When do the 74 number plates come out?

What is the release date for the 74 number plates?

The 74 number plates launched on 1st September 2024. All UK vehicles that are first registered between 1st September 2024 and 28th February 2025 will be assigned a 74 plate.

New number plates are launched twice annually in the UK – at the beginning of March and September.

How do 74 number plates work?

UK number plates contain key information about the vehicle they were first registered to, including the year of the car, and an area code, which denotes where the vehicle was originally registered. Here’s a quick explainer on how to interpret a 74 plate:

• DVLA memory tag: The first two characters are a region-specific ‘memory tag’ that denotes where the car was first registered.
• Age identifier: Have you ever wondered the year of your car? The next two numbers, known as the ‘age identifier’ will tell you. In the example above, ‘74’ indicates that the plate is assigned to a vehicle first registered between 1st September 2024 and 28th February 2025.
• Random letters: The last three characters are random letters that don’t contain any vehicle-specific information.

The plate above follows the current ‘infix’ number plate format, which has been used in the UK for all vehicles first registered from 1st September 2001.

Why are 74 plates important for car buyers?

• Future resale value

  If you’re thinking about buying a brand-new car, waiting for the plate change could be financially beneficial. Although new cars will cost a little more in March and September, they should hold on to more of their value than those purchased just before the plate change, particularly if you intend to sell your car after a few years.

  However, if you plan to use your new car as a long-term workhorse, the benefits may be less pronounced. Any extra value retention from buying during a plate change month will diminish over time.

• Impact on your current car’s value

  Are you planning to sell your old motor and put the cash towards a new car? It’s worth bearing in mind that your car is likely to lose value after the plate switchover.

  Depreciation is most pronounced during the first year of a car’s life, when the average car will lose around 20% of its brand-new value – and many will lose over half of their value by the three-year mark.

  However, it’s worth noting that depreciation levels off for older cars. So, for a 10-year-old motor, the impact of a plate change will be far less severe.

• New plate prestige

  A car with the latest reg plate is often regarded as a status symbol. New car sales typically spike in March and September, because many car buyers make the switch during a plate change month to enjoy the prestige of new car ownership for as long possible.

• Deals on the outgoing reg

  If you’re not concerned about how long you’ll be sporting the latest reg plate, you could get a great deal on a new car around February or August.

• Ex-demo deals

  During the plate change months, you may also see attractively priced ex-demonstrator cars at your local showroom. These cars usually have low mileages – and are well maintained by the dealer’s mechanics.

  What’s more, ex-demonstrator cars were used to showcase specific models at their best, so they’re often generously equipped with the latest tech and styling features.

How can I get a 74 number plate?

Buy a new car: If you buy a new car after the September 2024 plate change, you’ll also own a 74 number plate.

Purchase a 74 plate separately: Want to own one of the latest plates? You don’t necessarily have to have to buy a new car. You can purchase a plate separately from the DVLA, or one of the many specialised number plate dealers.

Transfer your 74 plate to a car: When you buy a new number plate, you’ll receive a V750 Certificate of Entitlement, which gives you the right to transfer the registration onto a vehicle up to 10 years after the date of purchase.

You can use the DVLA’s online registration transfer service to put your 74 plate on a car. Just bear in mind that if you want to keep the rights to your car’s current registration, you will need to obtain a V778 certificate before transferring the plate.

Please note: If you fail to renew your V750 or V778 at the end of the 10-year period, you will lose the rights to the reg number. So, if you intend to hold on to a specific plate as an investment, make sure you renew it in good time!

A 74 plate cannot be transferred to a car that was first registered before September 2024. A number plate cannot be transferred if it would make the car appear newer than its actual age.

What are the rules with 74 number plates?

• Registration plates must be displayed at both the front and rear of your vehicle.
• A white plate must be used at the front – and a yellow one at the back, unless your car predates 1973.
• All numbers and letters displayed must be 77mm tall.
• There must be gaps between the age and regional identifiers – and the three random letters.
• All number plates must use the ‘Charles Wright’ font. This rule has been in place since 2001 – and any non-compliant vehicle cannot legally be used on public roads.
• If you are found to have altered or obscured your reg plate in any way, you could incur a fine of up to £1,000.
• A dirty or unclear reg plate could also cause you to fail your MOT test.

What features can be added to 74 plates?

If you drive your UK-registered car abroad, your number plates will require nationality identifiers.

Until September 2021, the letters ‘GB’ were used to denote ‘Great Britain’. However, the identifier for British cars is now ‘UK’ for ‘United Kingdom’. This may be displayed on its own - or accompanied by the Union Jack flag.

If you drive a zero-emission vehicle (i.e. a fully electric car), you can add a green tab to your licence plate. These can be used as the background tab for the national identifier, or a block-colour tab at the end of the plate.