NI Number plates

Breakdown information on Number plates, this can tell you a lot about where a car is form and its age.

NI Number plates

Postby pbottomley » Sun Apr 17, 2011 1:54 pm

Northern Ireland continues to use the system initiated for the whole of Ireland in 1903, with two-letter county and city codes featuring the letters I and Z. The full list of codes appears below.

As in Great Britain, each code originally ran from 1 to 9999, and when one was completed, another was allocated. All possible codes had been allocated by 1957, following which reversed sequences were introduced, the first county to do so being Antrim in January 1958 with 1 IA.

These reversed sequences were completed quickly, leading to the introduction of the current "AXX 1234" format in January 1966, where "XX" is the county code and "A" is a serial letter. This format allowed capacity to be increased. Each county adopted it once they had completed their reversed sequences, the last one to do so being County Londonderry in October 1973 with AIW 1.

From November 1985, the first 100 numbers of each series were withheld for use as cherished registrations. From April 1989, the numbers 101-999 were also withheld in this way. Even multiples of 1000 and 1111 ("four-of-a-kind") are deemed cherished by the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA) in Northern Ireland and thus withheld. Each series ends at 9500 with the remaining numbers used mostly for security type re-registrations.

While motorists with vehicles registered in Great Britain are permitted by the DVLA to use number plates carrying Euro-style bands with UK national flags and country codes instead of the Euro symbol and "GB", officially, the DVA specifies only the Euro symbol with the country code "GB".[21]

Northern Irish number plates are used often in Great Britain as vanity plates to hide the age of an older vehicle cheaply; this is particularly noticeable on private hire coaches

County codes in alphabetical order

AZ — Belfast
BZ — Down
CZ — Belfast
DZ — Antrim
EZ — Belfast
FZ — Belfast
GZ — Belfast
HZ — Tyrone
IA — Antrim
IB — Armagh
IG — Fermanagh
IJ — Down
IL — Fermanagh
IW — Londonderry
JI — Tyrone
JZ — Down
KZ — Antrim
LZ — Armagh
MZ — Belfast
NZ — Londonderry
OI — Belfast
OZ — Belfast
PZ — Belfast
RZ — Antrim
SZ — Down
TZ — Belfast
UI — Derry City
UZ — Belfast
VZ — Tyrone
WZ — Belfast
XI — Belfast
XZ — Armagh
YZ — Londonderry
QNI — Cars with indeterminate age, kit cars.

Series per county
For each county, the two-letter sequences are shown first, followed by the reversed two-letter sequences, then the three-letter sequences.

The present series is highlighted in bold, those already used are in italics.

Notes regarding a particular sequence are denoted using superscript numbers, and are given at the end of the series for the county concerned.

Antrim County Council

(Ballymena LVLO/VRO from 1 January 1974): (in original issuing sequence) IA DZ KZ RZ

IA 1 to IA 9999 (Dec 1903 – Mar 1932);
DZ 1 to DZ 9999 (Mar 1932 – Jan 1947);
KZ 1 to KZ 9999 (Jan 1947 – Feb 1954);
RZ 1 to RZ 9999 (Feb 1954 – Jan 1958).
1 IA to 9999 IA (Jan 1958 – Jun 1960);
301 DZ to 9999 DZ (Jun 1960 – Sep 1962);
1 KZ to 9999 KZ (Sep 1962 – Jun 1964);
501 RZ to 9999 RZ (Jun 1964 – Jan 1966).
AIA 1 to GIA 8976 (Jan 1966 – Dec 1973); authority transferred to Ballymena LVLO/VRO from 1st January 1974.
GIA 8977 to YIA 9500 (Jan 1974 – Jul 1985);
ADZ 101 to YDZ 95001 (Jul 1985 – May 1998);
AKZ 1001 to YKZ 9500 (May 1998 - May 2010);
BRZ 1001 to YRZ 9500 (May 2010 - current);
The current sequence BRZ 1001 to YRZ 95002 began in May 2010. The current issue (as of February 2011) is CRZ.
When this is exhausted, it is likely the series will reverse, beginning with 1001 AIA to 9500 YIA.
1 BDZ ended at 7458 due to computerisation in October 1986, followed by CDZ 101.
2 ARZ was deemed inappropriate and will not be issued

Armagh County Council
(Armagh LVLO/VRO from 1 January 1974): (in original issuing sequence) IB LZ XZ

