over 750 kg and non-commercial ones over 3.5 tons must carry a separate license plate on a white background with black characters identifying the trailer, which must be registered with the DVLA. The trailer must also display the registration plate of the towing vehicle. This rule follows the 1968 Vienna Convention on road traffic and applies in all signatory countries, except Ireland, Cyprus, Malta, and Spain.

Special Vehicle Registration Systems

There are several types of special license plates or registrations. Vehicles with special plates usually follow the standard format with minor variations. Export plates begin with the letter X, while temporary registrations feature the letter Q in the center.

For vehicles with unknown registration dates, such as kit cars, self-built vehicles, or certain imports, the plate begins with the letter Q.

First UK License Plate

The first UK license plate was issued on January 1, 1904 under the Motor Car Act 1903 (a regulation establishing early rules for traffic and motor vehicles). Until 1975, motorcycles were required to display a front plate, commonly known as the "pedestrian slicer".

Current Special License Plates in the UK

Export

Begins with X followed by a letter from XA to XF, indicating the month of registration. These plates may be used for a maximum of two months.

UK Temporary License Plate

Q in the center position – temporary registration

License Plate for Vehicles with Unknown Production Date – Letter Q

Begins with Q, followed by three numbers and three letters. The last two letters identify the region. This type is known as the Q-Plate.

Electric Vehicle License Plate

In 2020, a new design was introduced for electric vehicle plates in the UK. These plates feature a green strip on the left side. Such vehicles must display the UK oval code when traveling abroad. Read article.

Temporary Dealership License Plate

Temporary plates used by dealerships or private individuals under a temporary regime.

Royal Navy License Plates - RN

(Navy)

Diplomatic Corps

(See images) Since 1979, embassies have had their own system with the format DDD L NNN, where N are digits, L is a letter, and D identifies the country code. If the letter “L” is “D”, it belongs to a diplomat, and if it’s “X”, it refers to diplomatic staff.

Some countries use custom plates like the ambassador of South Korea (ROK 1), Iceland (IC1), Belize (BEL12E)… (Diplomatic codes are listed at the bottom of the page).

Diplomatic License Plates Used in the UK

D - Diplomatic Corps

QTR1 - Ambassador of Qatar

X - Non-diplomatic staff

UK License Plate Sizes

The UK uses the standard European license plate size of 520x111 mm. Motorcycle plates measure 229x178 mm. Square plates (known in Spain as “alta”) measure 280x203 mm.

In addition to the sizes mentioned, the UK allows the use of non-standard rectangular plates with angled corners. These plates are typically used on cars with larger or custom plate spaces. Some models that often (but not always) use this type of plate include Aston Martin, Bentley Continental GT, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Jaguar, Mini Cooper, Rolls Royce, Range Rover, and Rover. These plates are usually not mass-produced but made specifically for each model. Common dimensions include 615x150 mm or 560x156 mm.

UK License Plates Used in Other Territories

All UK territories have their own license plates, along with their own international codes. Gibraltar uses the code GBZ, Guernsey GBG, Alderney GBA, Isle of Man GBM, Jersey GBJ. In addition, other UK overseas territories around the world have their own systems, which can differ significantly. For example, the British Indian Ocean Territory uses plates with white characters on a black background. The Cayman Islands use license plates that share little resemblance to those of mainland UK.

History of UK License Plates

The history of UK license plates dates back to 1904, when the first vehicle was registered. Until 1932, plates consisted of one or two letters followed by up to four digits, with no leading zeros. The code identified the region the vehicle belonged to. Across the world, the United Kingdom had numerous colonies and protectorates, each with its own black-background plate system and British-style typography. These systems were usually simple but varied by territory.

From 1932 to 1936, plates followed the "LLL NNN" format, where "L" are letters and "N" are numbers. From 1960 to 1982 another format was used. Between 1983 and 2001, the format changed to "LNNNLLL".

UK License Plate Date Format

Below are the three registration periods:

-from 2001 to 2050

-from 1983 to 2001

-from 1963 to 1983

UK License Plate Dates Since 2001

The two middle digits represent the registration date.

For example, in this plate, the registration date would be 11: between March 2011 and August 2011.

