The history of number plates

License plates have a long history, dating back to the early days of automobiles. France led the way in 1893, followed by Germany in 1896. The Netherlands, US, and eventually the UK followed suit with registration plates becoming a legal requirement with the beginning of the Motor Car Act in 1904.

The inaugural series of license plates made its debut in 1903 and extended through 1932, comprised of a single or double-letter symbol followed by a numerical sequence ranging from 1 to 9999. The symbol signified the regional jurisdiction in which the vehicle was officially registered. In England and Wales, these were first assigned based on the size of the population, as determined by the 1901 census. Thus A denoted London while FP signified the more diminutive populace of Rutland.

By 1932, though, the available codes were depleting. An intricate scheme emerged that added a serial letter preceding the code, with numbers limited to 999. By the 1950s, this system had reached its limit. The subsequent prosperous and enduring format was the prefix registration format. Registration with prefixes preceding 2001 all conformed to the pattern of a solitary identifying letter for the year.. Subsequently, a numerical sequence of one, two, or three digits would ensue. Ultimately, the number plates will culminate in three distinct letters denoting the region of origin.

In the realm of time, since 2001, this numerical symbol has ascended to a position of heightened significance. It now serves as the epitome of an 'age identifier'. These official registrations adhere to a specific structure: a duo of letters representing the locale, a pair of digits for the year, and three other letters chosen at random. The year element functions thus: during March, the figure will mirror the final two digits of the year (e.g. 16 in March 2016), while in September, an additional 50 is appended (e.g. 66 in September 2016).

You have now become a connoisseur of number plates.