Car history check by reg: UK and European number plates

UK number plates: format, age identifier and first clues

A UK number plate gives you a quick first clue about the car, but it is only the start of a proper reg check. The official term is vehicle registration number; ‘reg’ is the everyday word for it.

For cars registered under the system used since 1 September 2001, the standard format is AB12 CDE: two letters, two numbers, a space and three letters. Front plates are white, rear plates are yellow and the characters are black.

Element	What it means	Example
Memory tag	The first two letters indicate the region of first registration.	AB in AB12 CDE
Age identifier	The two digits show the registration period. March to August uses the year; September to February uses the year plus 50.	26 = March–August 2026; 76 = September 2026–February 2027
Random letters	The last three letters are a random sequence.	CDE in AB12 CDE

The age identifier lets you test a seller’s claim about how new the car is: a 26 plate means registration between March and August 2026, a 76 plate between September 2026 and February 2027. That clue does not prove condition, mileage or ownership history, so treat it as a starting point, not a verdict.

Does the reg stay with the car? V5C, DVLA and MOT checks

A UK registration number is assigned to the vehicle, not to the keeper, but it can still move in specific situations. The number usually stays with the vehicle until scrapping or export, unless the keeper transfers it to another vehicle or puts it on retention (V778 retention document).

That is why a personalised plate needs extra attention. A private number may have been on another car before, and the visible plate may not tell the whole story of the vehicle’s earlier registration. A private number can never make a car look younger, but it can hide its original age identifier, so check the first registration date on the V5C and in the DVLA record.

The key registration document is the V5C, often called the log book. Compare the reg, the vehicle description and the dates on the V5C with what the seller says. For a broader guide to official and private checks, see Automoli’s UK reg check, DVLA MOT check and VIN number check guide.

Two free official services are especially useful before you pay a deposit. Get vehicle information from DVLA can show tax, SORN status, MOT due date, first registration date, last V5C date, year of manufacture, engine, fuel and emissions. Check MOT history shows MOT test results, mileage recorded at the test, defects and the MOT due date for England, Scotland and Wales.

The official route is useful, but it is not the whole purchase decision. Keeper details are not shown online; DVLA keeper data is available only by written application. The first MOT is due by the third anniversary of registration, then every year, so a car under three may have no MOT history yet. Use it as one part of the evidence, alongside the V5C, the physical VIN and a pre-purchase inspection.

When a UK buyer should run a reg check

A car history check by reg is most useful when the advert gives you a number plate before it gives you a trustworthy VIN. It helps you decide whether the viewing is worth your time and whether the seller’s story deserves a closer look.

Common UK buyer situations include:

• The advert shows the reg, but the VIN is hidden or blurred.
• The seller gives a VIN later, and you want to compare it with the car and the paperwork.
• The car wears a personalised plate, so the plate may not show the car’s real age.
• The MOT mileage looks inconsistent with the mileage in the advert.
• The car is being sold in the UK after time abroad, and the original European plate is still visible in photos — if it has since been re-registered in the UK, check the current UK reg instead: a plate is matched to the vehicle currently registered under it.

Many buyers look for a ‘reg to VIN’ lookup, but a number plate is no shortcut around physical checks. Before buying, compare the VIN on the car and in the documents with the report, and arrange an inspection. If mileage is a concern, Automoli’s guide to checking a used car for odometer rollback is a useful companion. For the viewing itself, keep a practical checklist like these used-car buying tips close to hand.

How to run a car history check by reg on Automoli

On Automoli, you start with the plate, choose the country and then order the report for the vehicle matched to that registration. A single report costs about £18.

1. Open the Automoli GB search.
2. Switch the search field from VIN to Reg plate.
3. The United Kingdom is selected by default; for a foreign plate, pick its country from the list.
4. Enter the registration number as shown in the advert or on the plate.
5. Click Check and review the order screen.

Before payment, remember that Automoli does not display the VIN found from the plate. For Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and Ukrainian plates, the make and model matched to the plate are visible before payment, so compare them with the advert if you are checking one of those countries. Order the report and use it together with the V5C, MOT history, the vehicle inspection and the VIN on the car.

If you want to see how an Automoli vehicle history report is structured before ordering, open the sample reports. The report shows what has been recorded in the available sources; it does not replace seeing the car, checking the documents and arranging a mechanical inspection before purchase.

European number plates a UK buyer can choose on Automoli

A UK buyer can also choose 19 other plate countries in the same Automoli interface. This matters when you are looking at an imported car, a dealer advert whose photos show foreign plates, or a vehicle still advertised on its original European plates.

A European plate check helps you start the enquiry before the seller provides the VIN. It also makes the country-specific plate format part of your due diligence: a Dutch kenteken, Italian targa or French plaque d’immatriculation should be checked under the correct country, not treated like a UK reg. The Netherlands is the most recent addition to the list.

Ireland’s format includes the year, half-year and county. French plates use the AB-123-CD format introduced in 2009, and the number stays with the car for its lifetime. Dutch kenteken plates are yellow with black characters.

Country	Local name	Example
Croatia	registarska pločica	ZG 1234-AB
Czechia	registrační značka (SPZ)	1A2 3456
Denmark	nummerplade	AB 12 345
Finland	rekisterikilpi	ABC-123
France	plaque d’immatriculation	AB-123-CD (since 2009, for the car’s lifetime)
Hungary	rendszám	AA AA-123 (since 2022; older ABC-123 still in use)
Iceland	skráningarnúmer	AB 123
Ireland	registration plate	261-D-12345 (year, half-year, county)
Italy	targa	AB 123 CD
Lithuania	valstybinis numeris	ABC 123
Netherlands	kenteken	XXX-99-X (yellow plate)
Norway	kjennemerke (bilskilt)	AB 12345
Poland	tablica rejestracyjna	WX 12345
Portugal	matrícula	AA-00-AA (since 2020)
Romania	număr de înmatriculare	CJ 12 ABC
Slovakia	evidenčné číslo (ŠPZ)	AA-123AA (since 2023)
Spain	matrícula	1234 BCD
Sweden	registreringsskylt	ABC 123 / ABC 12A
Ukraine	номерний знак	AA 1234 BC
United Kingdom	number plate	AB12 CDE (yellow at the rear)

When you import or view a car that still has foreign plates in the listing, choose the plate country first and then enter the number. That simple step reduces the risk of checking the wrong format and helps you compare the advert, the documents and the report before committing to the deal.