The identifying letter code related to the number of inhabitants per town in England and Wales, with London being assigned the letter ‘A’. The numbers then grew in proportion to the number of car owners in a particular area, with London again having the greatest number of cars on the road. In Scotland and Ireland, the letters ‘S’ and ‘I’ were added in advance of the town related letter to denote the country.

From the 1930s, the same system of starting letter and subsequent numbers was developed to include more series’ of letters to keep up with the number of cars on the road. From the 1960s, car registration plates introduced a letter at the end of the combination, which denoted the year the plate was first assigned. Each subsequent year then carried its own letter, ‘A’ standing for 1963, ‘B’ for 1964 and so on. This was changed in the 1983, with ‘A’ now coming at the front of the registration system, ‘B’ being 1984, etc.

The current registration system includes two letters for the region, two numbers for the year and a three letter identifier.

If you possess the 3-part DVLA registration certificate, you need to complete the “blue” section of the V5 document.  Both the purchaser and you must sign it and then post it straight away to the DVLA – Swansea, SA99 1BA.  Additionally, you are required to provide the purchaser with the correctly completed V5/2 green section.  However, should you sell your vehicle to a “motor trader”, you have to complete section V5/3 or the “red” section on the document.

Additionally, you will need to make sure that you have obtained the motor trader’s full details and their personal information and then post it to the DVLA (see address in the above paragraph).  You will then need to hand both the uncompleted V5 and V5/2 sections (blue and green) over to the motor trader.

Once the completed DVLA registration document has been posted to the agency, be patient and allow up to four weeks before you receive the acknowledgement letter from them.  This document recognises that the sale and transfer of the vehicle has transpired and also discharges any liability that you have for that vehicle.

A mirrored plate registration shows a mirror image, or near mirror image, of the beginning letters at the end of the plate.  For example, ‘AE53 AES’ is a mirror plate.  The only difference is the ‘3’ in the middle, since the plate holds seven characters.  ‘BE55 BES’ is another possible combination, one which someone named Bess would probably jump at.

Most companies selling these plates have some sort of search function, so if you’re looking for a certain prefix, you can search via that prefix or look down an alphabetical or numerical list and find what you are looking for.  For example, the ‘BU’ prefix could gain you something like ‘BU55 BUS’.  That could be a very fun license, especially for a tiny car!

The market for personalised plates has been growing at a very good rate, and some of the best numbers have already been bought up.  Celebrities and wealthy individuals enjoy the uniqueness of a registration plate that people will remark on as the car goes by.  With a little imagination and a few minutes on the search engine, you can also find a plate that suits your style.

Mirrored registration plates can be a quick and inexpensive way for you to have a little fun with your car that won’t cost any extra petrol.

UK number plates began with small numbers, as in 1904 there were very few automobiles on the road.  Of course today, with literally millions of vehicles moving about, the numbering scheme has had to change from the original ‘A 1’ registered to Earl Russell in 1903.  The first plates had a one or two-letter code followed by a series of numbers which started at 1 and ran to 9999.  As cars became more popular, the registration numbers were quickly eclipsed by the number of registration plates required.

Between 1932 and 1963 this was solved—temporarily, it turned out—by adding a letter to the beginning code. A plate issued during this period might read ‘ULO 253’. However, the numbers were restricted to three digits under this scheme, and as a result, the available numbers began to run out by the early 60s.

Between 1960 and 1982 a letter suffix was added to the existing scheme.  The extra letter created many more available plate numbers, but the pace of car ownership was picking up as well, and this scheme lasted only just  over 20 years. 

In 1983 the same scheme was kept, except the letter suffix became a prefix, and preceded the numbers and letters of the registration.  This is the scheme currently in practice, and will continue until the number of cars once again eclipses the number of car number plates available.

You don’t need to purchase or own a vehicle in order to own a private number plate, as you can retain the number plate for as long as permitted, renewing  the retention certificate when the retention period expires. Most sellers of private number plates will give you a copy of the V778 Retention Document, but you can also find these at your local Post Office, or get a copy directly from the DVLA.

Assigning car registration plates that are currently on retention is also a simple procedure; full instructions are on the back of the retention certificate. Applications can also be made in person or by posting to your local DVLA office. When sending off the application, you need to include the V5 log book, and a valid MOT certificate for the vehicle you are assigning the number plate to. There is an £80 fee and the grantee or nominee name on the V778 certificate must match the name which appears in the V5 log book of the vehicle.

