A car's reg date is the month it was first registered, which the DVLA records with its year of manufacture. Type the registration and the car's page shows both, free. On a plate issued since September 2001, the two numbers (such as 25 or 75) also give the six-month period of first registration, unless the car wears a private plate.
How do you find a car's registration date by reg?
- Type the registration in the box above.
- The car's page shows the month of first registration and the year of manufacture, with the date of its first MOT test.
- Check the age matches the advert: a car advertised as a 2019 model should not show a first registration in 2017.
How do you tell a car's age from its number plate?
Plates issued since September 2001 carry a two-digit age identifier. From March the number is the year (24 for 2024); from September it is the year plus 50 (74 for September 2024). Each identifier covers six months:
- 24: March to August 2024. 74: September 2024 to February 2025.
- 25: March to August 2025. 75: September 2025 to February 2026.
- 26: March to August 2026. 76: September 2026 to February 2027.
Why can the reg date differ from the year of manufacture?
A car can be built one year and registered the next, for example when it waits at a factory or a dealer. An imported car is first registered in the UK when it arrives, which can be years after it was made. Both dates are on the car's page, so you can see the gap.
Can a private plate hide how old a car is?
A private plate can make a car look older than it is, but never newer: the DVLA does not allow a number that suggests a later date. If a car wears a private plate, its real age is in the records, not on the plate.
A plate change also shows in a paid report, with the car's past numbers. See what a car lookup by registration includes.
What else should you check besides the age?
- The MOT history and mileage, free on the car's page: a low mileage for its age should match the readings at past MOTs.
- The number of keepers and the date of the last change: see the car reg owner check.
- Finance, write-off and stolen records, which only a Premium report (£7.99) shows.
What else do people ask?
How old is my car by reg?
Type the registration and the car's page shows its year of manufacture and the month it was first registered. Its age counts from the registration date for most purposes, such as its first MOT, due three years after in Great Britain.
What does the number on a UK plate mean?
On plates issued since September 2001, the two digits give the age: the year for March to August (25 for 2025) and the year plus 50 for September to February (75 for September 2025).
Is the registration date the same as the year of manufacture?
Often, but not always. A car can be registered months after it was built, and an imported car is first registered in the UK when it arrives.
Can I check the reg date for free?
Yes. The month of first registration and the year of manufacture are on the car's free page, with its MOT history.
Can a private plate make a car look newer?
No. The DVLA does not allow a number that makes a car look newer than it is. The real age is always in the records.
