52 Plate?

[scionic]

Excuse my ignorance, but I'm puzzled as to how plates and registration and the rest work in England.

I hear people say things like "52 plate" and "MOT"

Can someone explain this all to me?

Thanks!

In Arizona, for example, you register your car with the Motor Vehicle Department, which then does and inspection to make sure VIN's match up. Then you are assigned a license plate which then belongs to you for as long as you live in Arizona. You take the same plate and put it on whatever car you buy next. You pay a tax based on the value of the car for your registration, which you can do 2 years at a time.

Your drivers license is good for 20 years or so until you need it renewed.

[Blue84]

There are two registration formats here in England..

For example..in the year 2002, from March until September any cars that were registered from new during that time were given an "02" registration..eg AB02CDE, then from September 02 until March 03 it changed to "52" (I think of it as being the later part of 2002) so an example would be AB52CDE..from March 2003 instead of 02, it became 03..so when we say "I have a 52 plate" then that's what we mean.

It's like our Yaris Blue, she is on a "54" Plate as she was registered in January this year..now it's march the registrations have become 05 as we are in 2005 obviously.

I hope that clarifies things

[cfc1]

Obviously it's the year of 1st registration....

UK Registration Plate Year Identifiers

Suffix Letters

A 01 February 1963 31 December 1963

B 01 January 1964 31 December 1964

C 01 January 1965 31 December 1965

D 01 January 1966 31 December 1966

E 01 January 1967 31 July 1967

F 01 August 1967 31 July 1968

G 01 August 1968 31 July 1969

H 01 August 1969 31 July 1970

J 01 August 1970 31 July 1971

K 01 August 1971 31 July 1972

L 01 August 1972 31 July 1973

M 01 August 1973 31 July 1974

N 01 August 1974 31 July 1975

P 01 August 1975 31 July 1976

R 01 August 1976 31 July 1977

S 01 August 1977 31 July 1978

T 01 August 1978 31 July 1979

V 01 August 1979 31 July 1980

W 01 August 1980 31 July 1981

X 01 August 1981 31 July 1982

Y 01 August 1982 31 July 1983

Prefix Letters

A 01 August 1983 31 July 1984

B 01 August 1984 31 July 1985

C 01 August 1985 31 July 1986

D 01 August 1986 31 July 1987

E 01 August 1987 31 July 1988

F 01 August 1988 31 July 1989

G 01 August 1989 31 July 1990

H 01 August 1990 31 July 1991

J 01 August 1991 31 July 1992

K 01 August 1992 31 July 1993

L 01 August 1993 31 July 1994

M 01 August 1994 31 July 1995

N 01 August 1995 31 July 1996

P 01 August 1996 31 July 1997

R 01 August 1997 31 July 1998

S 01 August 1998 28 February 1999

T 01 March 1999 31 July 1999

V 01 August 1999 28 February 2000

W 01 March 2000 31 July 2000

X 01 August 2000 28 February 2001

Y 01 March 2001 31 July 2001

From the year 2001 onwards...

2001 01 51 << which means.. the year 2001 can be a "01" or a "51" plate

2002 02 52

2003 03 53

2004 04 54

2005 05 55

2006 06 56

2007 07 57

2008 08 58

2009 09 59

2010 10 60

2011 11 61

2012 12 62

2013 13 63

2014 14 64

2015 15 65

2016 16 66

2017 17 67

2018 18 68

2019 19 69

2020 20 70

2021 21 71

2022 22 72

2023 23 73

2024 24 74

2025 25 75

2026 26 76

2027 27 77

2028 28 78

2029 29 79

2030 30 80

2031 31 81

2032 32 82

2033 33 83

2034 34 84

2035 35 85

2036 36 86

2037 37 87

2038 38 88

2039 39 89

2040 40 90

2041 41 91

2042 42 92

2043 43 93

2044 44 94

2045 45 95

2046 46 96

2047 47 97

2048 48 98

2049 49 99

[Moffmo]

Obviously it's the year of 1st registration....

