UK number plates explained: Everything you need to know about the UK’s new 74 number plate this September

If it’s Autumn, then it’s time to do two things — turn the heating back on, and get set for the new number plate. The UK swaps over its number plates each March and September, and for September 2024, we’re getting the 74 plates, as that will be the number after the first two characters on each plate.

From September 1, 2024, the 74 on the plate indicates that the car was registered between that date and March 1, 2025. 74 replaces the 24 plate which was introduced in March of this year, and that itself replaced the 73 plate from September 2023.

The changeover of number plates tends to see a big spike in sales of new cars in the UK, as many buyers are keen to have the latest registration sat on the driveway and many car makers and dealers will be setting out special offers and finance packages to try and tempt buyers into showroom visits or online clicks. Equally, the recent cut in interest rates by the Bank of England might make financing a 74 plate car that little bit more affordable.

The newness of a 74 number plate may not be important to you, personally, but it’s still worth reading what follows as it’s useful to know the various ins, outs, and curiosities of the UK’s number plate systems. That’s because it’s always good to be able to work out the age of a used car you’re thinking of buying, but it’s far more important to be aware of the various, occasionally arcane, rules and regulations regarding the colour of the plate, the size and spacing of the letters and numbers, and even the highly specific font required. Get any of these wrong, or try to change them to suit your personal taste, and you’re risking a lengthy and uncomfortable chat with the local constabulary and a four-figure fine. Beyond that, there’s plenty of pub quizzes in your local area, and there just might be a winning answer lurking in our detailed UK 74 number plate run-down…

How do UK number plates work?

The 24 number plates were released in March 2024, and remain as the date signifier for all cars registered between 1 March 2024 and the last day of August 2024. From 1 September until the end of March 2025, the numbers on UK plates change to 74.

This March and September changeover of number plates has been in place since 1999, and the two letter code followed by the date number system has been in use since 2001. The previous system relied on single letters to indicate a year (eg — D-reg for 1986-87, with a single plate change in March).

From September, the 74 plate is made up of the third and fourth characters on a plate, and it’s one of three elements that make up a standard number plate. These comprise:

• Two letters that represent the region the car was registered in (eg. L for London and then M for the Borehamwood area)
• Two numbers that represent when the car was registered (in this case, 74 for September 2024 to March 2025)
• A set of three randomly generated letters

Number plates issued from March to September contain two numbers representing the year, while the plates issued from September plates are the year plus 50.

You can see how this will pan out until 2029 in the table below:

What will new car reg plates look like in 2030? Under the current system, you will see 30-plate cars from 1st March and then 80-plate cars from 1st September.

Rules for number plates

For vehicles made after 1 January 1973, the front number plate must have a white background while the rear number plate at the rear must have a yellow background.

There are strict rules concerning the specification of the letters and numbers in the reg plate.

These include:

• Characters must be 79mm and 50mm wide (except the number 1 or letter I)
• The thickness of the character stroke must be 14mm
• The space between characters must be 11mm
• The space between the age identifier and the random letters must be 33mm
• The margins at the top, bottom and side must be 11mm
• The vertical space between the age identifier and the random numbers must be 19mm
• The font used in the number plate has been in use since 2001 and is called the Charles Wright font

What is a green number plate?

As of December 2020, if you buy a new fully electric car (or one powered by a hydrogen fuel cell) you can choose to have your car fitted with a so-called ‘green number plate’. These have a green flash on the left-hand side of the reg plate to indicate the car’s zero tailpipe emission credentials.

You can opt-out of having the green flash on your plate if it’s not to your taste, but dealers are likely to fit them as standard on newly-sold electric cars. At the moment, they’re only a cosmetic item rather than allowing any certain EV privileges.

There have been a few instances of people buying green number plates and putting them on petrol and diesel cars, but this practice a) won’t bring any tangible advantages, and b) is illegal.  Number plates are supposed to be bought only from approved, registered vendors, but a loophole allows people to buy ‘show plates’ from other vendors, with these being marketed as non-road-legal plates to put on cars at automotive shows – though they can look very close to the real thing, albeit they can be ordered with non-standard spacing, banned number and letter combinations, and green flashes for ineligible cars.

What is a private number plate?

Private number plates, also known as personalised, cherished or vanity plates, are number plates that are bought based on the specific characters they contain. Personalised plates can be bought directly from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency or, if they’re already in circulation, can be purchased from auctions, traders or private individuals.

Personalised number plates can represent anything from a driver’s or company’s name, to a meaningful date, or any other word or words, as long as they are not deemed offensive (see our list of the latest banned ’74’ number plates). Some private plates are simply chosen because their owners like the combination of letters and numbers they contain, or they may have become attached to a specific plate over their driving lives, and wish to transfer it onto their next car.

