Why do number plates change twice a year?

[throwaway4372]

Having the year in the number plate is handy for knowing how old the car is, but why can't all cars registered in 2022 have 22 in the plate, what's the benefit of making some of them 72?

This seems daft to me, but usually there's a reason behind stuff like this, even if it's not a good one. So, what's the reason?

 

[b0rn2sk8]

It’s quite simple really, it drives car sales.

Some people can’t bare not having the latest plate on their car.

 

[Abyss]

It used to be once a year however it meant that there was a huge surge in people wanting to buy cars to be delivered on the day of the new plate. To try and smooth out the peaks of new cars the plates were moved to twice per year.

 

[Dis86]

Money. Its the same reason that you're not allowed to buy a private plate that makes your car appear newer.

 

[HangTime]

As mentioned they changed this to reduce the massive boom in September registrations. You only have to look at the history for March registrations to see the impact... in spite of the major supply chain issues, March 2022 still had more March registrations than the last March prior to them introducing new plates in March.

 

[throwaway4372]

I see. So is the underlying problem the fact that people think plates are worth more? Presumably they are worth more? But they shouldn't be worth more? Maybe the year shouldn't be in the plate at all?

 

[BennyC]

I see. So is the underlying problem the fact that people think plates are worth more? Presumably they are worth more? But they shouldn't be worth more? Maybe the year shouldn't be in the plate at all?

No, it's that the car is 6 months newer. And its an opportunity to both benefit from owning a slightly younger vehicle when it comes to resale and to also one-up your neighbour or colleague.

 

[Diddums]

Money. Its the same reason that you're not allowed to buy a private plate that makes your car appear newer.

For realsies?

 

[Dis86]

For realsies?

Fact.

 

[Minstadave]

For realsies?

Realsies home boy.

 

[Diddums]

Fact.

Realsies home boy.

Well that's just not cricket

 

[norm]

How's it possible if you import a older vehicle to the UK and register it with the DVLA it takes on a new reg of the year it was registered?

I've seen it on a motorbike recently its a 2012 model, but took on a 2017 reg when someone brought it into the country?

 

[squerble]

How's it possible if you import a older vehicle to the UK and register it with the DVLA it takes on a new reg of the year it was registered?

I've seen it on a motorbike recently its a 2012 model, but took on a 2017 reg when someone brought it into the country?

Because that was when it was registered?

As to the OP, I think it's about time we binned off the vanity dates in plates and just replace it with something more generic like the US.

 

[Clarkey]

How's it possible if you import a older vehicle to the UK and register it with the DVLA it takes on a new reg of the year it was registered?


I've seen it on a motorbike recently its a 2012 model, but took on a 2017 reg when someone brought it into the country?

That isn't the case, imports are assigned a plate according to their date of first registration. Anything otherwise is because the paperwork was fiddled or DVLA made a mistake.

 

[On Holiday]

Idiocy really.