UK Registrations - Old and New systems

RAC Vehicle Registration Check Link:

RAC Vehicle Registration Check

Previous registration system: August 1983 to August 2001

To assist in determining the age of an ex-UK fire appliance the following may be useful.
(The FIRST letter indicates the year registered).

A-***-ABC between 08/83 and 07/84

B-***-ABC between 08/84 and 07/85

C-***-ABC between 08/85 and 07/86

D-***-ABC between 08/86 and 07/87

E-***-ABC between 08/87 and 07/88

F-***-ABC between 08/88 and 07/89

G-***-ABC between 08/89 and 07/90

H-***-ABC between 08/90 and 07/91

J-***-ABC between 08/91 and 07/92

K-***-ABC between 08/92 and 07/93

L-***-ABC between 08/93 and 07/94

M-***-ABC between 08/94 and 07/95

N-***-ABC between 08/95 and 07/96

P-***-ABC between 08/96 and 07/97

R-***-ABC between 08/97 and 07/98

S-***-ABC between 08/98 and 02/99

T-***=ABC between 03/99 and 08/99

V-***-ABC between 09/99 and 02/00

W-***-ABC between 03/00 and 08/00

X-***-ABC between 09/00 and 02/01

Y-***-ABC between 03/01 and 08/01

The NEW Registration sequence: September 2001

The new UK registration system, which commenced in September 2001, consists of two letters (indicating REGION )two numbers (indicating the YEAR of registration) followed by a combination of three after that. i.e the registration CV04MRT indicates a vehicle registered in Swansea between March and August 2004. CV54MRT would indicate it was registered between September 2004 and February 2005.

AA-AN Peterborough
AO-AU Norwich
AV-AY Ipswich
BA-BY Birmingham
CA-CO Cardiff
CP-CV Swansea
CW-CY Bangor
DA-DK Chester
DL-DY Shrewsbury
EA-EY Chelmsford
FA-FP Nottingham
FR-FY Lincoln
GA-GO Maidstone
GP-GY Brighton
HA-HJ Bournemouth
HK-HV Portsmouth
HW Isle of Wight
HX-HY Portsmouth
KA-KL Luton
KM-KY Northampton
LA-LJ Wimbledon
LK-LT Stanmore
LU-LY Sidcup
MA-MY Manchester
NA-NO Newcastle
NP-NY Stockton
OA-OY Oxford
PA-PT Preston
PU-PY Carlisle
RA-RY Reading
SA-SJ Glasgow
SK-SO Edinburgh
SP-ST Dundee
SU-SW Aberdeen
SX-SY Inverness
VA-VY Worcester
WA-WJ Exeter
WK-WL Truro
WM-WY Bristol
YA-YK Leeds
YL-YU Sheffield
YV-YY Beverley