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Number Plates

What year is my car? UK car number plate years explained

Published 04 September 2023
By Sunday Times Driving
Number plates first became mandatory on cars in the UK in 1904 for most of the same reasons they’re still required today.
P7 number plate sells for world record £12m in Dubai

Number plate sells for £12 million in Dubai

A two-digit registration plate has sold for a record sum at a Dubai charity auction.
Published 12 April 2023

Car number plate sells for £2.7m at auction

A personalised number plate is a sign of status for many drivers, not only in the UK but also clearly in Hong Kong.
Published 16 February 2023
Michael Freilich's Chevrolet Captiva features a revolving number plate

Belgian MP fits revolving number plates

A Belgian MP has had his car fitted with a set of James Bond-style revolving number plates in an attempt to avoid public abuse.
Published 01 February 2023
Digital number plates in UK

Digital number plates gain popularity in USA

The Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency says there are no plans to permit digital number plates for cars in the UK, despite US popularity.
Published 15 June 2022
EU flag removed from driving licences a year on from Brexit

EU flag removed from driving licences

The EU flag has been removed from new British driving licences and number plates to mark the first anniversary of Brexit.
Published 03 February 2021
New Green number plates for electric cars in UK

Green plates may influence one in five to buy a EV

Those who buy electric cars from today (December 8) will be eligible for a green-accented number plate that affords the driver on-road benefits.
Published 08 December 2020
Department for Transport green number plate electric cars concept Renault Zoe example

Green number plates 'could be a security risk'

A UK security watchdog has suggested plans to introduce green number plates for electric cars could make them more enticing to criminals.
Published 03 February 2020
Green number plates for electric cars are only a short term solution, says RAC

RAC 'not impressed' by green plates plan

According to an RAC spokesperson, authorities may have to pull the plug on green number plates "pretty much as soon as they bring them in".
Published 22 October 2019
Businessman faked accident to buy valuable private number plate

Businessman faked accident to buy car number plate

The director of an accident claims firm has been convicted for reporting a fake crash to the government’s licensing agency in order to trace the...
Published 11 January 2018
Where can I find the custom numberplate I want?

Where can I find the custom numberplate I want?

Q. I would like to acquire a very specific numberplate but I can't find it at present
Published 16 November 2015
The Sunday Times Driving Placeholder

Letters of the week, May 3

This week: Vexed by Veyron, spare wheels roll on, appreciating personalised 'plates, Thunderbirds blunder, digital deductions, a 422mph speeding ticket...
Published 04 May 2015
The Sunday Times Driving Placeholder

Letters of the week, April 26

This week: more on spare wheels, self-parking car queries, nice guys with personalised number plates and more.
Published 01 May 2015