Number Plate styles and dates

Dateless style Number Plates were used pre 1963 and they can be any combination of up to 3 numbers and 4 letters and they can be used on a vehicle of any age.

Suffix style number plates were issued in the UK between 1963 - 1983 these number plates have 3 letters at the start then in between 1 - 3 numbers and then ends with a letter that indicates the age of the number plate (i.e the year it came out in between 1963 - 1983)

Prefix style number plates were issued in the UK between 1983 - 2001 these number plates will start with a letter then have in between 1 - 3 numbers and end with another 3 letters, with all prefix number plates the first letter will indicate the age of the vehicle.

Current style number plates were issued in 2001 and have been around ever since and always comprise of 7 characters they will start with 2 letters then have 2 numbers and end with another 3 letters.