IB 1 to IB 9999 (Dec 1903 – Aug 1947);
LZ 1 to LZ 99993 (Jan 1947 – Nov 1957);
XZ 1 to XZ 9999 (Nov 1957 – Apr 1962).
301 IB to 9999 IB (Apr 1962 – Nov 1965);
1 LZ to 9999 LZ (Nov 1965 – Mar 1969);
1 XZ to 9999 XZ (Mar 1969 – Mar 1972).
AIB 1 to AIB 7785 (Mar 1972 – Jan 1974); authority transferred to Armagh LVLO/VRO from 1st January 1974.
AIB 7786 to YIB 95004 (Jan 1974 - Nov 1996);
ALZ 1001 to YLZ 9500 (Nov 1996 - May 2010);
AXZ 1001 to YXZ 9500 (May 2010 - current).
The current sequence AXZ 1001 to YXZ 9500 began in May 2010. The current issue (as of February 2011) is BXZ.
When this is exhausted, it is likely the series will reverse, beginning with 1001 AIB to 9500 YIB.
3 Although LZ commenced in January 1947, IB was not completed until August 1947.
4 JIB ended at 4400 due to computerisation in 1986, followed by KIB 101.

Belfast County Borough Council
(Belfast LVLO/VRO from 1 January 1974): (in original issuing sequence) OI XI AZ CZ EZ FZ GZ MZ OZ PZ TZ UZ WZ

OI 1 to OI 9999 (Jan 1904 – Jan 1921);
XI 1 to XI 9999 (Jan 1921 – Feb 1928);
AZ 1 to AZ 9999 (Feb 1928 – Nov 1932);
CZ 1 to CZ 9999 (Nov 1932 – Oct 1935);
EZ 1 to EZ 9999 (Oct 1935 – Oct 1938);
FZ 1 to FZ 9999 (Oct 1938 – May 1942);
GZ 1 to GZ 9999 (May 1942 – Dec 1947);
MZ 1 to MZ 9999 (Dec 1947 – Jun 1950);
OZ 1 to OZ 9999 (Jun 1950 – Jan 1953);
PZ 1 to PZ 9999 (Jan 1953 – Aug 1954);
TZ 1 to TZ 9999 (Aug 1954 – Oct 1955);
UZ 1 to UZ 9999 (Oct 1955 – Mar 1957);
WZ 1 to WZ 9999 (Mar 1957 – Jun 1958).
1000 OI to 9999 OI (Jun 1958 – Jun 1959);
1000 XI to 9999 XI (Jun 1959 – Apr 1960);
1 AZ to 9999 AZ (Apr 1960 – Mar 1961);
1 CZ to 9999 CZ (Mar 1961 – Apr 1962);
1 EZ to 9999 EZ (Apr 1962 – Apr 1963);
1 FZ to 9999 FZ (Apr 1963 – Jan 1964);
1 GZ to 9999 GZ (Jan 1964 – Sep 1964);
1 MZ to 9999 MZ (Sep 1964 – May 1965);
1 OZ to 9999 OZ (May 1965 – Mar 1966);
1 PZ to 9999 PZ (Mar 1966 - Jan 1967);
1 TZ to 9999 TZ (Jan 1967 – Oct 1967);
1 UZ to 9999 UZ5 (Oct 1967 - Jun 1968);
1 WZ to 9999 WZ (Jun 1968 – Apr 1969).
AOI 1 to GOI 8300 (Apr 1969 – Dec 1973); authority transferred to Belfast LVLO/VRO from 1st January 1974.
GOI 8301 to YOI 99996 (Jan 1974 – Apr 1982);
AXI 1 to YXI 9500 (Apr 1982 – Feb 1993);
AAZ 1001 to YAZ 95007 (Feb 1993 – May 1999);
ACZ 1001 to YCZ 9500 (May 1999 – late 2004);
AEZ 1001 to YEZ 9500 (late 2004 – Sep 2009);
AFZ 1001 to YFZ 9500 (Sep 2009 - current).
The current sequence AFZ 1001 to YFZ 9500 began in September 2009. The current issue (as of February 2011) is FFZ.
5 A batch of reverse UZ was issued early in July 1967 for Belfast City Transport.
6 IOI and OOI were not allocated.
7 NAZ was deemed inappropriate and will never be issued.