Code	Registration Date
02	March 2002 – August 2002
03	March 2003 – August 2003
04	March 2004 – August 2004
05	March 2005 – August 2005
06	March 2006 – August 2006
07	March 2007 – August 2007
08	March 2008 – August 2008
09	March 2009 – August 2009
10	March 2010 – August 2010
11	March 2011 – August 2011
12	March 2012 – August 2012
13	March 2013 – August 2013
14	March 2014 – August 2014
15	March 2015 – August 2015
16	March 2016 – August 2016
17	March 2017 – August 2017
18	March 2018 – August 2018
19	March 2019 – August 2019
20	March 2020 – August 2020
21	March 2021 – August 2021
22	March 2022 – August 2022
23	March 2023 – August 2023
24	March 2024 – August 2024
25	March 2025 – August 2025
26	March 2026 – August 2026
27	March 2027 – August 2027
28	March 2028 – August 2028
29	March 2029 – August 2029
30	March 2030 – August 2030
31	March 2031 – August 2031
32	March 2032 – August 2032
33	March 2033 – August 2033
34	March 2034 – August 2034
35	March 2035 – August 2035
36	March 2036 – August 2036
37	March 2037 – August 2037
38	March 2038 – August 2038
39	March 2039 – August 2039
40	March 2040 – August 2040
41	March 2041 – August 2041
42	March 2042 – August 2042
43	March 2043 – August 2043
44	March 2044 – August 2044
45	March 2045 – August 2045
46	March 2046 – August 2046
47	March 2047 – August 2047
48	March 2048 – August 2048
49	March 2049 – August 2049
50	March 2050 – August 2050
51	September 2001 – February 2002
52	September 2002 – February 2003
53	September 2003 – February 2004
54	September 2004 – February 2005
55	September 2005 – February 2006
56	September 2006 – February 2007
57	September 2007 – February 2008
58	September 2008 – February 2009
59	September 2009 – February 2010
60	September 2010 – February 2011
61	September 2011 – February 2012
62	September 2012 – February 2013
63	September 2013 – February 2014
64	September 2014 – February 2015
65	September 2015 – February 2016
66	September 2016 – February 2017
67	September 2017 – February 2018
68	September 2018 – February 2019
69	September 2019 – February 2020
70	September 2020 – February 2021
71	September 2021 – February 2022
72	September 2022 – February 2023
73	September 2023 – February 2024
74	September 2024 – February 2025
75	September 2025 – February 2026
76	September 2026 – February 2027
77	September 2027 – February 2028
78	September 2028 – February 2029
79	September 2029 – February 2030
80	September 2030 – February 2031
81	September 2031 – February 2032
82	September 2032 – February 2033
83	September 2033 – February 2034
84	September 2034 – February 2035
85	September 2035 – February 2036
86	September 2036 – February 2037
87	September 2037 – February 2038
88	September 2038 – February 2039
89	September 2039 – February 2040
90	September 2040 – February 2041
91	September 2041 – February 2042
92	September 2042 – February 2043
93	September 2043 – February 2044
94	September 2044 – February 2045
95	September 2045 – February 2046
96	September 2046 – February 2047
97	September 2047 – February 2048
98	September 2048 – February 2049
99	September 2049 – February 2050
00	September 2050 – February 2051

From 1983 to 2001

The first letter indicates the registration period.

For example, on this license plate, the first letter (J) shows the vehicle was registered between August 1991 and July 1992.

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

From 1963 to 1983

The last letter indicates the registration period.

For example, in this license plate, the last letter (L) shows it was registered between August 1972 and July 1973.

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

Older systems

1990–2001

1964–1983

1953–1964

1952–1953

1904–1932

How vehicle license plates work in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, uses a different system from Great Britain (which includes England, Scotland, and Wales).

These license plates follow a format of three letters and four numbers, where the last two letters (of the three total) identify the region. These plates may optionally include the euroband with the GB code. The international code for Northern Ireland is NIL.

Until 2014, license plates in Northern Ireland were issued by the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA), located in Coleraine. Vehicles manufactured before 1975 are identified by grey-on-black plates starting with IG followed by four digits, starting from 4001.

Images and codes of car license plates in Northern Ireland

Letter Code	Image	Details
CZ – Belfast		Euroband with GB is optional
OI – Belfast		Front is white Rear is yellow
NZ – Coleraine		Square format plate
Old style Until 1989		Euroband is optional except when traveling abroad

More resources about UK license plates online

Need to check a British car plate? You can do it here.

Diplomatic Codes

Matriculasdelmundo. License plates of United Kingdom. Reviewed and updated information. Matriculasdelmundo.com. Retrieved on 21/08/2025 from https://matriculasdelmundo.com/en/united-kingdom.html.

License plates from other states and territories that you may be interested in:

Map of the United Kingdom license plates

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Official Sources on License Plates of United Kingdom

All the information about the license plates of cars and motorcycles in United Kingdom and vehicle plates shown here has been extracted from official state archives (such as the BOE and the DGT in Spain), from personal sightings, by contacting automobile clubs from other countries, or through media or files referenced in the text. This information on car and motorcycle plates in United Kingdom has been collected since 2009, so we hope you find the information you're looking for about United Kingdom license plates.

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Please, check matriculasdelmundo.com in Spanish here for all the updated information about license plates of United Kingdom.