British Registration Numbers
Allocation of Registration Marks from 1903-1963

England and Wales
Scotland
Northern Ireland
Republic of Ireland

England and Wales

1903/4 allocation of marks to English & Welsh County Councils & County Borough Councils was single letters from A to Y, and double letters AA to FP (with a few gaps). These were arranged in order of population figures from the 1901 census which gave London letter A (population 4,536,541) through to Rutland FP (population 19,709) At an early stage it was decided that I and Z were to be allocated to Ireland and G, S and V were to be allocated to Scotland's authorities - though many G and V combinations were diverted elsewhere. Unlike England & Wales, the allocations to Ireland & Scotland were made in alphabetical order of counties, followed by boroughs. Blackpool and Tynemouth; awarded CBC status later in 1904 took the next available marks FR and FT. As an authority reached the end of its allotted mark, it was allocated another. London was quickly awarded LC, LN, LB, etc. In 1932 the first three letter combination appeared ARF for Staffordshire. The first letter was a serial, which preceded the existing two letter mark. Many councils issued marks in the order of their original issue; Bedfordshire for example issued ABM, ANM, ATM, AMJ, then BBM etc.In 1953 "Reversed" marks appeared, using single letter, double letter and three letter combinations on the same lines as before. The suffix letter system was phased in from 1963-5 - at this time Somerset County Council had reached "reversed" YYC while SJ (Bute CC) only reached SJ 2860! The following table records the issue of single, double and three letter combinations by the various authorities. It should be realised that not all combinations were issued ARS, AWC for example. Certain large users; Government, War Office, Post Office were allocated large blocks which were still being filled over several years. The "last issue" is the last normal issue and does not take into account re-registrations, special advance
issues, etc. If the final number issued is not known, this is credited as "999" or "9999" Authority Combinations issued Final marks used (Italics are "reversed") England & Wales

