Suffix Number Plate Issue Dates

 

The ‘Suffix Style’ of registration was launched in 1963 in an attempt to create a national system that would alleviate the recurring problem of number plate sequences running out. The previous, - three letters with up to three numbers - system was kept, with a single letter added at the end, which changed every year.

In this system, numbers were drawn from the range ‘AAA 1A’ to ‘YYY 999A’ for the first year, then ‘AAA 1B’ to ‘YYY 999B’ for the second year, and so on. Some regions didn’t take up the suffix letter immediately, preferring to stick to their old system, but in 1965 the suffix letter became compulsory.

This new system had two advantages over earlier ones. Firstly; yielding many more available registrations than previous systems as the identifying sequence of letters and numbers could be reused every year and secondly it was a handy way for vehicle purchasers to know the age of the vehicle at a glance.

The Suffix Style Registration did not use I,O,Q,U or Z as a year/date letter.

 

 

Letter	Dates of issue
A	January 1963 to December 1963
B	January 1964 to December 1964
C	January 1965 to December 1965
D	January 1966 to December 1966
E	January 1967 to July 1967
F	August 1967 to July 1968
G	August 1968 to July 1969
H	August 1969 to July 1970
J	August 1970 to July 1971
K	August 1971 to July 1972
L	August 1972 to July 1973
M	August 1973 to July 1974
N	August 1974 to July 1975
P	August 1975 to July 1976
R	August 1976 to July 1977
S	August 1977 to July 1978
T	August 1978 to July 1979
V	August 1979 to July 1980
W	August 1980 to July 1981
X	August 1981 to July 1982
Y	August 1982 to July 1983