Be warned, though: it is illegal to alter the spacing of personalised number plates – even those with fewer than seven characters must adhere to the strict spacing and font rules, while adding coloured screws to alter the appearance of letters or numbers is also illegal (the best example of this comes from the 1990s when Chrysler UK registered a V10 Viper sports car with the plate WOW 11OT, which with the addition of a single black screw head became WOW HOT). You risk a £1,000 fine if you break the rules, and your cherished plate could be rescinded by the DVLA.

It is also worth knowing that while a personalised plate can make a car look older than it is (EG a 52 plate on a 2020 car), you cannot have a personalised plate on a car that implies it is newer than it is.

Are there any banned number plates?

Yes. Each time a new age identifier is released every March and September, the DVLA has a meeting where they try to work out whether any permutation allowed by the new digits could comprise an offensive word, or something that resembles one. carwow has been informed this meeting is one of the more popular ones the DVLA holds, as staff deliberately try to envisage rude and offensive plates before they fall into the hands of unsuspecting (or suspecting) motorists.

Anything to do with violence, sex or discrimination is automatically banned, while number plates that slip through the net can be rescinded at a later date.

BA22 ARD was banned when the ‘22’ plate came out in March 2022, for example, as was a registrations referring to Covid-19, such as CO22 ONA. For the 74 plate period, the banned plates include FA74 NNY and CH74 NKY. We present this as serious consumer information, not so that you can giggle at them. Honest.

Number plate formats for cars registered before 2001

Several different number plate systems existed prior to the current one. Number plates only changed once a year between 1983 to 2001, with the age identifier being a single letter at the start of the plate, known as a ‘prefix’ plate.

This meant a car with a plate beginning with ‘A’ was registered between August 1983 and July 1984, while an ‘M’ plate was registered from August 1994 to July 1995. From 1963 to 1982 the age identifier was the last character on the plate, known as a ‘suffix’ plate.

Between 1932 and 1963, three-letter codes signified different local authorities, but the letters weren’t logically coded, so for instance Staffordshire used the code ARF, getting an A-plate simply because it had been one of the first to switch to that system.

Before 1932, and dating back to the earliest cars on UK roads, the system has used a complicated one-or-two-letter, two-number code whereby the first letter was alphabetically issued to the areas with the largest populations — hence London using A, Lancashire getting B, and Yorkshire using C, while AA was for Hampshire.

What about Northern Ireland?

There’s no plate change in Northern Ireland, as the system there continues to follow the old 1904-based system that uses a three letter identifier for a different county or region, followed by three or four numbers. For instance, FMZ is Belfast City, while Londonderry-Derry City is AVI.

Any other number plate types?

Yes, actually. The British Army used to have distinct two-letter-two-numbers-two letter plates, but these were discontinued in the 1990s over security concerns. However, in the UK cars belonging to foreign embassies, high commissions, consulates and international organisations still use a unique number plate design, consisting of three numbers followed by the letters D or X and then another three numbers. While this is standard practice, some embassies and official cars have either paid for a personalised number plate, or been given special leave by the Foreign Office and the DVLA to have a unique number plate, such as USA 1 which is of course registered to the American embassy.

UK number plates FAQs

Why does my car have a number plate?

Quite simply, to give it a unique identification so it can be linked to a registered keeper, and so it is obvious that it is a road legal vehicle.

What information can you get from a UK number plate?

UK number plates allow you to determine how old a car is, and where it was first registered.

When do UK number plates change?

A new age identifier comes out twice a year on the first of March and September.

Do you need a front number plate in the UK?

Yes, it is a legal requirement for all cars to wear a front number plate.

How much is my number plate worth?

As little as nothing, or as much as several hundred thousand pounds. It is unlikely anyone would pay for a ‘standard’ number plate, unless it means something to them – in which case it may mean something to someone else, too, and may therefore be considered a personalised number plate.

The most expensive number plates typically have very few characters and/or represent rare and exotic cars. The plate ’25 O’ was sold for slightly more than £500,000 in 2023, making it a UK-plate record. Apparently it’s been fitted to a Ferrari LaFerrari. Meanwhile plates that contain the numbers ‘911’ tend to be in demand with Porsche 911 owners, for example but if you want the famed 911 HUL plate, forget it — it belongs to Porsche GB and has done since the 1980s. The cheapest private plates can be bought from the DVLA for as little as £250.

Where can I get number plates made?

You can only get number plates made up by registered suppliers, and you can find a list of these on the government’s official website. A number of plate vendors are also available online, but check they are officially registered before you buy, as this will ensure the plates meet legislation. Anyone providing you with a number plate, 74 or otherwise, should be checking both your identity and your proof of ownership of the vehicle in question, so make sure you bring along photo ID and your V5C registration document.

What should I do with old number plates?

This depends on the circumstances. Our handy guide has all the details.