The car registrations plates on your vehicle are used to display the registration number or mark of a vehicle.  They are mandatory for all vehicles in the UK, and can be obtained through the DVLA, or Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. 

UK car registrations were changed in 2001 by including a new character style and two-digit year identifier in the majority of plates and registrations.  The numbering and registration system is slightly different between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, yet the basics of the two schemes are very similar.

The post-2001 Great Britain plates should have seven characters consisting of two letters, two numbers, and then three random letters.  Newer plates issued in Northern Ireland currently have a pattern of three letters followed by four numerals.

Both of these schemes lend themselves to plates that have significant patterns—for example, the last four digits of a Northern Ireland registration that has four 1s, or four of any other numeral.  These plates are generally withheld from the DVLA (DVA in Northern Ireland) as they are considered “cherished”.  The registration agency then submits various letter and numeral combinations for auction at various times throughout the year.

The various schemes were enacted partly because of the upswing in the theft of vehicle plates by criminals anxious to avoid being identified at the scene of a crime.  In addition to the new numbering system, the organisation producing the plates is required to place their name and postcode on the plate, usually near the centre and toward the bottom.  Since these requirements make it much harder to produce a legal-looking fake plate, theft of legitimate plates is on the rise.

Should your registration plates be stolen, the theft should be reported immediately to the DVLA and local authorities.