Current Format Registrations (September 2001 - Present)

HD53 DAN

A Local Memory Tag, an age identifier and 3 random letters

The current standard issue of registration marks are made up of seven characters plus a compulsory space. The compulsory space is situated in front of the last three characters. Many motorists choose to replace standard issues with a personalised registration.

Local Memory Tag

The first two letters form a local memory tag showing the region where a vehicle is first registered. The letters I, Q and Z are not used in the local memory Tag. The first letter represents the region and the second letter relates to the now defunct DVLA Local Office areas.

In the example above "HD" shows that the vehicle was first registered in Hampshire & Dorset (H) at DVLA's (now closed) Bournemouth local office (D).

Three Random Letters

The three final letters are a random element to make each registration mark unique. Letters I and Q are not issued, along with letter combinations that the DVLA consider to be offensive.


Age IdentifierRegistration Date
51September 2001 - February 2002
02March 2002 - August 2002
52September 2002 - February 2003
03March 2003 - August 2003
53September 2003 - February 2004
04March 2004 - August 2004
54September 2004 - February 2005
05March 2005 - August 2005
55September 2005 - February 2006
06March 2006 - August 2006
56September 2006 - February 2007
07March 2007 - August 2007
57September 2007 - February 2008
08March 2008 - August 2008
58September 2008 - February 2009
09March 2009 - August 2009
59September 2009 - February 2010
10March 2010 - August 2010
60September 2010 - February 2011
11March 2011 - August 2011
61September 2011 - February 2012
12March 2012 - August 2012
62September 2012 - February 2013
13March 2013 - August 2013
63September 2013 - February 2014
14March 2014 - August 2014
64September 2014 - February 2015
15March 2015 - August 2015
65September 2015 - February 2016
16March 2016 - August 2016
66September 2016 - February 2017

Note: This is for information purposes only as you do not need to apply the exact age identifier to your purchase when buying a personalised registration mark. For example if you are buying a personalised registration with a 53 age identifier in the middle, your vehicle does not have to have been first registered between September 2003 and February 2004, your vehicle might have been first registered in October 2005. This would be acceptable because you are not making your vehicle look newer than it is by buying a personalised registration. The only occasion you would not be able to buy a personalised registration with a 53 age identifier in it is when your vehicle was first registered before the 53 became valid i.e. if your vehicle was first registered prior to September 2003 (because it would make your vehicle appear newer than it actually is).

The golden rule is that you can never make your vehicle appear newer by transferring a newer registration to it.

    Example Current Style Registrations

  • OX02 BEV
  • JH02 DAN
  • OX02 EVE
  • HE02 JOE
  • OJ02 ROB
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