Personalised Number - Other Formats Explained
Reg Number Retention Rules <HERE>
Reg Number Plate Manufacture Regulations <HERE>
DVLA Local Vehicle Registration Offices <HERE>
General Reg number and number plate information section can be found <HERE>
Overseas territories
Some of the British overseas territories, including Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands, use similar number plates to the UK, with the same colours and typeface.
Gibraltar
Until 2002 Gibraltar's number plates consisted of the letter 'G' and five digits, but this changed to 'G' followed by four digits and a letter. The European flag is also now featured, along with the international vehicle registration GBZ. Military vehicles have the letters 'RN'.
Falklands
In the Falkland Islands, the format is 'F' followed by up to four digits and a letter. Plates are black-on-yellow for both the front and rear of the vehicle. The Union Jack is often placed on the left of the number plate.
Bermuda
Bermuda number plates issued to general passenger vehicles have five black digits on a plain white background, and have a size similar to UK plates. Vanity plates, however, have recently become available that allow motorists to choose any seven letters, overlaid on a map of the island with "Bermuda" printed across the top, on a plate of identical dimensions to plates from the United States.
Anguilla
Anguilla has an 'A' followed by four digits, with a 'G' on the end for a government vehicle, a 'H' for a hire vehicle/taxi and an 'R' for a rental vehicle.
British Virgin Islands
In the British Virgin Islands private vehicles have 'PV' followed by four digits. Commercial vehicles have 'CM' followed by four digits. Rental vehicles have RT followed by four digits. Taxis have TX followed by four digits. Government vehicles have GV followed by four digits.
Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands number plates simply have six numbers on them, separated into groups of three.
Saint Helena
Saint Helena number plates just have three digits on them, with government vehicles having a prefix of 'SHG'. Plates are black-on-white for the front of the vehicle, and black-on-yellow for the rear.
Ascension Island
Ascension Island plates are similar to those of Saint Helena but start with an A.
Turks and Caicos Islands
Turks and Caicos Islands plates have five digits on them, sometimes with the text "Beautiful by Nature" and "Turks and Caicos Islands", other times starting with the letters TC.
Different colours are used for private (red), commercial (green), government (black) and hire (yellow) cars. The Governor's cars do not display a number plate, simply a plate with a crown.
Montserrat
Montserrat plates start with a letter indicating the type of car (R for rental, M for private etc) followed by up to four numbers. The background colour is not set but the letters and numbers are always in white.
Armed Forces vehicles
Since 1949, British military vehicle registration numbers are either in the form of two digits, two letters, two digits (ie. 12 AB 34), or from 1995 onwards, two letters, two digits, two letters (ie. AB 12 CD). Before 1982, the central two letters signified the branch of the armed forces or category of vehicle. Military number plates are still often in the silver/white on black scheme used for civilian plates before 1973, and can be presented in one, two or three rows of characters.
From 1963 until around 1990, in West Germany, private vehicles owned by members of British Forces Germany and their families were issued registration numbers in a unique format (two or three letters followed by two or three digits plus a "B" suffix, eg. AQQ 89 B). This was discontinued for security reasons, as it made them vulnerable to Provisional IRA attacks. Private vehicles driven by British military personnel are now issued with either standard UK number plates (if right hand drive) or German ones (if left hand drive).
Trade plates
Trade licences are issued to motor traders and vehicle testers, and permit the use of untaxed vehicles on the public highway with certain restrictions. Associated with trade licences are "trade plates" which identify the holder of the trade license rather than the vehicle they are displayed on, and can be attached temporarily to vehicles in their possession.
Until 1970, two types of trade plate were used. General trade plates had white letters and numbers on a red background and could be used for all such purposes. Limited trade plates used red numbers and letters on a white background and were restricted in their use (e.g. a vehicle being driven under limited trade plates was not allowed to carry passengers). From 1970 onwards only one type of trade plate was used, which perpetuated the red on white format. The format of trade plate numbers comprises three digits followed by one to three letters.
Diplomatic plates
Since 1979 cars operated by foreign embassies, high commissions, consular staff, and various international organisations have been given plates with a distinguishing format of three numbers, one letter, three numbers. The letter is D for diplomats or X for accredited non-diplomatic staff. The first group of three numbers identifies the country or organisation to whom the plate has been issued, the second group of three numbers is a serial number, starting at 101 for diplomats (although some embassies were erroneously issued 100), 400 for non-diplomatic staff of international organisations, and 700 for consular staff. Thus, for example, 101 D 101 identifies the first plate allocated to the Afghanistan embassy, 900 X 400 is the first plate allocated to the Commonwealth Secretariat.
A limited number of "personal" plates, bearing a similar format to earlier civilian registrations, are issued to embassies and high commissions for use of their senior officials. For example, the United States embassy is allowed to use the registration USA 1 on one of its fleet of vehicles.
Personal number plates (Cherished Marks)
It is still legal to use any of the above civilian schemes for so-called vanity plates. Any registration with two to three consecutive valid letters and a number from 1 to 999 (and possibly another letter) is allowed. As many vehicles registered before 1963 have been destroyed, these "dateless" pre 1963 "personal" or "private" plates are usually highly sought after and valuable, and can be used to conceal the age of an older vehicle. Some consider it a great pity that many classic cars now lose their original plates due to the owners cashing in on the high premiums paid for highly desirable personalised registrations. The Government's Cherished Mark Transfer scheme allows owners to display a registration index more appropriate to a speciality or collector's vehicle, and many private dealers act as agents for DVLA issues, and also hold their own private stock of dateless registrations and other cherished marks. The DVLA however can only offer for sale registrations that have never previously been issued and thus have a limited offering and limited scope. One may not use a registration index to make a vehicle appear newer than it actually is.
As popularity grows, the prices reached for the most expensive plates are always increasing. As of 2008, the record price for a number plate is £397,500 paid at auction in September by an anonymous buyer for the plate S 1. This was originally owned by Sir John H A MacDonald, the Lord Kingsburgh and was Edinburgh's first ever number plate. Car design entrepreneur Afzal Kahn paid £375,000 on 25 January 2008 for F 1 previously owned and sold by Essex County Council and affixed originally in 1904 to the Panhard et Levassor of the then County Surveyor. £330,000 was spent on M 1, sold at auction in Goodwood on 7 June 2006.
It should be noted that there are no restrictions on using a vanity or cherished registration on a car that is newer than the original date of the registration plate, but it is prohibited to transfer a registration that is newer than the vehicle it is used on. This is to prevent the transfer of newer registrations to older vehicles as a measure to protect consumers.
State vehicles used by the reigning monarch
The Rolls-Royce, Bentley and other motor cars used by the reigning monarch on official business do not carry number plates. The official car of the Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland also does not carry plates (but only for the duration of the week-long General Assembly). The monarch's private vehicles, and cars driven by other members of the royal family, all carry number plates.
You can find out where your personalised registration number plate was originally issued here.