Anglesey CC EY PEY 112
Barnsley CBC HE YHE 999, 6710 HE
Barrow-in-Furness CBC EO MEO 274
Bath CBC FB, GL OGL 960
Bedfordshire CC BM, MJ, NM, TM 65 RBM
Berkshire CC BL, JB, MO, RX 344 GBL
Birkenhead CBC BG, CM SCM 966
Birmingham CBC O, OA, OB, OC, OE, OF, OG, OH, OJ, OK, OL, OM, ON, OP, OV, OX, VP 555 NOJ
Blackburn CBC BV, CB SCB 950
Blackpool CBC FR, FV (*= Blackpool only issued "FR" in "reversed" format) 637 JFR*
Bolton CBC BN, WH YWH 600
Bootle CBC EM DEM 11
Bournemouth CBC EL, LJ, RU 670 CLJ
Bradford CBC AK, KU, KW, KY YKY 999, KW, 1166 KY
Breconshire CC EU PEU 511
Brighton CBC CD, UF 812 FCD
Bristol CBC AE, HT, HU, HW, HY 408 YAE
Buckinghamshire CC BH, KX, PP 999 YPP, BH, KX, 6200 PP
Burnley CBC CW, HG RCW 471
Burton-on-Trent CBC FA UFA 718
Bury CBC EN VEN 193
Caernarvonshire CC CC, JC OJC 362
Cambridgeshire CC CE, ER, VE 7 EVE
Canterbury CBC FN, JG YJG 999, FN, 1473 JG
Cardiff CBC BO, KG, UH 866 FKG
Cardiganshire CC EJ SEJ 726
Carlisle CBC HH YHH 820
Carmarthenshire CC BX, TH 820 FBX
Chester CBC FM 999 YFM, 8417 FM
Cheshire CC M, LG, MA, MB, TU 999 YTU, LG, 5742 TU
Cornwall CC AF, CV, RL 983 WRL
Coventry CBC DU, HP, KV, RW, VC, WK 999 CWK, 9352 KV
Croydon CBC BY, OY, RK, VB 999 EOY
Cumberland CC AO, RM 826 MRM
Darlington CBC HN 122 YHN
Denbighshire CC CA, UN 530 BCA
Derby CBC CH, RC 672 FCH
Derbyshire CC R, NU, RA, RB 999 YRB, R, NU, 1001-3493 RA
Devon CC T, DV, OD, TA, TT, UO 240 TOD
Dewsbury CBC HD LHD 750
Doncaster CBC DT 400 RDT
Dorset CC FX*, JT, PR, TK (*= FX replaced BF, the originally allocated Dorset mark) VTK 500
Dudley CBC FD 581 EFD
Durham CC J, PT, UP 751 MUP
Eastbourne CBC HC, JK MJK 46
East Ham CBC HM, HV YHV 355
East Suffolk CC BJ, RT 349 WBJ
East Sussex CC AP, NJ, PM, PN YPN 999, 1001-9042 AP
East Yorks CC BT, WF 839 CBT
Essex CC F, EV, HK, NO, OO, PU, TW, VW, VX, WC (OO and WC allocated to Essex after normal issues were completed) 999 YVX, OO, AOO-YOO, BWC-YWC, A00-YOO, BWC-950 YWC
Exeter CBC FJ 200 JFJ
Flintshire DM 88 JDM
Gateshead CBC CN SCN 56
Glamorgan CC L, NY, TG, TX 955 XTX
Gloucester CBC FH 286 FFH
Gloucestershire CC AD, DD, DF*, DG (*= DF first allocated to Northampton CBC) 999  BDD, 1-4510 DG
Great Yarmouth CBC EX KEX 712
Grimsby CBC EE, JV YJV 800
Halifax CBC CP, JX UCP 24
Hampshire CC (Officially Southampton CC until 1959) AA, CG, HO, OR, OT, OU 4 NOU
Hastings CBC DY VDY 479
Herefordshire CC CJ, VJ 127 EVJ
Hertfordshire CC AR, JH, NK, RO, UR 999 WJH
Huddersfield CBC CX, VH YVH 900
Huntingdonshire CC EW 749 MEW
Ipswich CBC DX, PV UPV 894
Isle of Ely CC EB, JE RJE 6
Isle of Wight CC DL 522 CDL
Kent CC D, KE, KJ, KK, KL, KM, KN, KO, KP, KR, KT 999 YKT, KM, KO, KP, KR, 1-5700 D
Kingston-upon-Hull CBC AT, KH, RH 909 HKH
Lancashire CC B, TB, TC, TD, TE, TF, TJ 999 YTJ, TD, TE, TF, 1-9700 TJ
Leeds CBC U, NW, UA, UB, UG, UM 250 LUG
Leicester CBC BC, JF, RY 601 HRY
Leicestershire CC AY, JU, NR, UT 537 EUT
Lincoln CBC FE, VL XVL 280
Lincs CC - Holland DO, JL YJL 970
Lincs CC - Kesteven CT, TL YTL 783
Lincs CC - Lindsey BE, FU, FW 424 HFU
Liverpool CBC K, KA, KB, KC, KD, KF, LV 541 JKB
London CC A, GC, GF, GH, GJ, GK, GN, GO, GP, GT, GU, GW, GX, GY, JJ, LA, LB, LC, LD, LE, LF, LH, LK, LL, LM, LN, LO, LP, LR, LT, LU, LW, LX, LY, UC, UL, UU, UV, UW, XA, XB, XC, XD, XE, XF, XH, XK, XL, XM, XN, XO, XP, XR, XT, XU, XV, XW, XX, XY, YE, YF, YH, YK, YL, YM, YN, YO, YP, YR, YT, YU, YV, YW, YX, YY QA, QB, QC, QD, QE, QF, QH, QJ, QK, QL, QM, QM, QP, QQ, QR, QT, QX, QY, (Q series for temporary imports) 999 HYH
Manchester CBC N, NA, NB, NC, ND, NE, NF, VM, VR, VU, XJ 1-5603 XJ
Merionethshire CC FF HFF 916
Merthyr Tydfil CBC HB EHB 383
Middlesbrough CBC DC, XG SXG 832
Middlesex CC H, HX, MC, MD, ME, MF, MG, MH, MK, ML MM, MP, MT, MU, MV, MX,
MY (NMC etc not issued originally, used last) 999 YMY, HX-MY, NMC-NMY, 1 NMC - 999 NMY
Monmouthshire CC AX, WO 997 JWO
Montgomery CC EP TEP 654
Newcastle-upon-Tyne CBC BB, TN, VK 812 XBB
Newport (Monmouth) CBC DW 999 BDW, 501-5317 DW
Norfolk CC AH, NG, PW, VF 35 EPW
Northampton CBC DF*, NH, VV (*= DF originally allocated, replaced by NH in 1905) TVV 757
Northamptonshire CC BD, NV, RP 375 GNV
Northumberland CC X, JR, NL, TY YJR 850
North Yorks CC AJ, PY, VN 281 HAJ
Norwich CBC CL, VG YVG 130
Nottingham CBC AU, TO, TV 422 UTO
Nottinghamshire CC AL, NN, RR, VO 257 YNN
Oldham CBC BU 167 KBU
Oxford CBC FC, JO, WL 850 VWL
Oxfordshire CC BW, UD YUD 800
Pembrokeshire CC DE 324 YDE
Plymouth CBC CO, DR*, JY YJY 999
Portsmouth CBC BK, RV, TP 870 DRV
Preston CBC CK, RN VCK 530
Radnorshire CC FO EFO 543
Reading CBC DP, RD YRD 999, DP, 1-2113 RD
Rochdale CBC DK 999 ADK, 201-7633 DK
Rotherham CBC ET 999 BET, 1000-8407 ET
Rutland CC FP DFP 136
Saint Helens CBC DJ XDJ 280
Salford CBC BA, RJ YRJ 899
Sheffield CBC W, WA, WB, WE, WJ 345 JWB
Shropshire CC AW, NT, UJ, UX AW, 501-4757 NT
Soke of Peterborough CC EG, FL UFL 639
Somerset CC Y, YA, YB, YC, YD 46 YYC
Southampton CBC CR, OW, TR 208 HTR
Southend-on-Sea CBC HJ, JN 999 BHJ, 1000-4938 JN
Southport CBC FY, WM YWM 757
South Shields CBC CU NCU 125
Staffordshire CC E, BF*, RE, RF (*= BF originally Dorset, CBF 1 onwards for
Staffordshire) (CBF etc. issued after completion of 9999 RE) 999 YRF, H, RE, RF,
CBF-YBF, CBF-999 YBF
Stockport CBC DB, JA YJA 999
Stoke-on-Trent CBC EH*, VT (*= EH originally Hanley CBC until 1910) 999 YVT, VT, 1-8975 EH
Sunderland CBC BR, GR YBR 319
Surrey CC P, PA, PB, PC, PD, PE, PF, PG, PH, PJ, PK, PL 999 YPL, PL, PK, PJ, PH, PG, PF, 1-8000 PE
Swansea CBC CY, WN 950 JCY
Tynemouth CBC FT KFT 333
Wakefield CBC HL YHL 999, 1001-4151 HL
Wallasey CBC HF OHF 836
Walsall CBC DH 999 WDH, 1001-5860 DH
Warley CBC (Smethwick CBC until 1966) HA 999 SHA, 501-9719 HA
Warrington CBC ED 101-8790 ED, 999 AED
Warwickshire CC AC, NX, UE, WD 247 LNX
West Bromwich CBC EA 97 UEAA
West Ham CBC AN, JD 459 EAN
West Hartlepool CBC EF REF 539
Westmoreland CC EC, JM MJM 180
West Suffolk CC CF, GV YGV 976
West Sussex CC BP, PO, PX 670 PBP
West Yorkshire CC C, WR, WT, WU, WW, WX, WY, YG 58 HWR
Wigan CBC EK, JP LJP 578
Wiltshire CC AM, HR, MR, MW, WV 277 EMW
Wolverhampton CBC DA, JW, UK 92 GDA
Worcester CBC FK 975 YFK, 1-5000 FK
Worcestershire CC AB, NP, UY, WP 520 MUY
York CBC DN, VY 999 BVY, 1-3000 VY

