From: clive@x.co.uk (Clive Feather)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Re: K Registrations?
Date: 18 Aug 92 08:06:18 GMT
Organization: IXI Limited, Cambridge, UK

In article <l8o1vdINNiqr@news.bbn.com> clements@bbn.com (Bob Clements) writes:
> On my recent visit, I saw an article in the paper that "K"
> registrations (for motor vehicles) were about to begin.

> [Aside: Which is why I noticed it in the first place. "K4FMC"
>  looks like an American amateur radio callsign.

I am sure the G series were popular a few years ago with British
amateurs - I wouldn't have minded one myself.

> Now, my question is "In what order do they assign registrations?
> and/or is there some geographic or other structure to the numbers?"
> I would have expected to see "K 123 AAA"  or some such, so soon
> after they started the series.

Every letter pair is allocated to a place - there was a change in 1974,
when the local authorities all changed, with pairs being moved around.
For example, Southend-on-Sea was allocated HJ and JN in the old system.
The office at Southend therefore issued numbers in the following order:

    HJ 1, HJ 2, HJ 3, ... HJ 9999
    JN 1, JN 2, JN 3, ... JN 9999
    AHJ 1, AHJ 2, ... AHJ 999
    BHJ 1, BHJ 2, ... BHJ 999
    ...
    YHJ 1, YHJ 2, ... YHJ 999
    AJN 1, AJN 2, ... AJN 999
    BJN 1, BJN 2, ... BJN 999
    ...
    YJN 1, YJN 2, ... YJN 999
    1 AHJ, 2 AHJ, ... 999 AHJ
    1 BHJ, 2 BHJ, ... 999 BHJ
    ...
    1 YHJ, 2 YHJ, ... 999 YHJ
    1 AJN, 2 AJN, ... 999 AJN
    1 BJN, 2 BJN, ... 999 BJN
    ...
    1 YJN, 2 YJN, ... 999 YJN

(I, Q, and Z were never used as the first letter, O was not used at
first, but was later). Some offices also had single letters, which were
only used in the first format (A 1 to A 9999).

In 1963, it was clear that combinations were running out, and so year
letters were added. Each office continued to issue numbers of the AHJ 1
format, but appending a letter indicating the year of issue. When the
sequence reached the end, it restarted. Thus the number following
AJN 123 C might be AJN 124 D, which would be the first number issued
that year.

[Aside: my father once caught a criminal by knowing that a particular
letter triple had never been issued with a particular year letter, and
so the registration plate must be false.]

Year letter A applied only in London. When year letters ran out, they
were restarted as prefixes, rather than suffixes.

    Table of year letters

       suffix   prefix
    A   1963     1983
    B   1964     1984
    C   1965     1985
    D   1966     1986
    E   1967     1987
    F   1967     1988
    G   1968     1989
    H   1969     1990
    J   1970     1991
    K   1971     1992
    L   1972
    M   1973
    N   1974
    P   1975
    R   1976
    S   1977
    T   1978
    V   1979
    W   1980
    X   1981
    Y   1982

Suffixes A to E came in at the start of the indicated year. Suffixes F
onwards, and all prefixes, came in at the start of August of the
indicated year. The prefix Q was used from August 1983 onwards to
indicate that the date of registration does not match the date of
manufacture, or another special case, such as kit cars (until then,
such vehicles were not distinguished in any way).

Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic did not use prefix or suffix
letters, but moved to three letters and four digits instead. The Irish
Republic changed to a totally different system from 1987 onwards.

The following table of letters and letter-pairs comes from a posting on
Eunet a while ago. There are more notes after the table. The second
column is the allocation for 1974 and on.

