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Transferring a registration number to a vehicle (or assigning to)

Subject to certain conditions, an application can be made to transfer a registration number to your vehicle, to a vehicle you are buying, or to someone else's vehicle. Specifically, a registration number can be transferred to a vehicle, provided the vehicle:

  • is not made to appear younger - see year restrictions
  • does not have a registration starting with 'Q' ('NIQ' for Northern Ireland registered vehicles)
  • is registered at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
  • is available for inspection
  • is of a type that needs an MOT or heavy goods vehicle (HGV) test certificate
  • has current road tax

Year restrictions

The law is straightforward regarding restrictions on the assignment of age related registration marks. You may not transfer a registration mark associated with a younger year than that of the recipient vehicle. Essentially, you cannot make a vehicle appear newer by assigning a registration mark.

The age of a vehicle is not necessarily indicated by its number plate. The 'first registered' date, stated on a vehicle's V5 registration document, signifies its true age. Refer to this and not the registration plate the vehicle currently bears since it may be displaying a number plate other than the one it was assigned at first registration (it may now carry a personalised plate).

With the exception of the dateless range, this rule applies to all styles of registration marks. For instance, you cannot put a T prefix plate (for example, T123 ABC) onto a vehicle that originally carried an S prefix registration (for example, S123 ABC). However, you could assign S123 ABC to a T registered vehicle.

Similarly, you may not assign D12 SUE (1986) to vehicle that was originally registered with ABC 2Y (1982) but you can assign Y2 SUE (March 2001) to AB55 CDE (September 2005). Dateless registration numbers, for example 44 AJ and AB 2 can be transferred to a vehicle of any age, since they do not relate to any year.

Please refer to the reg year table to see which year letter corresponds to a given year for prefix style and current style number plates.

Letter/# Year Letter/# Year
A Aug 1983 58 Sep 2008
B Aug 1984 09 Mar 2009
C Aug 1985 59 Sep 2009
D Aug 1986 10 Mar 2010
E Aug 1987 60 Sep 2010
F Aug 1988 11 Mar 2011
G Aug 1989 61 Sep 2011
H Aug 1990 12 Mar 2012
J Aug 1991 62 Sep 2012
K Aug 1992 13 Mar 2013
L Aug 1993 63 Sep 2013
M Aug 1994 14 Mar 2014
N Aug 1995 64 Sep 2014
P Aug 1996 15 Mar 2015
R Aug 1997 65 Sep 2015
S Aug 1998 16 Mar 2016
T Mar 1999 66 Sep 2016
V Sep 1999 17 Mar 2017
W Mar 2000 67 Sep 2017
X Sep 2000 18 Mar 2018
Y Mar 2001 68 Sep 2018
51 Sep 2001 19 Mar 2019
02 Mar 2002 69 Sep 2019
52 Sep 2002 20 Mar 2020
03 Mar 2003 70 Sep 2020
53 Sep 2003 21 Mar 2021
04 Mar 2004 71 Sep 2021
54 Sep 2004 22 Mar 2022
05 Mar 2005 72 Sep 2022
55 Sep 2005 23 Mar 2023
06 Mar 2006 73 Sep 2023
56 Sep 2006 24 Mar 2024
07 Mar 2007 74 Sep 2024
57 Sep 2007 25 Mar 2025
08 Mar 2008    

The vehicle is subject to MOT or HGV testing

Not all vehicles are required to undergo an annual test for roadworthiness, for example agricultural vehicles, steamrollers and milk floats. Consequently, such vehicles do not qualify for the transfer or retention scheme. Check the vehicle's registration document.

Vehicles with non-transferable marks

The vehicle's V5 registration document (log book) indicates the transferability of its currently assigned registration mark. Where it specifies 'non-transferable', the vehicle may still be able to receive a cherished registration number provided the vehicle meets the normal requirements of the government's Transfer and Retention Scheme. However, it may be worth having the DVLA verify the vehicle's eligibility to receive a cherished registration mark.

Note that under the DVLA's Transfer and Retention Scheme, a non-transferable registration number cannot be transferred or retained before or during the transfer of a new registration number to the vehicle.

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