Scotland
Aberdeen BC RG, RS WRS 322
Aberdeen CC AV, SA YSA 981
Angus CC (Forfarshire CC until 1928) SR YSR 999, 501-8576 SR
Argyll CC SB NSB 99
Ayrshire CC AG, CS, SD YSD 259
Banffshire CC SE HSE 900
Berwickshire CC SH KSH 638
Bute CC SJ SJ 2860
Caithness CC SK ASK 871
Clackmannanshire CC SL SL 2860
Dumfries CC SM 344 FSM
Dunbartonshire CC SN VSN 555
Dundee BC TS, YJ* (YJ issued when marks were running out - only Scottish mark without a G, S or V) STS 126
East Lothian CC (Haddingtonshire CC until 1921) SS HSS 439
Edinburgh BC S, FS, SC, SF, SG, WS*, QS* (*= Leith BC (WS 1-520), absorbed by Edinburgh BC in 1920) (*= QS for temporary imports) YWS 999, SF, SC, 1-415 FS
Fife CC FG, SP YFG 999, SP, 1-7918 FG
Glasgow BC G, GA, GB, GD, GE, GG, US*, YS* (*= US Govan BC (US 1-529) until 1912) *= YS Partick BC (YS 1-39) until 1912) 344 KGE
Greenock BC VS EVS 999* (*= Higher numbers in this series were issued with a "B" suffix)
Inverness CC ST YST 219
Kincardine CC SU BSU 686
Kinross CC SV SV 3722
Kirkcudbright CC SW GSW 474
Lanark VA, VD 44 KVA
Midlothian CC SY NSY 175
Morayshire CC (Elginshire CC until 1919) SO MSO 930
Motherwell & Wishaw BC GM FGM 950
Nairn CC AS AS 4097
Orkney CC BS BS 7777
Paisley BC XS JXS 600
Peebles CC DS DS 6396
Perthshire CC ES, GS VCS 575
Renfrewshire CC HS YHS 964
Ross & Cromarty CC JS NJS 333
Roxburgh CC KS SKS 12
Selkirk CC LS LS 9583
Stirling CC MS, WG XWG 918
Sutherland CC NS NS 5685
West Lothian CC (Linlithgowshire CC until 1921) SX KSX 535
Wigtownshire CC OS HOS 672
Zetland CC (Shetland) PS PS 4080