For the most part, Vehicle First Registration Fees typically apply to all vehicle and car registrations with the following exceptions:

- vehicles that are first licensed and registered in the disabled exempt taxation classification
- any historical vehicles that have been registered previously with older vehicle registration authorities such as later conversions
- vehicles which have been registered previously through the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) of Northern Ireland
- imported vehicles that have been registered under the new “means of transport scheme” or the “personal export scheme”
- vehicles registered to visiting military forces
- those vehicles that were registered through the “direct export scheme”
- vehicles designated exclusively for use off road
- any vehicles that are “crown exempt

Where making the Vehicle First Registration Fee payment is concerned it must be taken care of in a single transaction, along with the applicable taxes, no matter if it is first licensed and registered at a local office of the DVLA or under the guidelines of the AFRL (Automated First Registration and Licensing) system.  Whenever you are purchasing a new vehicle, this is normally included in the purchase price by the vehicle dealer.

When you are at the showroom and are part exchanging your vehicle, it is your responsibility to transfer that plate number before any sale can be conducted.  Another issue is if you decide to export your vehicle you could lose the rights to your number plate.  So it is wise to consult the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) regarding this matter so that the proper procedure is followed prior to the exporting of the vehicle.

Finally, if your number plate is displayed illegally, you might be fined up to £1,000 (the maximum fine) should you be convicted of this.  In addition to the fine, the Department of Transport has the right to strip you of your rights to the registration mark if the offence is serious enough and they choose to penalise you in such a fashion.  Worst of all, no matter what you paid for the purchase of the registration mark, you will not be due any reimbursement for the costs you incurred with that purchase.

Proper upkeep of your car registration is mandatory, and penalties and fees are applied if registrations are not kept current.  However, the DVLA has made it much easier to do this, as many of the activities that used to require a trip to a local office or dealing by mail can now be done via the DVLA’s website.

People often see adverts from companies offering to assist with the registration process, however keep in mind that DVLA employees will do this for free—in fact, that is one of the services that your taxes pay for.  Where these other companies can provide a service which the DVLA does not offer is in the search for personalised or “cherished” plate numbers.  These are often sought after by people wishing to add that extra special “something” to their vehicle.  Collector cars are often seen with cherished plates.

Your vehicle registration should be completed with the DVLA as soon as possible after you purchase the car.  Some people erroneously believe (or are told) that they can wait until the tax is next due.  Penalties for late registration may be involved in this case, making your fee even higher.  However, in the case of a new car purchase, the dealer will almost always include the initial registration fee in the purchase price and take care of the bulk of the paperwork for you.

How do I transfer a number plate?
This is done in much the same manner as when you purchase or sell a vehicle and completing the V5 logbook.

How do I transfer my number plates from one vehicle to another?
You can do this by filling out DVLA Form V317.

How do I transfer my number plates from a vehicle to retention?
If your UK number plates are currently on a vehicle and you want to retain them, use DVLA Form V778/1.

How do I transfer my number plates from retention to a vehicle?
If the number plate you want assigned to a vehicle is currently on retention, use DVLA Forms V750 or V778 (retention documents).

What will it cost me if I transfer number plates?
There are three different transfer fees involved in the transferring of number plates:
Assigning a number plate – £80
Retaining a number plate – £105
Transferring a number plate – £80

Just keep in mind that the DVLA clearly explains the procedure for transferring plate registration on the reverse side of their documents to help you.  You can also contact them at their website or telephone them.

Private registration numbers are purchased for different reasons. Some registration numbers hold sentimental value, and are truly a cherished number plate for the owner, which could include number plates with names or dates of birth. Buyers are quite often willing to pay large amounts to get a plate that has a specific meaning to them. Other plates are purchased for show and the prices paid tend to depend on the appeal of the plate, or simply on the buyer’s budget.

There’s also a small group of individuals and companies who buy number plates to invest in, or to sell on at a profit. Quite often, these plates are purchased at DVLA auctions and later sold, as soon as the public realises the appeal of the particular registration number.

Whatever the reason for buying private registration plates, you can always be sure that the registration plate remains yours, and won’t be reassigned to another owner or vehicle unless you agree to sell it. This does not necessarily mean that you will get your money’s worth when you decide to sell, so you need to carefully consider whether the significance or appeal of the unique number plate, is really worth the money.