How do UK plates get assigned?

[KAR120C]

Just curious, I’ve seen a couple of Emira plates starting with AU23 then Z**.

Are plates sequential nationwide, by car make, or what?

Thanks

 

[KJD]

A for “Anglia” where Lotus is located.
U is in a subset for the Norwich area.
23 is the year.
XYZ are random characters issued in sequence.

The registration is issued to the car, not the person.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/359317/INF104_160914.pdf

Now, if you could explain how US licence plates work please….

 

[KAR120C]

A for “Anglia” where Lotus is located.
U is in a subset for the Norwich area.
23 is the year.
XYZ are random characters issued in sequence.

The registration is issued to the car, not the person.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/359317/INF104_160914.pdf

Now, if you could explain how US licence plates work please….

Thanks! I can try. Each state issues its own plate and has its own rules. The plate is issued to the car/owner combination so a car can have different plates over time.

Every few years a state will decide to have a different design. This may result in a car getting a new plate number unless the owner is using personalized plates. I think every state allows personalized plates for a fee.

Some states have a mixture of letters and numbers without meaning. Some have certain digits that may represent a city or county. Each state may set a minimum and maximum number of digits. Some states actually change their sequences depending on the plate design chosen by the owner.

I always choose a personalized plate to avoid confusion and allow me to remember my plate as I get old.

Aren’t you glad you asked?

 

[Bilbao-Emira]

Interesting,
This is how it works in Spain, boring, not personalized, and assigned for each car until it goes to scrap.
The only good thing is we don't have to expend immense amounts of money to have a personalized plate

The current license plate numbering system uses the NNNN LLL format where

NNNN is a four-digit sequential number from 0000 to 9999,

LLL are three sequential letters from BBB to ZZZ that are increased when the number reaches 9999. The letters used are the consonants B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, R, S, T, V, W, X, Y and Z.

Example:

 

[KJD]

Thanks! I can try. Each state issues its own plate and has its own rules. The plate is issued to the car/owner combination so a car can have different plates over time.

Every few years a state will decide to have a different design. This may result in a car getting a new plate number unless the owner is using personalized plates. I think every state allows personalized plates for a fee.

Some states have a mixture of letters and numbers without meaning. Some have certain digits that may represent a city or county. Each state may set a minimum and maximum number of digits. Some states actually change their sequences depending on the plate design chosen by the owner.

I always choose a personalized plate to avoid confusion and allow me to remember my plate as I get old.

Aren’t you glad you asked?

Yep. That’s about as clear as I thought it was!

Our system is supposed to help to remember/recognise the registration as there is at least a region and a year to aid familiarity.

Just to add we can have personal plates that are usually old (pre-1963) registrations from scrapped cars or variations on the current system that happen to “spell” things.
The central registration office usually holds these back and sells them to raise funds.

Northern Ireland registrations are also an option as the system is different (eg: ABZ 1234) but still legal in the rest of the UK.

 

[KAR120C]

Yep. That’s about as clear as I thought it was!

Our system is supposed to help to remember/recognise the registration as there is at least a region and a year to aid familiarity.

Just to add we can have personal plates that are usually old (pre-1963) registrations from scrapped cars or variations on the current system that happen to “spell” things.
The central registration office usually holds these back and sells them to raise funds.

Northern Ireland registrations are also an option as the system is different (eg: ABZ 1234) but still legal in the rest of the UK.

One more question. Do the first letters represent where manufactured or where delivered. That is, are all Emiras going to be AU, or will it be different if the car is purchased and delivered at a dealership somewhere else in the country?

 

[KJD]

One more question. Do the first letters represent where manufactured or where delivered. That is, are all Emiras going to be AU, or will it be different if the car is purchased and delivered at a dealership somewhere else in the country?

Well, in non-Lotus situations it would be where the car is sold.
eg: a new car bought from a dealership in London would start with an L.
But, because Lotus have centralised their system, every Emira will start with an A (Angila region) followed by any of O/P/R/S/T/U. (Norwich area). Eg: my car is AP72 ***.

 

[KAR120C]

Well, in non-Lotus situations it would be where the car is sold.
eg: a new car bought from a dealership in London would start with an L.
But, because Lotus have centralised their system, every Emira will start with an A (Angila region) followed by any of O/P/R/S/T/U. (Norwich area). Eg: my car is AP72 ***.

Thanks for the explanation!

BTW, one more US oddity. About half the states require front and rear plates, while the other states only require rear plates. Luckily I’ve only lived in rear-only states. I personally don’t like the look of the US front plate.