Allocation of registration marks 1963 - 1974
Several new authorities were created after April 1963, and there were no available marks for them to issue. Many authorities having almost exhausted their supply of available combinations had already embraced the suffix letter system, and it was decided to withdraw London's X multiples and to award them to any new authorities to be used only with year suffix plates.

The following were allocated:
Kirkaldy CBC AXA 1A onwards April 1963
Coatbridge CBC AXB 1B onwards April 1964
Solihull CBC AXC 1B onwards April 1964
Luton CBC AXD 1B onwards April 1964
Luton CBC AXE 1B onwards April 1964
Torbay CBC AXF 1F onwards April 1968

Other Changes
In April 1965 there were various boundary changes:
Croydon CBC, East Ham CBC, London CC, Middlesex CBC and West Ham CC were absorbed into the Greater London Council, and the marks were issued by GLC (with regional offices).
Cambridgeshire CC merged with the Isle of Ely CC and the combined marks were then issued from Cambridge.
Huntingdon CC merged with Soke of Peterborough CC to form Huntingdon &
Peterborough CC and the combined marks were issued from Peterborough.
Allocation of registration marks 1903 to date

Northern Ireland
In contrast to the mainland, Northern Ireland issued two letter marks in the order they were allocated, followed by "reversed" two letter marks, then to three letter combinations: example for Antrim CC IA, DZ, KZ, RZ, IA, DZ, KZ, RZ, AIA-YIA, ADZ-YDZ, AKZ onwards, etc. (all with up to 4-digit numbers). Registrations in Northern Ireland continue to be issued in this manner to the present day. In recent years numbers 1-1000 have been withheld for sale as select marks by the DVLA.

