registration & number plate types

Dateless Registrations (1903 - Jan 1963)

A registration without a suffix or prefix is a dateless registration, these registrations date back as far as 1903. These combinations have a maximum of 6 digits on a registration, the can be 3 letters and up to 3 numbers, 2 letters and up to 4 numbers or even 1 letter and up to 4 numbers eg: PAT 123, 22 PAT etc

Suffix Registrations (Feb 1963 - July 1983)

These are registrations which have the year identifier at the end of the registration. These combinations always have 3 letters followed by up to 3 numbers and then the suffix/year letter eg: PAT 999W. The suffix can be any letter excluding I,O,Q, U and Z. Initially the suffix was changed was changed on 1st January each year, this was changed to August of each year in 1967 due to suppliers meeting the demand of supplying vehicles.

Prefix Registrations (August 1983 - August 2001)

In 1983 the suffix plates ran out and so the system was reversed to the prefix system. Prefix registrations are combinations with the age identifier at the beginning of the registration eg, A999 PAT, they have a year letter at the beginning (excluding I,O,Q U and Z), followed by 1, 2, or 3 numbers and the 3 letters (again excluding the letters I,O,Q,U or Z).

Not every combination of suffix or prefix has been issued, so while the registration PAT 999W was issued the number PAT 999V was not.

In March 1999 the system changed yet again to twice yearly releases to prevent the rush of purchasing new vehicle once a year.

New Style Registrations (Sept 2001 - To Date)

The new style registration format like UG02 SLO and JU51 CUT are made up of a 2 letter regional identifier (where the vehicle was registered), followed by 2 numbers (the age of the vehicle) and finally 3 random letters (excluding I, Q or Z).

Northern Irish registrations

Northern Irish registrations are recognized as they must contain the letters I or Z, ie MAZ 9999 or MIB 9999, they consist of up to 3 letters and 4 numbers.

You can not transfer a registration from Southern Ireland/Eire.