In our series of number plates format articles, Suffix Style Registrations is our next topic of discussion, in this article, we will be discussing everything about suffix style registration number plates.
What are Suffix Style Registration Number Plates?
Suffix style registrations were introduced by the DVLA in February 1963 as a replacement of dateless style number plates. There were two main reasons of introducing this new style. One was they were running out of combinations for dateless number plates and the second was following the issue of identifying vehicles age. With the launch of suffix registrations, they introduced a new age identifier feature where they added a letter at the end of the registration which would not only help in identifying the vehicle’s manufacturing year but also increase the number of possible combinations by millions so that they don’t run of registration numbers keeping in mind the increasing number of vehicles on the UK roads. A new letter would be released once per year ranging from January 1963 up until July 1983. This began with ‘A’ in 1963, and a new letter was issued every subsequent year until ‘Y’ was reached in 1982.
However, letters I, O, Q, U, and Z were never issued at all in the suffix number plate system. ‘I’ and ‘Z’ were reserved for Northern Ireland, ‘O’ could’ve been mistaken for zero, ‘Q’ was used but only on vehicles where their date of manufacture was in doubt, and ‘U’ appeared too much like ‘V’ for use on suffix car registration plates.
Specifications of Suffix Style Registration Number Plates
The suffix style registration number plates were introduced in 1963 and ran up until 1982. Before 1963, registrations marks were dateless but with the introduction of the suffix style system, this problem was fixed. In this system, they used the format BBB*A, where ‘BBB’ are three letters that identify what would have been the original area of issue for the car registration. ‘*’ is a 1 to 3 digit number ranging from 1 to 999 and in the end, ‘A’ is a letter that represents the period when the vehicle was first register ed
Personalization
Due to the enormous number of combinations available, Suffix Style number plates provide a lot of options when it comes to spelling out your preferred name, word, or phrase. It is one of the main reasons for their popularity. Because the structure of suffix registration plates places three letters first, they can make for some extremely appealing personalised number plate options. Short names that can be written in three letters such as “TOM” or “BEN” are highly sought after.
A Great Way of Investment
The value of a suffix style registration tends to be higher than a prefix style because the numbers are older and rarer than some of the other styles.
A suffix DVLA number plate’s value generally rises considerably over time, making it not only a superb acquisition but also an item that is frequently seen selling at a much greater price years later. Suffix registrations are always in demand due to their high resale value and flexibility in number-letter combinations.
A suffix DVLA number plate’s value generally rises considerably over time, making it not only a superb acquisition but also an item that is frequently seen selling at a much greater price years later. Suffix registrations are always in demand due to their high resale value and flexibility in number-letter combinations.
Suffix number plates provide a fascinating alternative to prefix registrations as well as a cheaper alternative to dateless number plates, making them fantastic prospects for both fun and number plate investment.
Buying suffix style private number plates has never been easier or more accessible. If you have something specific in mind for your car or as a gift for a loved one, maybe a plate showing a set of initials, a name, a job or a special interest – why no contact us to see if we can find just what you are looking for.
At Reglocker, we offer a wide range of suffix-style plate combinations, and they are certainly one of the most sought-after types of personalized registration we deal in.