The Republic of Ireland worked within the British system after 1922 issuing new marks as required, the last being issued in 1986 before a completely new year-number based system was introduced. The issue of marks was usually two letter, three letter, the "reversed" two letter, and "reversed" three letter. Authority Combinations issued Final marks used (Italics are "reversed")

Antrim CC DZ, IA, KZ, RZ AKZ 9999 onwards
Armagh CC IB, LZ, XZ ELZ onwards
Belfast CBC AZ, CZ, EZ, FZ, GZ, MZ, OI, OZ, PZ, TZ, UZ, WZ, XI
QI, QZ (for temporary imports) AOI-YOI, AXI-YXI, AAZ-YAZ, ACZ onwards
Down CC BZ, IJ, JZ, SZ AJZ onwards
Fermanagh CC IL SIL onwards
Londonderry CBC UI KUI onwards
Londonderry CC IW, NZ, YZ ANZ onwards
Tyrone CC HZ, JI, VZ AHZ onwards
Republic of Ireland 1903-1986
Carlow CC IC YIC 994
Cavan CC ID 906 IID
Clare CC IE 107 XIE
Cork CBC PI, ZF 542 FZF
Cork CC IF, ZB, ZK 999 YZK
Cork CBC & CC joint
(Replaced CBC and CC separate authorities in June 1974) ZT 9999 ZT
Donegal CC IH, ZP 4853 ZP
Dublin CBC RI, YI, ZA, ZC, ZD, ZH, ZI, ZJ, ZL, ZZ*
(*= ZZ for temporary imports only) ZL 9999
Dublin CC IK, Z, ZE ZE 9999
Dublin CBC & CC joint (Replaced CBC and CC separate authorities in February 1952) SI, ZG, ZO, ZS, ZU, ZV (ASI-ZSI allocated 8/82, AZG-YZG allocated 6/83, AZS-YZS allocated 5/84) (AZV-YZV allocated 3/85, SI, ZG and ZS in 1/86) (ZV retained with four numbers for "age related marks") 999 YZU, ZS 8709
Galway CC IM, ZM 777 GZM
Kerry CC IN, ZX 375 CIN
Kildare CC IO, ZW 9343 ZW
Kilkenny CC IP 235 UIP
Kings County (Offaly CC) IR 7384 IR
Leitrim CC IT KIT 780
Limerick CBC TI 929 FTI
Limerick CC IU, IV (IV allocated by 2/82 after IU was completed) 999 ZIU, AIV 1- OIV 520
Longford CC IX PIX 710
Louth CC IY, ZY 2507 ZY
Mayo CC IS, IZ (IS allocated in 4/83 after IZ was completed) 999 ZIZ, AIS 1-HIS 990
Meath CC AI, ZN 88 ZN
Monaghan CC BI 6540 BI
Queens County (Laois CC) CI 7342 CI
Roscommon CC DI 292 BDI
Sligo CC EI 835 AEI
Tipperary North Riding FI 418 JFI
Tipperary South Riding GI, HI (GI allocated in 5/85 after HI was completed) 999 ZHI, AGI 1-CGI 871
Waterford CBC WI WWI 80
Waterford CC KI 586 AKI
Westmeath CC LI 869 GLI
Wexford CC MI, ZR 8071 ZR
Wicklow CC NI 426 TNI

Republic of Ireland 1987 to date
In 1987 a new system came into operation, featuring two digit number, single or double letters, followed by up to four or five serial numbers. The first two numbers indicated the year; i.e. 87 = 1987, 02 = 2002 and so on. The single or double letter indicated the registration authority, as follows:

C Cork City & County LS Laois County
CE Clare County MH Meath County
CN Cavan County MN Monaghan County
CW Carlow County MO Mayo County
D Dublin City & County OY Offaly County
DL Donegal County RN Roscommon County
G Galway City & County SO Sligo County
KE Kildare County TN Tipperary North Riding
KK Kilkenny County TS Tipperary South
KY Kerry County W Waterford City
L Limerick City WD Waterford County
LD Longford County WH Westmeath County
LH Louth County WW Wicklow County
LK Limerick County WX Wexford County
LM Leitrim County

Single letter authorities may have serial numbers up to five digits, and double-letter authorities up to four digits. Although the series started in 1987, re-registrations are allowed to use preceding numbers - a vehicle from 1964 would start its registration as "64" etc