A	London
B	Lancashire
C	Yorkshire W.R.
D	Kent
E	Staffordshire
F	Essex
G	Glasgow
H	Middlesex
J	Durham
K	Liverpool
L	Glamorganshire
M	Cheshire
N	Manchester
O	Birmingham
P	Surrey
R	Derbyshire
S	Edinburgh
T	Devonshire
U	Leeds
V	Lanarkshire
W	Sheffield
X	Northumberland
Y	Somerset
Z	Dublin
AA	Hampshire				Salisbury
AB	Worcestershire				Worcester
AC	Warwickshire				Coventry
AD	Gloucestershire				Gloucester
AE	Bristol					Bristol
AF	Cornwall				Truro
AG	Ayrshire				Kingston-upon-Hull
AH	Norfolk					Norwich
AI	Meath					Meath
AJ	Yorkshire N.R.				Middlesbrough
AK	Bradford				Sheffield
AL	Nottinghamshire				Nottingham
AM	Wiltshire				Swindon
AN	West Ham (<1965) / London		Reading
AO	Cumberland				Carlisle
AP	East Sussex				Brighton
AR	Hertfordshire				Chelmsford
AS	Nairnshire				Inverness
AT	Kingston-upon-Hull			Kingston-upon-Hull
AU	Nottingham				Nottingham
AV	Aberdeenshire				Peterborough
AW	Shropshire				Shrewsbury
AX	Monmouthshire				Cardiff
AY	Leicestershire				Leicester
AZ	Central Office Coleraine		Belfast
BA	Salford					Manchester
BB	Newcastle upon Tyne			Newcastle upon Tyne
BC	Leicester				Leicester
BD	Northamptonshire			Northampton
BE	Lindsey (Lincs.)			Grimsby
BF	Staffordshire				Stoke-on-Trent
BG	Birkenhead				Liverpool
BH	Buckinghamshire				Luton
BI	Monaghan				Monaghan
BJ	East Suffolk				Ipswich
BK	Portsmouth				Portsmouth
BL	Berkshire				Reading
BM	Bedfordshire				Luton
BN	Bolton					Bolton
BO	Cardiff					Cardiff
BP	West Sussex				Portsmouth
BR	Sunderland				Durham
BS	Orkney					Kirkwall
BT	Yorkshire E.R.				York
BU	Oldham					Manchester
BV	Blackburn				Preston
BW	Oxfordshire				Oxford
BX	Carmarthenshire				Haverfordwest
BY	Croydon (<1965) / London		London N.W.
BZ	Central Office Coleraine		Down
CA	Denbighshire				Chester
CB	Blackburn				Bolton
CC	Caernarvonshire				Bangor
CD	Brighton				Brighton
CE	Cambridgeshire + Isle of Ely (>1965)	Cambridge
CF	West Suffolk				Reading
CG	Hampshire				Salisbury
CH	Derby					Nottingham
CI	Laois					Laois
CJ	Herefordshire				Hereford
CK	Preston					Preston
CL	Norwich					Norwich
CM	Birkenhead				Liverpool
CN	Gateshead				Newcastle upon Tyne
CO	Plymouth				Plymouth
CP	Halifax					Huddersfield
CR	Southampton				Plymouth
CS	Ayrshire				Ayr
CT	Kesteven (Lincs.)			Boston
CU	South Shields				Newcastle upon Tyne
CV	Cornwall				Truro
CW	Burnley					Preston
CX	Huddersfield				Huddersfield
CY	Swansea					Swansea
CZ	Central Office Coleraine		Belfast
DA	Wolverhampton				Birmingham
DB	Stockport				Manchester
DC	Middlesbrough (<1968) / Teesside	Middlesbrough
DD	Gloucestershire				Gloucester
DE	Pembrokeshire				Haverfordwest
DF	Gloucestershire				Gloucester
DG	Gloucestershire				Gloucester
DH	Walsall					Dudley
DI	Roscommon				Roscommon
DJ	St. Helens				Warrington
DK	Rochdale				Bolton
DL	Isle of Wight				Newport (I.o.W.)
DM	Flintshire				Chester
DN	York					York
DO	Holland (Lincs.)			Boston
DP	Reading					Reading
DR	Devonport (<1915) / Plymouth		Plymouth
DS	Peeblesshire				Glasgow
DT	Doncaster				Sheffield
DU	Coventry				Coventry
DV	Devon					Exeter
DW	Newport (Mon.)				Cardiff
DX	Ipswich					Ipswich
DY	Hastings				Hastings
DZ	Central Office Coleraine		Antrim
EA	West Bromwich				Dudley
EB	Isle of Ely + Cambridgeshire (>1965)	Cambridge
EC	Westmorland				Kendal
ED	Warrington				Warrington
EE	Grimsby					Grimsby
EF	West Hartlepool (<1967) / Hartlepool	Middlesbrough
EG	Peterborough + Huntingdon (>1965)	Peterborough
EH	Hanley (<1910) / Stoke-on-Trent		Stoke-on-Trent
EI	Sligo					Sligo
EJ	Cardiganshire				Aberystwyth
EK	Wigan					Warrington