Down County Council
(Downpatrick LVLO from 1 January 1974): (in original issuing sequence) IJ BZ JZ SZ

IJ 1 to IJ 99998 (Dec 1903 – Apr 1930);
BZ 1 to BZ 9999 (Apr 1930 – Oct 1946);
JZ 1 to JZ 9999 (Oct 1946 – Aug 1954);
SZ 1 to SZ 9999 (Aug 1954 – Oct 1958).
101 IJ to 9999 IJ (Oct 1958 – May 1961);
201 BZ to 9999 BZ (May 1961 – Nov 1963);
201 JZ to 9999 JZ (Nov 1963 – Jul 1965);
1 SZ to 9999 SZ (Jul 1965 – May 1967).
AIJ 1 to YIJ 99999 (May 1967 – May 1987);
ABZ 101 to YBZ 9500 (May 1987–2000).
AJZ 1001 to YJZ 9500 (2000 - current).
The current sequence AJZ 1001 to YJZ 9500 began in 2000. The current issue (as of February 2011) is SJZ.
8 IJ 1-100 were mixed allocations to all types of vehicles, but thereafter there was a period when motorcycles were segregated in blocks; the following were the motorcycle blocks: IJ 101-150, 201-249, 301-350, 451-500, 551-600, 651-700, 751-800, 851-950, 1001-1100, 1151-1200 and 1251 up, (no information thereafter). Other vehicles took the remaining numbers, but 1000-1050 were, in fact, duplicated.
9 XIJ ended at 3439 due to computerisation in October 1986, followed by YIJ 101.

Fermanagh County Council
(Enniskillen LVLO from 1 January 1974): (in original issuing sequence) IL IG

IL 1 to IL 9999 (Jan 1904 – Feb 1958).
51 IL to 9999 IL (Feb 1958 – Aug 1966).
AIL 1 to YIL 950010 (Aug 1966 – Dec 2004).
AIG 1001 to YIG 9500 (Dec 2004 - current).
The current sequence AIG 1001 to YIG 950011 began in December 2004. The current issue (as of February 2011) is JIG.
10 EIL ended at 2423 due to computerisation in October 1986, followed by FIL 101.
11 KIL was deemed inappropriate and will never be issued.
12 CIG, NIG and PIG were deemed inappropriate and will never be issued.

Londonderry County Council
(Coleraine LVLO from 1 January 1974): (in original issuing sequence) IW NZ YZ

IW 1 to IW 9999 (Dec 1903 – Jan 1949);
NZ 1 to NZ 9999 (Jan 1949 – Dec 1957);
YZ 1 to YZ 9999 (Dec 1957 - Sep 1962).
1 IW to 9999 IW (Sep 1962 – Oct 1966);
1 NZ to 9999 NZ (Oct 1966 – Nov 1970);
1 YZ to 9999 YZ (Nov 1970 – Oct 1973).
AIW 1 to YIW 950013 (Oct 1973–2001);
ANZ 1001 to YNZ 9500 (2001 - current).
The current sequence ANZ 1001 to YNZ 9500 began in 2001. The current issue (as of February 2011) is PNZ.
13 HIW incomplete due to computerisation in October 1986 (highest normal issue unknown), followed by IIW 101.

Londonderry County Borough Council
(Londonderry LVLO/VRO from 1 January 1974): UI

UI 1 to UI 9999 (Jan 1904 – Aug 1963).
100 UI to 9999 UI (Aug 1963 – Apr 1973).
AUI 1 to AUI 1109 (Apr 1973 - Dec 1973); authority transferred to Londonderry LVLO/VRO from 1st January 1974;
AUI 1110 to YUI 950014 (1st Jan 1974 - current).
The current sequence AUI 1110 to YUI 9500 began on 1st January 1974. The current issue (as of February 2011) is TUI.
14 CUI ended at 7388 due to computerisation in October 1986, followed by DUI 101.

Tyrone County Council
(Omagh LVLO/VRO from 1 January 1974): (in original issuing sequence) JI HZ V

JI 1 to JI 9999 (Dec 1903 – Feb 1944);
HZ 1 to HZ 9999 (Feb 1944 – Apr 1956);
VZ 1 to VZ 9999 (Apr 1956 – Apr 1961).
100 JI to 9999 JI (Apr 1961 – Oct 1964);
200 HZ to 9999 HZ (Oct 1964 – Mar 1968);
200 VZ to 9999 VZ (Mar 1968 – Jun 1971).
AJI 1 to BJI 799 (Jun 1971 – Dec 1973); authority transferred to Omagh LVLO/VRO from 1st January 1974.
BJI 800 to YJI 950015 (Jan 1974–2000);
AHZ 1001 to YHZ 9500 (2000 - current).
The current sequence AHZ 1001 to YHZ 9500 began in 2000. The current issue (as of February 2011) is NHZ.
15 JJI ended at 4700 due to computerisation in October 1986, followed by KJI 101.
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