UK Registration Plate Year Identifiers

Suffix Letters

A  01 February 1963  31 December 1963

B  01 January 1964  31 December 1964

C  01 January 1965  31 December 1965

D  01 January 1966  31 December 1966

E  01 January 1967  31 July 1967

F  01 August 1967  31 July 1968

G  01 August 1968  31 July 1969

H  01 August 1969  31 July 1970

J  01 August 1970  31 July 1971

K  01 August 1971  31 July 1972

L  01 August 1972  31 July 1973

M  01 August 1973  31 July 1974

N  01 August 1974  31 July 1975

P  01 August 1975  31 July 1976

R  01 August 1976  31 July 1977

S  01 August 1977  31 July 1978

T  01 August 1978  31 July 1979

V  01 August 1979  31 July 1980

W  01 August 1980  31 July 1981

X  01 August 1981  31 July 1982

Y  01 August 1982  31 July 1983

Prefix Letters

A  01 August 1983  31 July 1984

B  01 August 1984  31 July 1985

C  01 August 1985  31 July 1986

D  01 August 1986  31 July 1987

E  01 August 1987  31 July 1988

F  01 August 1988  31 July 1989

G  01 August 1989  31 July 1990

H  01 August 1990  31 July 1991

J  01 August 1991  31 July 1992

K  01 August 1992  31 July 1993

L  01 August 1993  31 July 1994

M  01 August 1994  31 July 1995

N  01 August 1995  31 July 1996

P  01 August 1996  31 July 1997

R  01 August 1997  31 July 1998

S  01 August 1998  28 February 1999

T  01 March 1999  31 July 1999

V  01 August 1999  28 February 2000

W  01 March 2000  31 July 2000

X  01 August 2000  28 February 2001

Y  01 March 2001  31 July 2001

From the year 2001 onwards...

2001    01  51

2002    02  52

2003    03      53

2004  04  54

2005  05  55

2006  06  56

2007  07  57

2008  08  58

2009  09  59

2010  10  60

2011  11  61

2012  12  62

2013  13  63

2014  14  64

2015  15  65

2016  16  66

2017  17  67

2018  18  68

2019  19  69

2020  20  70

2021  21  71

2022  22  72

2023  23  73

2024  24  74

2025  25  75

2026  26  76

2027  27  77

2028  28  78

2029  29  79

2030  30  80

2031  31  81

2032  32  82

2033  33  83

2034  34  84

2035  35  85

2036  36  86

2037  37  87

2038  38  88

2039  39  89

2040  40  90

2041  41  91

2042  42  92

2043  43  93

2044  44  94

2045  45  95

2046  46  96

2047  47  97

2048  48  98

2049  49  99

←

The american way seems ALOT easier..... <_<

[Demonic Angel]

52 is relative to what half of the car year the car was registered.....

52 is Sept 02-Feb 03 registrations......

It started back in September 01 with the introduction of 51 plates..... then the following March, new reg time came 02, then 52 in Sept, then 03 in March 03....

Sept 01 - 51

March 02 - 02

Sept 02 - 52

March 03- 03

Sept 03 - 53

March 04 - 04

Sept 04 - 54

March 05 - 05

The current plate is 05 - March 2005!

[cfc1]

Give us all a private plate for every car we own. be much easier to identify the owner.

[Demonic Angel]

S  01 August 1998  28 February 1999

T  01 March 1999  31 July 1999

V  01 August 1999  28 February 2000

W  01 March 2000  31 July 2000

X  01 August 2000  28 February 2001

Y  01 March 2001  31 July 2001

←

I thought with the introduction of 2 registrations per year it changed from 31st July to 31st August - ie new regs in March and September..... it used to be August for one reg per year.

[Bibbs]

You have a licence plate .. which is for you and is moved from car to car.

We have a registration plate .. they used to use letter to signify a 12 month registration time.

Now they use 2 numbers so you can tell down to 6 months. The first two letters are also the area or registration

RG 52 ABC - is a Reading registered, late 2002 car ..

[Bibbs]

Oh and an MOT is "Ministry of Transport" Test.

It's an anual (after 3 years) test to make sure your car is road worthy.

Then every year you have to pay for a "road fund licence" which is about £90 - £165 a year that allows you to drive on the road. The price is dependant on the engine size (for old cars) or Emissions (for new cars). MotorBikes and Trucks and smaller and larger respectivley.