EL	Bournemouth				Bournemouth
EM	Bootle					Liverpool
EN	Bury					Bolton
EO	Barrow-in-Furness			Barrow-in-Furness
EP	Montgomeryshire				Swansea
ER	Cambridgeshire + Isle of Ely (>1965)	Cambridge
ES	Perthshire				Dundee
ET	Rotherham				Sheffield
EU	Breconshire				Bristol
EV	Essex					Chelmsford
EW	Huntingdonshire + Peterborough (>1965)	Peterborough
EX	Great Yarmouth				Norwich
EY	Anglesey				Bangor
EZ	Central Office Coleraine		Belfast
FA	Burton-upon-Trent			Stoke-on-Trent
FB	Bath					Bristol
FC	Oxford					Oxford
FD	Dudley					Dudley
FE	Lincoln					Lincoln
FF	Merionethshire				Aberystwyth
FG	Fifeshire				Brighton
FH	Gloucester				Gloucester
FI	Tipperary (N. Riding)			Tipperary (N. Riding)
FJ	Exeter					Exeter
FK	Worcester				Dudley
FL	Peterborough + Huntingdon (>1965)	Peterborough
FM	Chester					Chester
FN	Canterbury				Canterbury
FO	Radnorshire				Hereford
FP	Rutland					Leicester
FR	Blackpool				Preston
FS	Edinburgh				Edinburgh
FT	Tynemouth				Newcastle upon Tyne
FU	Lindsey (Lincs.)			Lincoln
FV	Blackpool				Preston
FW	Lindsey (Lincs.)			Lincoln
FX	Dorset					Bournemouth
FY	Southport				Liverpool
FZ	Central Office Coleraine		Belfast
GA	Glasgow					Glasgow
GB	Glasgow					Glasgow
GC	London					London S.W.
GD	Glasgow					Glasgow
GE	Glasgow					Glasgow
GF	London					London S.W.
GG	Glasgow					Glasgow
GH	London					London S.W.
GI	Tipperary (S. Riding)			Tipperary (S. Riding)
GJ	London					London S.W.
GK	London					London S.W.
GL	Bath					Truro
GM	Motherwell + Wishaw			Reading
GN	London					London S.W.
GO	London					London S.W.
GP	London					London S.W.
GR	Sunderland				Durham
GS	Perthshire				Luton
GT	London					London S.W.
GU	London					London S.E.
GV	West Suffolk				Ipswich
GW	London					London S.E.
GX	London					London S.E.
GY	London					London S.E.
GZ	Central Office Coleraine		Belfast
HA	Smethwick (<1966) / Warley		Dudley
HB	Merthyr Tydfil				Cardiff
HC	Eastbourne				Hastings
HD	Dewsbury				Huddersfield
HE	Barnsley				Sheffield
HF	Wallasey				Liverpool
HG	Burnley					Preston
HH	Carlisle				Carlisle
HI	Tipperary (S. Riding)			Tipperary (S. Riding)
HJ	Southend-on-Sea				Chelmsford
HK	Essex					Chelmsford
HL	Wakefield				Sheffield
HM	East Ham (<1965) / London		London Central
HN	Darlington				Middlesbrough
HO	Hampshire				Salisbury
HP	Coventry				Coventry
HR	Wiltshire				Swindon
HS	Renfrewshire				Glasgow
HT	Bristol					Bristol
HU	Bristol					Bristol
HV	East Ham (<1965) / London		London Central
HW	Bristol					Bristol
HX	Middlesex (<1965) / London		London Central
HY	Bristol					Bristol
HZ	Central Office Coleraine		Tyrone
IA	Central Office Coleraine		Antrim
IB	Central Office Coleraine		Armagh
IC	Carlow					Carlow
ID	Cavan					Cavan
IE	Clare					Clare
IF	Cork					Cork
IH	Donegal					Donegal
IJ	Central Office Coleraine		Down
IK	Dublin					Dublin
IL	Central Office Coleraine		Fermanagh
IM	Galway					Galway
IN	Kerry					Kerry
IO	Kildare					Kildare
IP	Kilkenny				Kilkenny
IR	Offaly					Offaly
IS	Mayo					Mayo
IT	Leitrim					Leitrim
IU	Limerick stad				Limerick stad
IW	Central Office Coleraine		Londonderry
IX	Longford				Longford
IY	Louth					Louth
IZ	Mayo					Mayo
JA	Stockport				Manchester
JB	Berkshire				Reading
JC	Caernarvonshire				Bangor
JD	West Ham (<1965) / London		London Central
JE	Isle of Ely + Cambridgeshire (>1965)	Cambridge
JF	Leicester				Leicester
JG	Canterbury				Canterbury
JH	Hertfordshire				Reading
JI	Central Office Coleraine		Tyrone
JJ	London					Canterbury
JK	Eastbourne				Hastings
JL	Holland (Lincs.)			Boston
JM	Westmorland				Reading
