Northern Irish Car Registrations

[Ivo]

Anyone know how these things work?

To give an example, Bath bus depot has had two recent arrivals from Belfast, one of which is RKZ 4760. What would this mean?

 

[Temple Meads]

I think that some NI registrations (rather than being put on cars there) are kept by the DVLA, and sold as private plates.
Might be wrong though.

 

[richw]

First Devon and Cornwall have a load with the Irish prefix HIG,

about half way down this wiki page is an explanation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Irish_registration_plates#Northern_Ireland

 

[Eagle]

Actually the Irish and British systems were the same (random letter + two-letter county code + random number 1–999) up until they diverged in 1963, when British plates started using year letters. Irish plates eventually simply resorted to adding more digits.

It wasn't until 1988 that the republic started using its own system, separate from that of Northern Ireland.

 

[deltic1989]

some people like to buy NI plates to disguise the age of thier vehicle. I remember my Grandad had a BMW that he bought in belfast during the troubles and eventually he had to buy a new reg number in the british format because he kept getting stopped and accused of being a member of the IRA. ( note i realise this has little to do with the format of NI plates, its merely a little anicdote regarding them.

 

[Schnellzug]

Coach companies in particular are very fond of doing that. Some buses (like some of those built by Wrights) (such as the Lance SLFs new to Centrewest about '93) had them from new as well, but buses with NI plates are usually re-registered second hand ones.

 

[OuterDistant]

I think that some NI registrations (rather than being put on cars there) are kept by the DVLA, and sold as private plates.
Might be wrong though.

You're right, as many people named Gaz / Daz / Baz or Caz will testify!

 

[Minilad]

I have always thought it would be cheaper to buy any old plate then change your name by deed poll to match the letters rather than spend a fortune on plates that match your initials.
Not that I would be so vain to have a private plate anyway !!
Seeing as my car is VN60AEA I am going to change my name to Andrew Eric Aniseed

 

[Eagle]

I have always thought it would be cheaper to buy any old plate then change your name by deed poll to match the letters rather than spend a fortune on plates that match your initials.

Deeds poll are free... as long as you have one independent countersignatory you could write one on the back of a napkin and it would be legal.

 

[richw]

I have always thought it would be cheaper to buy any old plate then change your name by deed poll to match the letters rather than spend a fortune on plates that match your initials.
Not that I would be so vain to have a private plate anyway !!
Seeing as my car is VN60AEA I am going to change my name to Andrew Eric Aniseed

I've got a private plate, but only because it was a Christmas present from a relative, as they knew I loved my cars. Back then I had a 2002 Honda Civic Type R. I now have a Renault Scenic..grown up and had kids, my pride and joy was the first sacrifice.....You have a Citreon C1.....

 

[Minilad]

I've got a private plate, but only because it was a Christmas present from a relative, as they knew I loved my cars. Back then I had a 2002 Honda Civic Type R. I now have a Renault Scenic..grown up and had kids, my pride and joy was the first sacrifice.....You have a Citreon C1.....

I do. Black VT+ and very good it is too !!

 

[richw]

I do. Black VT+ and very good it is too !!

I'd probably recommend removing your registration from the internet, as I was able to pull up what make and model your car was in about 2 seconds, one of them car cloners you hear about could have everything they need in minutes (I could of also but would of cost me £9.95 to do so).

 

[Minilad]

I'd probably recommend removing your registration from the internet, as I was able to pull up what make and model your car was in about 2 seconds, one of them car cloners you hear about could have everything they need in minutes (I could of also but would of cost me £9.95 to do so).

They could also do it just by walking past my car parked on my drive. So I don't really worry about that sort of stuff happening. There are plenty of ways of getting cars cloned without going on the internet

 

[richw]

Its your choice really, I know someone who put his registration on a car forum, and started getting speeding tickets 100s of miles away. Obviously he reported it, and discovered his "registration" had been used for some serious crime!

 

[Minilad]

Would have a job speeding in a C1 !!

 

[jamesontheroad]

Anyone know how these things work?

NI registrations are issued by the DVLNI, a kind of regional parallel government agency of the DVLA. I bought my first car in Belfast and subsequently brought it back to England, and that required the registration to be transferred from the DLVNI to the DVLA when I moved.

The first letter is a serial letter (ie issued A, B, C etc until all possible combinations run out). The second two letters indicate the county of registration. The four digits are issued sequentially; three digit numbers and obviously desirable ones (1111, 2222, 1234 etc) are withheld for cherished sale.

The county codes are:

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.

There is, therefore, no indication of vehicle's age in an NI registration.

To give an example, Bath bus depot has had two recent arrivals from Belfast, one of which is RKZ 4760. What would this mean?

Not much. It was first registered in County Antrim.

 

[Temple Meads]

Not much. It was first registered in County Antrim.

Although that will most likely be the vehicle that the plate was first on rather than the bus Scott saw of course.

 

[jamesontheroad]

Although that will most likely be the vehicle that the plate was first on rather than the bus Scott saw of course.

True, but he did say:

Bath bus depot has had two recent arrivals from Belfast

Perhaps they've been lucky enough to inherit some of our cast offs?

http://www.bus-and-coach-photos.com/picture/number533.asp

 

[Schnellzug]

66893, Volvo B7RLE (I presume)/Wright, ex Belfast Airport, is what it presumably is, unless the plates have been transferred.

 

[Lad Brookes]

Perhaps they've been lucky enough to inherit some of our cast offs?

http://www.bus-and-coach-photos.com/picture/number533.asp

Oh, the memories.

 

[Ivo]

That's the one. Until it turned up, I didn't know First had any presence in NI; I thought the entire system was Translink-operated.

That massive luggage rack doesn't half cut into its capacity though! :?

 

[Yew]

I have always thought it would be cheaper to buy any old plate then change your name by deed poll to match the letters rather than spend a fortune on plates that match your initials.
Not that I would be so vain to have a private plate anyway !!
Seeing as my car is VN60AEA I am going to change my name to Andrew Eric Aniseed

Mine has JHL on the end, so James Hardley-Lewis

 

[jamesontheroad]

That's the one. Until it turned up, I didn't know First had any presence in NI; I thought the entire system was Translink-operated.

Since Aircoach withdrew from the Dublin / Belfast route (and aside from a small call centre in the Europa Mall in Belfast) the QPark contract at Belfast International is First Group's only operation in Northern Ireland. I think it has/had just two vehicles. Odd to think they were desperate to get out of King's Lynn because it was considered too remote and too small an operation to be viable

Have they replaced the vehicles at BFS or have they withdrawn from there as well?

 

[deltic1989]

I have always thought it would be cheaper to buy any old plate then change your name by deed poll to match the letters rather than spend a fortune on plates that match your initials.
Not that I would be so vain to have a private plate anyway !!
Seeing as my car is VN60AEA I am going to change my name to Andrew Eric Aniseed

Mine has JHL on the end, so James Hardley-Lewis

My first car had POO at the end (got a few laughs on the motorway) so i could have Paulo Oswold Oxford. I bought a new plate eventually as i kept getting pulled over and told my plate was offensive.