And then we pay +85p a litre for petrol ..

[cfc1]

S  01 August 1998  28 February 1999

T  01 March 1999  31 July 1999

V  01 August 1999  28 February 2000

W  01 March 2000  31 July 2000

X  01 August 2000  28 February 2001

Y  01 March 2001  31 July 2001

←

I thought with the introduction of 2 registrations per year it changed from 31st July to 31st August - ie new regs in March and September..... it used to be August for one reg per year.

←

Well errrr.. errr ach sod it i got a headache now

But i think scionic will have the right idea though .

[Demonic Angel]

S  01 August 1998  28 February 1999

T  01 March 1999  31 July 1999

V  01 August 1999  28 February 2000

W  01 March 2000  31 July 2000

X  01 August 2000  28 February 2001

Y  01 March 2001  31 July 2001

←

I thought with the introduction of 2 registrations per year it changed from 31st July to 31st August - ie new regs in March and September..... it used to be August for one reg per year.

←

Well errrr.. errr ach sod it i got a headache now

But i think scionic will have the right idea though .

←

Sorry - I'm just too pernickity for my own good - feel free to slap me upside the head to sort me out! lol

[cfc1]

S  01 August 1998  28 February 1999

T  01 March 1999  31 July 1999

V  01 August 1999  28 February 2000

W  01 March 2000  31 July 2000

X  01 August 2000  28 February 2001

Y  01 March 2001  31 July 2001

←

I thought with the introduction of 2 registrations per year it changed from 31st July to 31st August - ie new regs in March and September..... it used to be August for one reg per year.

←

Well errrr.. errr ach sod it i got a headache now

But i think scionic will have the right idea though .

←

Sorry - I'm just too pernickity for my own good - feel free to slap me upside the head to sort me out! lol

←

Noooooooo.. you think i want SoTOC coming looking for me???? I'd run a mile

[Demonic Angel]

Noooooooo.. you think i want SoTOC coming looking for me????  I'd run a mile 

←

Darn it! Foiled AGAIN!!

SoTOC would be nice to you - promise!

[scionic]

Wow... OK I think I understand (sort of)

I have a few more questions though..

1.) 2 registrations a year? WTF?? How long do you keep your plates for?

2.) So, what is the sigifigance of mentioning your plate? For example, people get a new car on here and they are like "I got a 54 plate such and so".

When we buy cars, we don't say "Hey, guess what man, I got a new Corolla and it's the license plate is YTD-4563"

Is it just a way to indicate when the car was bought new?, like if you say you have a 54 plate, that would mean the car is a 2004, registered in the latter half of the year? Is that right?

3.) What about used cars? Do the plates stay with the car for it's whole life basically?

4.) What's "reg" as in "F reg."?

5.) How is the tax assessed? Like 1.0 liter pays this much and 3.0 liter pays that much?

I think that's all. You certainly have a complex way of handling this, it seems. I like the whole getting one plate forever thing and my Arizona drivers license issued on March 2005 does not expire until November 2037!! That part is a uniquely Arizona thing though. Nice not to have to visit the Arizona MOT to get a new license until I'm a grandfather though!

Thanks for being patient with all my silly questions guys!

[Gareth B]

Yes it does seem a very complicated system.

1. The registration plate stays with the vehicle for it's lifetime and so is unique to the vehicle not the owner as in your system. It identifies the area it was registered and the year of manufacture.

(you can have a personalised or private plate but these can be expensive)

2. As you said, the significance of mentioning your registration plate i.e "I just bought a 05 plate car" is the age of the car, 05 being the the newest from March 05.

3. Yes, when you buy a used car the unique registration of that car is then registered in your name by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

4. Reg = Registration. I.E. the unique registration number of the vehicle (reg plate)

5. Sort of. Your road tax is based on the size of the engine and the exhaust emissions. Newer cars have lower emissions so for example 2 of my work colleagues have 1.9 turbo diesels. One was manufactured in 1999 and he pays the full annual road tax fee £180 the other is 2003 and he pays £135.

I have a 3.0i Supra and pay the same as my colleague £180. My wife has a 1.4 Peugeot and pays less (can't remember now, £110 i think).