JN	Southend-on-Sea				Chelmsford
JO	Oxford					Oxford
JP	Wigan					Warrington
JR	Northumberland				Newcastle upon Tyne
JS	Ross & Cromarty				Stornoway
JT	Dorset					Bournemouth
JU	Leicestershire				Leicester
JV	Grimsby					Grimsby
JW	Wolverhampton				Birmingham
JX	Halifax					Huddersfield
JY	Plymouth				Plymouth
JZ	Central Office Coleraine		Down
KA	Liverpool				Liverpool
KB	Liverpool				Liverpool
KC	Liverpool				Liverpool
KD	Liverpool				Liverpool
KE	Kent					Maidstone
KF	Liverpool				Liverpool
KG	Cardiff					Cardiff
KH	Kingston-upon-Hull			Kingston-upon-Hull
KI	Waterford				Waterford
KJ	Kent					Maidstone
KK	Kent					Maidstone
KL	Kent					Maidstone
KM	Kent					Maidstone
KN	Kent					Maidstone
KO	Kent					Maidstone
KP	Kent					Maidstone
KR	Kent					Maidstone
KS	Roxburghshire				St. Boswell's (<1975) / Selkirk
KT	Kent					Canterbury
KU	Bradford				Sheffield
KV	Coventry				Coventry
KW	Bradford				Sheffield
KX	Buckinghamshire				Luton
KY	Bradford				Sheffield
KZ	Central Office Coleraine		Antrim
LA	London					London N.W.
LB	London					London N.W.
LC	London					London N.W.
LD	London					London N.W.
LE	London					London N.W.
LF	London					London N.W.
LG	Cheshire				Chester
LH	London					London N.W.
LI	Westmeath				Westmeath
LJ	Bournemouth				Bournemouth
LK	London					London N.W.
LL	London					London N.W.
LM	London					London N.W.
LN	London					London N.W.
LO	London					London N.W.
LP	London					London N.W.
LR	London					London N.W.
LS	Selkirkshire				Stirling
LT	London					London N.W.
LU	London					London N.W.
LV	Liverpool				Liverpool
LW	London					London N.W.
LX	London					London N.W.
LY	London					London N.W.
LZ	Central Office Coleraine		Armagh
MA	Cheshire				Chester
MB	Cheshire				Chester
MC	Middlesex (<1965) / London		London N.E.
MD	Middlesex (<1965) / London		London N.E.
ME	Middlesex (<1965) / London		London N.E.
MF	Middlesex (<1965) / London		London N.E.
MG	Middlesex (<1965) / London		London N.E.
MH	Middlesex (<1965) / London		London N.E.
MI	Wexford					Wexford
MJ	Bedfordshire				Luton
MK	Middlesex (<1965) / London		London N.E.
ML	Middlesex (<1965) / London		London N.E.
MM	Middlesex (<1965) / London		London N.E.
MO	Berkshire				Reading
MP	Middlesex (<1965) / London		London N.E.
MR	Wiltshire				Swindon
MS	Stirlingshire				Stirling
MT	Middlesex (<1965) / London		London N.E.
MU	Middlesex (<1965) / London		London N.E.
MV	Middlesex (<1965) / London		London S.E.
MW	Wiltshire				Swindon
MX	Middlesex (<1965) / London		London S.E.
MY	Middlesex (<1965) / London		London S.E.
MZ	Central Office Coleraine		Belfast
NA	Manchester				Manchester
NB	Manchester				Manchester
NC	Manchester				Manchester
ND	Manchester				Manchester
NE	Manchester				Manchester
NF	Manchester				Manchester
NG	Norfolk					Norwich
NH	Northampton				Northampton
NI	Wicklow					Wicklow
NJ	East Sussex				Brighton
NK	Hertfordshire				Luton
NL	Northumberland				Newcastle upon Tyne
NM	Bedfordshire				Luton
NN	Nottinghamshire				Nottingham
NO	Essex					Chelmsford
NP	Worcestershire				Worcester
NR	Leicestershire				Leicester
NS	Sutherland				Glasgow
NT	Shropshire				Shrewsbury
NU	Derbyshire				Nottingham
NV	Northamptonshire			Northampton
NW	Leeds					Leeds
NX	Warwickshire				Dudley
NY	Glamorganshire				Cardiff
NZ	Central Office Coleraine		Londonderry
OA	Birmingham				Birmingham
OB	Birmingham				Birmingham
OC	Birmingham				Birmingham
OD	Devonshire				Exeter
OE	Birmingham				Birmingham
OF	Birmingham				Birmingham
OG	Birmingham				Birmingham
OH	Birmingham				Birmingham
OI	Belfast					Belfast
