‘Hidden meaning’ behind number plates explained after woman’s discovery left Brits checking their own cars
UK number plates have long just been a collection of numbers to the average car owner, or maybe if you are in the know, you may be able to tell when a car has been registered because of certain two numbers.
Well, a TikTok video on the subject matter recently went viral, with Courtney Wright voicing her shock at the discovery she just made behind the real meaning of UK number plates, which you can watch below:
Posted under the username @courtneywrightxxx, the mum said: "I’ve just learnt something new this morning. I actually can’t believe.
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“Apparently, the first two letters on your number plate - so, like, my old car was MV and that means that car was registered in Manchester.
“So they all have different codes, so it goes from MA to M- whatever and that’s all from Manchester."
Courtney was clearly surprised at this new revelation, continuing to share her findings: “The first two letters actually mean something. So you’ve got where the car was registered, the year it was registered and then just a random sequence.
"I’m actually… it’s literally blown my mind. Actually mind blown. I’m just… I can’t believe it.”
However, an explanation has since been found for the video in question, with a motoring expert explaining Courtney's findings in more depth.
Jon Kirkbright , a sales director at Private Number Plates, revealed the meaning behind the letters and numbers on your number plate.
"While many people will be aware that the numbers refer to the year the car was made and registered, they may not know that the letters before them also have a hidden meaning," he said to Diamond Advanced Motorists.
“They are known as ‘regional identifiers’ and refer to the DVLA office where the car was registered.
"This may be why your number plates start with the same letters if you buy more than one car from the same dealership, for example. It is not just a coincidence."
In addition to this, Jon also explained that private number plates are not allowed to be put onto cars to make them look newer than they actually are.
He explained: “It is an offence to mis-represent the registration in any way. You can make your car seem older than it actually is but you are not allowed to make it look newer.
“For example, you cannot put an 11 number plate on a 07 plate car.”
People who want to hide the age of the car are more likely to buy a dateless private registration plate, which is completely customisable.
Who knew that the world of number plates was so complex and informative?
You can check the full list of regional number plate identifiers here, if you are interested.
Joshua Nair