- What year is a 74 plate?A 74 plate means the car was first registered between September 2024 and February 2025.
- What year is a 76 plate?A 76 plate means the car was first registered between September 2026 and February 2027.
- How do I tell what year a car is from its number plate?Look at the two digits after the letters - that's the age identifier, issued twice a year since 2001.
- What do the letters on a UK number plate mean?The first two letters point to where the car was first registered, not who owns it or where it lives now.
- What is a Q plate?Issued when a car's true age or identity can't be verified - not automatically a red flag, but worth extra questions.
- Does a private number plate hide a car's age?It hides the age identifier from view, but the car's real first registration date is still on record.
- Is a plate change on a car a bad sign?Not on its own - a plate change is usually just a private plate being added or removed.
Number plate year chart
Every age identifier since the current style of plate began on 1 September 2001. New identifiers are issued twice a year: the March batch is the year's last two digits, and the September batch is those digits plus 50. The identifier gives the registration window, not an exact date.
| Plate | Registered between |
|---|---|
| 51 | September 2001 - February 2002 |
| 02 | March 2002 - August 2002 |
| 52 | September 2002 - February 2003 |
| 03 | March 2003 - August 2003 |
| 53 | September 2003 - February 2004 |
| 04 | March 2004 - August 2004 |
| 54 | September 2004 - February 2005 |
| 05 | March 2005 - August 2005 |
| 55 | September 2005 - February 2006 |
| 06 | March 2006 - August 2006 |
| 56 | September 2006 - February 2007 |
| 07 | March 2007 - August 2007 |
| 57 | September 2007 - February 2008 |
| 08 | March 2008 - August 2008 |
| 58 | September 2008 - February 2009 |
| 09 | March 2009 - August 2009 |
| 59 | September 2009 - February 2010 |
| 10 | March 2010 - August 2010 |
| 60 | September 2010 - February 2011 |
| 11 | March 2011 - August 2011 |
| 61 | September 2011 - February 2012 |
| 12 | March 2012 - August 2012 |
| 62 | September 2012 - February 2013 |
| 13 | March 2013 - August 2013 |
| 63 | September 2013 - February 2014 |
| 14 | March 2014 - August 2014 |
| 64 | September 2014 - February 2015 |
| 15 | March 2015 - August 2015 |
| 65 | September 2015 - February 2016 |
| 16 | March 2016 - August 2016 |
| 66 | September 2016 - February 2017 |
| 17 | March 2017 - August 2017 |
| 67 | September 2017 - February 2018 |
| 18 | March 2018 - August 2018 |
| 68 | September 2018 - February 2019 |
| 19 | March 2019 - August 2019 |
| 69 | September 2019 - February 2020 |
| 20 | March 2020 - August 2020 |
| 70 | September 2020 - February 2021 |
| 21 | March 2021 - August 2021 |
| 71 | September 2021 - February 2022 |
| 22 | March 2022 - August 2022 |
| 72 | September 2022 - February 2023 |
| 23 | March 2023 - August 2023 |
| 73 | September 2023 - February 2024 |
| 24 | March 2024 - August 2024 |
| 74 | September 2024 - February 2025 |
| 25 | March 2025 - August 2025 |
| 75 | September 2025 - February 2026 |
| 26 | March 2026 - August 2026 |
| 76 | September 2026 - February 2027 |
| 27 | March 2027 - August 2027 |
| 77 | September 2027 - February 2028 |
| 28 | March 2028 - August 2028 |
| 78 | September 2028 - February 2029 |