OJ	Birmingham				Birmingham
OK	Birmingham				Birmingham
OL	Birmingham				Birmingham
OM	Birmingham				Birmingham
ON	Birmingham				Birmingham
OO	Essex					Chelmsford
OP	Birmingham				Birmingham
OR	Hampshire				Portsmouth
OS	Wigtownshire				Stanraer
OT	Hampshire				Portsmouth
OU	Hampshire				Bristol
OV	Birmingham				Birmingham
OW	Southampton				Portsmouth
OX	Birmingham				Birmingham
OY	Croydon (<1965) / London		London N.W.
OZ	Belfast					Belfast
PA	Surrey					Guildford
PB	Surrey					Guildford
PC	Surrey					Guildford
PD	Surrey					Guildford
PE	Surrey					Guildford
PF	Surrey					Guildford
PG	Surrey					Guildford
PH	Surrey					Guildford
PI	Cork					Cork
PJ	Surrey					Guildford
PK	Surrey					Guildford
PL	Surrey					Guildford
PM	East Sussex				Guildford
PN	East Sussex				Brighton
PO	West Sussex				Portsmouth
PP	Buckinghamshire				Luton
PR	Dorset					Bournemouth
PS	Zetland (Shetland Is.)			Lerwick (Shetland Is.)
PT	Durham					Durham
PU	Essex					Chelmsford
PV	Ipswich					Ipswich
PW	Norfolk					Norwich
PX	West Suffolk				Portsmouth
PY	Yorkshire N.R.				Middlesbrough
PZ	Central Office Coleraine		Belfast
RA	Derbyshire				Nottingham
RB	Derbyshire				Nottingham
RC	Derby					Nottingham
RD	Reading					Reading
RE	Staffordshire				Stoke-on-Trent
RF	Staffordshire				Stoke-on-Trent
RG	Aberdeen				Newcastle upon Tyne
RH	Kingston-upon-Hull			Kingston-upon-Hull
RI	Dublin					Dublin
RJ	Salford					Manchester
RK	Croydon (<1965) / London		London N.W.
RL	Cornwall				Truro
RM	Cumberland				Carlisle
RN	Preston					Preston
RO	Hertfordshire				Luton
RP	Northamptonshire			Northampton
RR	Nottinghamshire				Nottingham
RS	Aberdeen				Aberdeen
RT	East Suffolk				Ipswich
RU	Bournemouth				Bournemouth
RV	Portsmouth				Portsmouth
RW	Coventry				Coventry
RX	Berkshire				Reading
RY	Leicester				Leicester
RZ	Central Office Coleraine		Antrim
SA	Aberdeenshire				Aberdeen
SB	Argylshire				Oban
SC	Edinburgh				Edinburgh
SD	Ayrshire				Ayr
SE	Banffshire				Keith
SF	Edinburgh				Edinburgh
SG	Edinburgh				Edinburgh
SH	Berwickshire				St. Boswells (<1975) / Selkirk
SI	Dublin					Dublin
SJ	Buteshire				Ayr
SK	Caithness				Wick
SL	Clackmannanshire			Dundee
SM	Dumfriesshire				Dumfries
SN	Dunbartonshire				Dundee
SO	Morayshire				Aberdeen
SP	Fifeshire				Dundee
SR	Angus					Dundee
SS	East Lothian				Aberdeen
ST	Inverness-shire				Inverness
SU	Kincardineshire				Glasgow
SV	Kinross-shire				-
SW	Kirkcudbrightshire			Dumfries
SX	West Lothian				Edinburgh
SY	Midlothian				-
SZ	Central Office Coleraine		Down
TA	Devonshire				Exeter
TB	Lancashire				Warrington
TC	Lancashire				Bristol
TD	Lancashire				Bristol
TE	Lancashire				Bristol
TF	Lancashire				Reading
TG	Glamorganshire				Cardiff
TH	Carmarthenshire				Swansea
TI	Limerick				Limerick
TJ	Lancashire				Liverpool
TK	Dorset					Plymouth
TL	Kesteven (Lincs.)			Lincoln
TM	Bedfordshire				Luton
TN	Newcastle upon Tyne			Newcastle upon Tyne
TO	Nottingham				Nottingham
TP	Portsmouth				Portsmouth
TR	Southampton				Portsmouth
TS	Dundee					Dundee
TT	Devonshire				Exeter
TU	Cheshire				Chester
TV	Nottingham				Nottingham
TW	Essex					Chelmsford
TX	Glamorganshire				Cardiff
TY	Northumberland				Newcastle upon Tyne
TZ	Central Office Coleraine		Belfast
UA	Leeds					Leeds
UB	Leeds					Leeds
UC	London					London Central
UD	Oxfordshire				Oxford
UE	Warwickshire				Dudley
UF	Brighton				Brighton
UG	Leeds					Leeds
UH	Cardiff					Cardiff
UI	Central Office Coleraine		Londonderry
UJ	Shropshire				Shrewsbury
UK	Wolverhampton				Birmingham
UL	London					London Central
