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UK vehicle registration plates since September 2001 have a format of AA00AAA, in which the first two letters identify the geographical region, the two numbers the year of registration, and the last three letters are three letters random events that run from AAA to ZZZ, varying with each change of year. License plates have a format of 520×111 millimeters (mm.), and are different from those of Northern Ireland. On the rear of the vehicle, license plates are used in black characters on a yellow background, while at the front, black characters are used on a white background. The UK international code is GB, which can be displayed in an oval code or optionally within the license plate, provided the vehicle is traveling outside UK borders.
Since April 2009, it is possible to change the Euro band to carry only the flag of England (flag of England), that of Wales (flag of Wales) or that of Scotland (flag of Scotland). However, for the situation in which a vehicle is going to circulate with this registration abroad, it will be necessary to carry the UK Oval Code; GB, although the official international code is UK. Since 2001, it is necessary that at the bottom of the license plate, below the numbers, a text or small image is displayed identifying the dealer from which the vehicle comes. At the end of 2013, license plates were issued by the Driver and Vehicle License Agency (DVLA), which is located in Swansea. The first two letters of the license plates identify since then the first workshop where the vehicle is to be repaired. There are some DVLA suppliers in the UK, the popular ones are Carreg. Carreg is suppliers of DVLA number plates.
With the Brexit, a series of measures were established with respect to the license plates of vehicles circulating abroad. It is necessary to carry on the rear of the vehicle the international code “GB” on the license plate or as an oval code. In addition, since March 29, 2019 (news) it is necessary for commercial trailers of more than 750 kg and non-commercial trailers of more than 3.5 tons to carry on the rear of the vehicle a license plate in black characters on a white background that identifies said trailer, which must be registered in the DVLA. The trailer must also show the license plate of the tractor cab. This measure is established according to the 1968 Vienna Convention on traffic, and is applied in the signatory countries of the same, with the exception of Ireland, Cyprus, Malta and Spain.
Special British Export Registration
There are several types of special plates or patents. Vehicles with special license plates usually use the same plates as the ordinary system, but with small variations. Export license plates begin with the letter X, while temporary license plates show the letter Q in the center. For vehicles whose registration date is unknown, either because they are manufactured to parts, kit cars, or as if they are imported vehicles, they begin with the letter Q.
Other data
The first UK license plate was used on January 1, 1904, with the Motor Car Act 1903 (a regulation that established some measures regarding traffic and vehicles). Until 1975, motorcycles had to have a license plate on the front of it, commonly known as “the pedestrian cutter.”
North Ireland
Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, uses a different system than Great Britain (an island that includes Scotland, England and Wales). These license plates have a format of three letters and four numbers, in which the last two letters (of the three there are) identify the region. In these license plates, the use of the Euro band with the GB code is also optional. The international code to identify Northern Ireland is NIL. Until 2014, Northern Ireland license plates were issued by the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) which was located in Coleraine. Vehicles manufactured before 1975 are identified by gray-on-black license plates beginning with the letters IG followed by four digits, beginning with 4001.
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