I think your system is better. It is similar to our private plate system where you have a plate registered to you and use it for whichever vehicle you own.

Our system seems to be hung up on identifying the age of the vehicle.

Question for you.

If you move state from Arizona, do you have to re-register your vehicle or do you have a certain period of time that you can continue to use your plate in another state?

Our driving licences are valid from the time you pass your test until your 70th birthday. Unless you get banned!

[scionic]

Question for you.

If you move state from Arizona, do you have to re-register your vehicle or do you have a certain period of time that you can continue to use your plate in another state?

Our driving licences are valid from the time you pass your test until your 70th birthday. Unless you get banned!

←

Thanks so much for all the answers! I think I get it now.

Except the part about registration, I'm not 100% clear on it. If someone says they used to have "F reg" what would that mean? Wots the "F" for? Would that indicate where the car was registered? And if so, why would this be significant enough to mention? Thanks!

To answer your question, each state has its own laws, but all states require that you register the vehicle in their state shortly after establishing residency in that state. In Arizona you have 30 days upon establishing residency to register in Arizona and get Arizona plates and drivers license. If you live in the state for 6 months without registering (like I did ) then you are in violation of the law.

Residency is established when you take a job and/or begin paying rent and/or taxes in a state.

Exceptions to the rule include military personnel and students who may live in Arizona while serving or attending classes. All states in the U.S. have similar laws with small differences as to the "grace" period and so forth

[Gareth B]

Obviously it's the year of 1st registration....

UK Registration Plate Year Identifiers

Suffix Letters

A  01 February 1963  31 December 1963

B  01 January 1964  31 December 1964

C  01 January 1965  31 December 1965

D  01 January 1966  31 December 1966

E  01 January 1967  31 July 1967

F  01 August 1967  31 July 1968

G  01 August 1968  31 July 1969

H  01 August 1969  31 July 1970

J  01 August 1970  31 July 1971

K  01 August 1971  31 July 1972

L  01 August 1972  31 July 1973

M  01 August 1973  31 July 1974

N  01 August 1974  31 July 1975

P  01 August 1975  31 July 1976

R  01 August 1976  31 July 1977

S  01 August 1977  31 July 1978

T  01 August 1978  31 July 1979

V  01 August 1979  31 July 1980

W  01 August 1980  31 July 1981

X  01 August 1981  31 July 1982

Y  01 August 1982  31 July 1983

Prefix Letters

A  01 August 1983  31 July 1984

B  01 August 1984  31 July 1985

C  01 August 1985  31 July 1986

D  01 August 1986  31 July 1987

E  01 August 1987  31 July 1988

F  01 August 1988  31 July 1989

G  01 August 1989  31 July 1990

H  01 August 1990  31 July 1991

J  01 August 1991  31 July 1992

K  01 August 1992  31 July 1993

L  01 August 1993  31 July 1994

M  01 August 1994  31 July 1995

N  01 August 1995  31 July 1996

P  01 August 1996  31 July 1997

R  01 August 1997  31 July 1998

S  01 August 1998  28 February 1999

T  01 March 1999  31 July 1999

V  01 August 1999  28 February 2000

W  01 March 2000  31 July 2000

X  01 August 2000  28 February 2001

Y  01 March 2001  31 July 2001

From the year 2001 onwards...

2001    01  51  << which means.. the year 2001 can be a "01"  or  a  "51" plate

2002    02  52

2003    03      53

2004  04  54

2005  05  55

2006  06  56

←

I have a F Reg Supra Mk3 - Registered between 1st August 1988 and 31st July 1989

[scionic]

Obviously it's the year of 1st registration....

