How do I buy a DVLA registration plate?
DVLA number plates, or as they’re officially known “DVLA vehicle identification plates”, can be purchased right here from us at TopReg. They can be used on any DVLA-registered vehicle, so long as they follow the golden rule of UK license plates — the date on the plate must not falsely suggest the car is newer than it actually is.
What is a DVLA number plate?
A DVLA number plate is a rectangular piece of perspex that displays a vehicle’s registration mark. Each car comes with a standardised DVLA number plate upon purchase, but some owners choose their own custom personalised plates with their name, initials, hobbies or interests to add a real touch of flair.
DVLA registration plates have taken on various formats over the years, including:
- Cherished plates (pre-1963 number plates that do not have age identifiers and are beloved by the classic car community).
- Suffix style plates (introduced in 1963, phased out in 1983 and include a year-identifying letter at the end of the mark).
- Prefix style plates (introduced in 1983 post suffix style, phased out in 2001) and include a year-identifying letter at the beginning of the mark.
- Current style plates (the current style plates used since 2001).
Choose from the best at TopReg
With TopReg on your side, you can choose from millions of private and personalised DVLA registrations for sale, including the popular dateless styles.
So, if you’re looking to add something unique and personal to your vehicle, we have DVLA private plates for all budgets. Go ahead and use our search bar to explore all the registrations we have on offer.
Number plate styles available
Our enormous range of DVLA plates comes in every style:
Current Style Plates
(Sep 2001 - present)
2 letters for the registration location, 2 numbers for the registration year, and then a small gap followed by 3 random letters.
Prefix Number Plates
(1983 - 2001)
1 prefix letter for the registration year, a number from 1 to 999, and then a small gap followed by 3 letters for the registration location.
Suffix Number Plates
(1963 - 1982)
3 letters for the registration location, a small gap, a sequence number from 1 to 999, and 1 suffix letter for the registration year.
Dateless Number Plates*
(Pre 1963)
1, 2, 3 or 4 numbers, followed by a small gap and then 1, 2 or 3 letters. Can also be reversed with 1, 2 or 3 letters followed by 1, 2, 3 or 4 numbers.
* Dateless style plates allow you to hide the age of a vehicle.