How do number plates work

How often do you need a private number plate? How do UK license plates work? How are number plates arranged in UK? Current British number plates are arranged in the format of two letters , followed by two numbers , followed by a space and then three letters (eg – XXXXX) as shown below.

The latest version of the DVLA’s number plate guide has removed the optional blue EU identifier on the left-hand side.

If you come across one of the older plates, then this is how it works: 1. The first letter is the ‘age identifier ’, representing the year the car was registered. All new number plates must display the new mandatory font. Existing plates need not be changed provided the font used is substantially the same as the new one.

In Belgium it works like this. A person who has a license to drive can ask for a number plate. In this system the first letter acted as the age identifier by representing the year that the car was registered.

Unless you have a private registration, you can use the characters on a number plate to identify not only the age of the vehicle but also where it was first registered.

Even with private registrations though all number plates are entered into a country-wide database ran by DVLA that connects the plates to the vehicle and the vehicle’s owner. These numbers are changed every six months on March and September. If you wish to buy an alternative plate for your vehicle , you must first ensure that you are adhering to the government requirements for personalised plates.

The DVLA also holds number plate auctions throughout the year. In a timed auction, you submit a maximum bid that is hidden from other buyers. The system automatically bids for you up to your limit, and the highest bidder gets the plate. When do number plates change?

The number plates of older. Currently, you can expect to see new number plates hit the road every months - on 1st March and 1st September each year. Some people dream of having personalised number plates on their vehicles, but they have no idea how the whole process works.

This can put them off from actually having them for their car or motorbike, when in actual fact, we can make the process super simple. Also, because all number plates have to include a number , you will often see numbers being used in place of letters to get around this requirement, while still remaining road legal. Over the last two decades, technology in the field of number plates has progressed in leaps and bounds. However, by using lots of adhesive it will be harder to change your number plate in the future. Press number plate onto your car.

Once you have positioned your number plate correctly, simply press as hard as you can, for a minimum of seconds, to ensure the number plate is secured.

The current age identifier on number plates can cause some confusion as it involves numbers in the middle of the registration. The easiest was to remember is that the March plate equals the year, e. The September plate is the year plus 5 e. Number plate facts and trivia. The industry standard size number plate is 5mm × 1mm (2 in × in) or 5mm × 1mm (2 in × in) if it includes a horizontal cartouche to display information about the car dealer. The left side of the plate must contain a blue band with the letter F for France under the stars of the European flag. So how do number plates work ? It can seem pretty confusing as to how the whole system operates, as there seems to be such a wide variety of letters and numbers used in every plate ! Here we will break down the structure of number plates so you can gain a better understanding of how they all work.

Use the image above to see which section means what! There are many types of car registration plate , many of which include a location and year identifier for when and where the mark was first registered. Some others more cherished plates are dateless meaning that they can be applied to any vehicle regardless of its age. Here is a quick summary of the various number plate types. In this blog, we’ll take a look at the current and historical reg plate systems and how you can understand the British number plate system.

The history of number plate systems. All other number plate formats must also feature a GB sticker on the vehicle. Now the UK has the left the EU, the rules may change. Of course, we’ll update you if this is the case. As new number plates are issued in March and September, that’s when lots of used cars come on the market.

We have a huge database of over 4000number plates to choose from. The last digit will always be a “1” or a “2”. January” and “June” and a “2” denotes a vehicle regsitered between “July” and “December”.

VTL3to apply for a duplicate or replacement trade licence (or plates ) You’ll also need to provide a copy of your Motor Trade Insurance Certificate, which must match the name on the application.