UK Registration Plate Year Identifiers

Suffix Letters

A  01 February 1963  31 December 1963

B  01 January 1964  31 December 1964

C  01 January 1965  31 December 1965

D  01 January 1966  31 December 1966

E  01 January 1967  31 July 1967

F  01 August 1967  31 July 1968

G  01 August 1968  31 July 1969

H  01 August 1969  31 July 1970

J  01 August 1970  31 July 1971

K  01 August 1971  31 July 1972

L  01 August 1972  31 July 1973

M  01 August 1973  31 July 1974

N  01 August 1974  31 July 1975

P  01 August 1975  31 July 1976

R  01 August 1976  31 July 1977

S  01 August 1977  31 July 1978

T  01 August 1978  31 July 1979

V  01 August 1979  31 July 1980

W  01 August 1980  31 July 1981

X  01 August 1981  31 July 1982

Y  01 August 1982  31 July 1983

Prefix Letters

A  01 August 1983  31 July 1984

B  01 August 1984  31 July 1985

C  01 August 1985  31 July 1986

D  01 August 1986  31 July 1987

E  01 August 1987  31 July 1988

F  01 August 1988  31 July 1989

G  01 August 1989  31 July 1990

H  01 August 1990  31 July 1991

J  01 August 1991  31 July 1992

K  01 August 1992  31 July 1993

L  01 August 1993  31 July 1994

M  01 August 1994  31 July 1995

N  01 August 1995  31 July 1996

P  01 August 1996  31 July 1997

R  01 August 1997  31 July 1998

S  01 August 1998  28 February 1999

T  01 March 1999  31 July 1999

V  01 August 1999  28 February 2000

W  01 March 2000  31 July 2000

X  01 August 2000  28 February 2001

Y  01 March 2001  31 July 2001

From the year 2001 onwards...

2001    01  51  << which means.. the year 2001 can be a "01"  or  a  "51" plate

2002    02  52

2003    03      53

2004  04  54

2005  05  55

2006  06  56

←

I have a F Reg Supra Mk3 - Registered between 1st August 1988 and 31st July 1989

←

Ah ha... Got it! Thanks!

[GIDDLEPIN]

In my time I have owned

AWF 646 B---------------------1964 Austin 1100

CNU 607 B---------------------1965 Austin mini van

JRH 725 N----------------------1975 Magenta kit car (built from AWF 646 B & re-registered)

F 899 OHW--------------------1988 Nissan Sunny

N 914 JTL----------------------1995 Honda Civic Coupe

X 368 CBA--------------------2000 Toyota Celica VVTI

YX 52 DRV--------------------2002 Toyota MR2 (Spyder) Now LA 51 APA Still 2002 but a personalised plate to keep for any other vehicle I own as long as it isn't below a 2001 regesration

If we had your system my brain wouldn't hurt thinking about all the past reg' numbers

[cfc1]

Ater a good nights sleep my headache went away... i read this thread again this morning .. and IT'S BACK!! :(

[alanbradley]

Of course, as Les has pointed out, some of us screw up this whole system by having our own plates that we swap from car to car.

My Yaris, for example, has a "V" plate but was actually first registered at the start of November 2004

And some people's plates don't have a year identifier at all "FS 99" for example

A

[Fmrl]

Is there a list online somewhere that shows all the two letter area codes? Some of them are quite obscure and inventive - isn't there a GE code for Kent or something? ("Garden of England")

BTW, I've got a "H" plate on my 2004 CTS!!

[Moffmo]

In my time I have owned

AWF 646 B---------------------1964 Austin 1100

CNU 607 B---------------------1965 Austin mini van

JRH 725 N----------------------1975 Magenta kit car (built from AWF 646 B & re-registered)

F 899 OHW--------------------1988 Nissan Sunny

N 914 JTL----------------------1995 Honda Civic Coupe

X 368 CBA--------------------2000 Toyota Celica VVTI

YX 52 DRV--------------------2002 Toyota MR2 (Spyder)  Now LA 51 APA Still 2002 but a personalised plate to keep for any other vehicle I own as long as it isn't below a 2001 regesration

If we had your system my brain wouldn't hurt thinking about all the past reg' numbers

←

Cant believe you can remember them dude

Anyway, i must say, you started to get the taste of a proper car from honda, once you go JAP... youll never look back ;)

[GIDDLEPIN]

Cant believe you can remember them dude

Anyway, i must say, you started to get the taste of a proper car from honda, once you go JAP... youll never look back ;)

←

Just because I'm knocking on a bit it don't mean I'm senile.

[Moffmo]

Cant believe you can remember them dude

Anyway, i must say, you started to get the taste of a proper car from honda, once you go JAP... youll never look back ;)

←

Just because I'm knocking on a bit it don't mean I'm senile.

←

haha, brillant, keep up the good taste!