UM	Leeds					Leeds
UN	Denbighshire				Barnstaple
UO	Devonshire				Barnstaple
UP	Durham					Durham
UR	Hertfordshire				Luton
US	Govan (<1912) / Glasgow			Glasgow
UT	Leicestershire				Leicester
UU	London					London Central
UV	London					London Central
UW	London					London Central
UX	Shropshire				Shrewsbury
UY	Worcestershire				Worcester
UZ	Central Office Coleraine		Belfast
VA	Lanarkshire				Cambridge
VB	Croydon (<1965) / London		Canterbury
VC	Coventry				Coventry
VD	Lanarkshire				Luton
VE	Cambridgeshire + Isle of Ely (>1965)	Cambridge
VF	Norfolk					Norwich
VG	Norwich					Norwich
VH	Huddersfield				Huddersfield
VJ	Herefordshire				Hereford
VK	Newcastle upon Tyne			Newcastle upon Tyne
VL	Lincoln					Lincoln
VM	Manchester				Manchester
VN	Yorkshire N.R.				Middlesbrough
VO	Nottinghamshire				Nottingham
VP	Birmingham				Birmingham
VR	Manchester				Manchester
VS	Greenock				Luton
VT	Stoke-on-Trent				Stoke-on-Trent
VU	Manchester				Manchester
VV	Northampton				Northampton
VW	Essex					Chelmsford
VX	Essex					Chelmsford
VY	York					York
VZ	Central Office Coleraine		Tyrone
WA	Sheffield				Sheffield
WB	Sheffield				Sheffield
WC	Essex					Chelmsford
WD	Warwickshire				Dudley
WE	Sheffield				Sheffield
WF	Yorkshire E.R.				Sheffield
WG	Stirlingshire				Sheffield
WH	Bolton					Bolton
WI	Waterford stad				Waterford stad
WJ	Sheffield				Sheffield
WK	Coventry				Coventry
WL	Oxford					Oxford
WM	Southport				Liverpool
WN	Swansea					Swansea
WO	Monmouthshire				Cardiff
WP	Worcestershire				Worcester
WR	Yorkshire W.R.				Leeds
WS	Leith (<1920) / Edinburgh		Bristol
WT	Yorkshire W.R.				Leeds
WU	Yorkshire W.R.				Leeds
WV	Wiltshire				Brighton
WW	Yorkshire N.R.				Leeds
WX	Yorkshire N.R.				Leeds
WY	Yorkshire N.R.				Leeds
WZ	Central Office Coleraine		Belfast
XA	London (<1962) / Kirkcaldy		-
XB	London (<1962) / Coatbridge		-
XC	London (<1962) / Solihull		-
XD	London (<1962) / Luton			-
XE	London (<1962) / Luton			-
XF	London (<1962) / Torbay			-
XG	Middlesbrough (<1968) / Teesside	-
XH	London					-
XI	Central Office Coleraine		Belfast
XJ	Manchester				-
XK	London					-
XL	London					-
XM	London					-
XN	London					-
XO	London					-
XP	London					-
XR	London					-
XS	Paisley					-
XT	London					-
XU	London					-
XV	London					-
XW	London					-
XX	London					-
XY	London					-
XZ	Central Office Coleraine		Armagh
YA	Somerset				Taunton
YB	Somerset				Taunton
YC	Somerset				Taunton
YD	Somerset				Taunton
YE	London					London Central
YF	London					London Central
YG	Yorkshire W.R.				Leeds
YH	London					London Central
YI	Dublin					Dublin
YJ	Dundee					Brighton
YK	London					London Central
YL	London					London Central
YM	London					London Central
YN	London					London Central
YO	London					London Central
YP	London					London Central
YR	London					London Central
YS	Partick (<1912) / Glasgow		Glasgow
YT	London					London Central
YU	London					London Central
YV	London					London Central
YW	London					London Central
YX	London					London Central
YY	London					London Central
YZ	Londonderry				Londonderry
ZA	Dublin					Dublin
ZB	Cork					Cork
ZC	Dublin					Dublin
ZD	Dublin					Dublin
ZE	Dublin					Dublin
ZF	Cork					Cork
ZG	Dublin					Dublin
ZH	Dublin					Dublin
ZI	Dublin					Dublin
ZJ	Dublin					Dublin
ZK	Cork					Cork
ZL	Dublin					Dublin
ZM	Galway					Galway
ZN	Meath					Meath
ZO	Dublin					Dublin
ZP	Donegal					Donegal
ZR	Wexford					Wexford
ZS	Dublin					Dublin
ZT	Cork					Cork
ZU	Dublin					Dublin
ZV	Dublin					Dublin
ZW	Kildare					Kildare
ZX	Kerry					Kerry
ZY	Louth					Louth


