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Regtransfers.co.uk - Information on Private Vehicle Registrations
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By GT at 2008-03-19 15:26
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Written exclusively for brit-cars.com by private number plates specialist Regtransfers.co.uk, with thanks.
Number Plates: Their History
The UK car registrations system has changed many times over the years, due to the increasing popularity of the automobile. In 1903, it became clear that the motor car was here to stay, with early British automobiles, such as Humber’s 1901 Voiturette and 1903 Humberette being produced.
When it became evident that steps needed to be taken to introduce regulation and control, it was considered that cars could be given names, just as ships are. This concept rejected, the British government still recognised that cars needed to be traceable in the event of contravention of the law, accidents, or their being stolen. The result was to introduce the alphanumeric car registration as we know it.
Motor Car Act, 1903: This act required all car owners, excepting the reigning monarchy, to register their cars and display a registration plate, which meant that all automobiles could be easily identified. However, although the first registrations were issued in 1903, it was not until January 1st 1904, the same year Rover introduced the Rover Eight, that it became a legal requirement to display one.
There have been several different systems for the car number plate over the years. As the popularity of the motor car has increased, the government has had to contrive new registration patterns.
The current system has been in effect since 2001 and could potentially last until 2099.
The original system as introduced in 1903 ran until 1932. The earliest number plates consisted of a letter code (either single character or a pair) denoting the issuing authority and a sequential identification number. In England and Wales, the letter area codes were issued alphabetically, according to the population in each authority’s area. London was issued with “A”.
During this time, a car’s year of manufacture could not be deduced from the registration, just as personalised plates today prevent this. Examples would have been the Ten, the first real success for Singer in 1912, followed in 1927 by the lighter model, Junior. Early Rolls Royce models, such as the 1909 Silver Ghost, would also have had dateless registrations.
Scotland and Ireland’s system was slightly different. Registrations began with “S” for those issued in Scotland, and “I” for Irish car drivers. Another letter followed, which indicated the local registering authority and then came the sequential ID number.
Combinations for the early plates ran from A1 to YY9999. This allowed for many combinations, but as the purchase of cars grew, the available combinations decreased. When 9999 was reached, authorities would be issued with another two-letter mark upon request.
In 1932, when such cars as the Aston Martin Le Mans were being introduced, this sequence was extended. The extension consisted of three letters and three numbers, ranging from AAA1 to YYY999. In some areas, this needed to be extended even further by the 1950s, resulting in a reversal of the scheme so that the number component preceded the letter component. This ranged from 1A to 9999YY.
The Suffix System:
By the early 1960s, when MG’s new MGB and the “retro” Hillman Imp were introduced, a new format needed to be devised. More cars were rolling off the production line, and new companies, such as Lotus (which first appeared in 1955 with the Mark IX) and Bentley, were now producing bigger and better cars.
This new suffix system, introduced in 1963, kept the regional identification letters and sequential ID number. However, a letter was placed at the end of the registration, which signified the car’s year of manufacture. This started with the letter A in 1963, and so on consecutively through the years. The new range was therefore AAA1A-YYY999Y. For example, if one bought the newly released Lotus Elan Plus Two, the company’s first real ‘family car’, between August 1967 and July 1968, the letter F would feature at the end.
This system worked for longer as the number sequence used to identify vehicles could be re-used each year because the year letter would change.
The Prefix System:
By 1982, when many British marques such as Singer, Wolseley, Austin Healey and Humber had died out, the suffix system had been exhausted. What came next was the prefix system in 1983. The new format, with the year indicator letter at the beginning of the registration, ranged from A1AAA to Y999YYY. For example, a Lotus GT1 bought in 1998 would feature either the letter R or S at the start, depending on whether it was purchased before or after the end of July in that year.
The Current System:
Eventually, the prefix system ran its course and the current UK system was introduced in September 2001. Today’s plates consist of a “local memory tag”, a two-letter regional identifier. This is followed by a two-digit year identifier, which is followed by three unique, random serial letters. Since the new system began, the letter Z is now permitted for the first time in the UK, but only in the serial letters.
In the current system, there are two issue dates per year, taking place in March and September. If issued in March, the two-digit year identifier starts with a 0 and if issued in September, starts with a 5. The second digit indicates the year. Therefore, a car with the registration 51 indicates September 2001 to February 2002 while 58 indicates September 2008 to February 2009. In 2010, March’s code will be 10 and September’s will be 60.
This new system has been designed to last for at least 50 years and, if reversed (i.e. AAA 51AA), could last until 2099.
Cherished number plates are becoming increasingly popular as a way of personalising one’s car, promoting a business or company, or even for investment purposes. Fans of specific makes of car often select registrations with relevance to their preferred marque.
Austin: AU51 TEN, AUS 771N
Bentley: B317 LEY, 83 NN, BEN 11Y
Jaguar: 1 XJR, JAG 63R, 64 JAG
MG: MG1, MG5
Morris: MOR 21S, MOR 121S
Rolls Royce: FAN 770M, 53 RR
TVR: TVR 1, 7 TVR
If you are interested in this and more, you can obtain a FREE subscription of "Regtransfers.co.uk: The World of Personal Number Plates". Not only does this 84 page magazine include number plates information and entertaining articles, each issue also contains celebrity interviews.
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