Nearly half of Britons don’t understand how UK number plates work, according to new research, as new rules launch today.
From today, Saturday, March 1, new number plates will be unveiled across the UK for the latest vehicles on forecourts.
The “25” number plate identifier can now be found on new vehicles, with the “75” tag launching in September.
Despite this, a new survey found that 43 per cent of people either don’t understand or are unsure about the current number plate system.
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Drivers are being warned of new number plate changes launching today
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The research revealed that one-quarter of respondents admitted they do not understand how UK number plates work, while 20 per cent were “unsure” about the system.
This confusion extends to specific elements of number plates, with 37 per cent not knowing what the first two letters mean.
A further 32 per cent didn’t understand the significance of the first two numbers, while 47 per cent either weren’t sure or gave an incorrect answer.
The first two letters are known as the “DVLA memory tag” and identify where the vehicle was registered, while the two numbers indicate when it was registered. The last three letters are chosen at random.
For example, a number plate reading CA74 ABC indicates a vehicle registered in Cardiff in September 2024.
Of those who responded to the survey, almost one in five thought new plates were released just once a year, while four per cent thought they are released three times per year.
Tom Banks, car insurance expert at Confused.com, which commissioned the research, said: “It’s always good to be able to work out the age of any car you’re thinking of buying, particularly if it’s second-hand, and looking at the number plate is an easy way of doing this.
“But from our research, it seems that many drivers are in the dark about what their number plates mean.
“The age of a vehicle is also one of the factors that will be taken into consideration by your insurance company.
“When it comes to your number plate, it’s also important to be aware of the various rules and regulations regarding the colour of the plate, the size and spacing of the letters and numbers, and even the font required, as there are legal requirements in place that you must adhere to.”
Number plates must be made from reflective material and display black characters on appropriate backgrounds.
The letters and numbers should be clear and visible, with drivers potentially facing a £1,000 fine if the plate is not road legal. They could also fail their MOT tests.
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Two new number plate identifiers will be launched in 2025
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Younger adults aged between 25 and 34 were found to be the most knowledgeable about number plates, with only 19 per cent of the age group unsure of the system.
In comparison, the average across all age groups who said they didn’t understand or were “unsure” of the rules was 24 per cent.