Explore old UK registration letter codes and discover which towns, cities and counties they were originally linked with.
Before the introduction of the modern registration system in 1973, vehicles in the UK were issued with registration numbers linked to specific local licensing authorities. These letter combinations can help identify where a car, motorcycle, lorry or other vehicle was originally registered.
If you are researching a classic car, dating an old photograph, tracing a vehicle's history or simply trying to understand an older number plate, these historic registration codes can provide valuable clues.
Many registrations contained one, two or three letters which represented a particular town, county or licensing office. For example, registrations such as AB 7421, KPJ 518 or 731 YT all contain location codes that were associated with specific areas of the United Kingdom.
Our database contains hundreds of historic registration letter combinations together with known issue periods and, where available, the dates when particular series began and ended. Some registration codes were used more than once during the twentieth century, making the dates just as important as the letters themselves.
Whether you are interested in classic cars, vintage motorcycles, commercial vehicles or historic transport in general, the guide below allows you to browse over 600 historic UK registration codes and discover where they were originally issued.