Pairs QA to QZ are used in the form QA 123 to indicate cars with
temporary registrations, and are reused as available. The Irish Republic
(until it changed its system) used ZZ in the same way.

There are also several series of special numbers.

    Alderney    AY 10000   to   AY 99999
    Gibraltar   G 10000    to   G 99999
    Guernsey    1          to   99999
    Jersey      J 10000    to   J 99999

The Isle of Man uses ordinary looking registrations, with either the
three letters MAN, or with the letter-pair MN (i.e. using AMN to YMN).
However, prefix and suffix letters do *not* indicate the year of issue.

Military vehicles use the form 01 AB 23 (note that leading zeroes *are*
used, unlike all other systems). Foreign diplomatic staff are allocated
the form 123 D 456, and consular staff 123 X 456. The Queen's personal
vehicles do not carry registrations.

Registrations are never re-issued, but it is possible to transfer a
"cherished" registration to a new vehicle for an 85 pound fee. Since
1990, the DVLC have also allowed you to pick the registration for a new
car, for the same fee. "Nice" registrations (such as DAV 1 D) trade at a
considerable price - I believe the record is over 100 000 pounds !

-- 
Clive D.W. Feather     | IXI Limited         | If you lie to the compiler,
clive@x.co.uk          | 62-74 Burleigh St.  | it will get its revenge.
Phone: +44 223 462 131 | Cambridge   CB1 1OJ |   - Henry Spencer
Fax:   +44 223 462 132 | United Kingdom      |