If you cast your eyes onto the number plates you see whilst out and about in England, you might notice a disproportionate lack of plates containing the letter I. The reason? Well, the letter I is excluded from use on standard-issue UK mainland plates. However, whilst the letter I is less visible on UK mainland roads, it does still have a presence. That's because in Northern Ireland, the letter I is permissable, and Nothern Irish registration plates are available for private purchase by, and transfer to, drivers in England, Scotland and Wales. Excited yet? You should be.
This page provides a wealth of information on Irish number plates, and includes some details about how to discover and buy them.
In fact, it's not just the potential inclusion of the letter I that distinguishes Irish plates from the UK mainland DVLA stock. Irish plates can also contain the letter Z, which was also exclusive to Irish plates in the period before new-style number plates emerged in 2001. Although the inclusion of Z in current UK registrations makes this factor less impactive than the I, it has still contributed to the lore of Irish plates, and helped to give them eleveated status. When the concept of number plates was launched near the beginning of the 20th century, the letters I and Z were specifically reserved for Irish plates, and today, whilst the Irish republic has its own, separate registration system, Northern Irish plates remain a special variant of the UK format.
So the features that distinguish Northern Irish number plates have imparted an increased level of desirability. But Northern Irish plates come with another highly attractive feature, which gives them a purpose beyond simply looking distinctive. They're considered to be dateless. That is, the age of the vehicle carrying them cannot easily be discerned from the registration plate. The dateless designation that comes with Irish plates means you can fit them the any vehicle. It's just win after win.
Actually, whilst the Irish plates look dateless and are considered dateless, experts can still date them, because the first three characters of the registration - the letters - are issued in sequence.
For example:
- At the time of writing, the district of Armagh is commencing its registrations with the letters TXZ, whilst the letters UXZ are projected to replace them as the sequence progresses.
- In Ballymena they're prefixing their numerical section with the letters URZ, whilst lining up VRZ for the next term.
- Meanwhile, Belfast plates begin with the letters FMZ, to be followed next by GMZ.
- In Coleraine, CYZ is the current letter prefix, and DYZ is coming up in due course.
- The three-character prefix for Downpatrick at present is ISZ; JSZ will be the next step in the sequence.
- Enniskillen is using the prefix XIG. YIG is next on the menu.
- Derry is on YUI at present.
- And Omagh has reached BVZ, with CVZ on the agenda as its replacement.
There is a pattern, but it's not as easily recognisable as that of the UK mainland.
So Irish plates are hotly-sought, offering a fantastic blend of affordability and uniqueness, along with the added benefit of concealing your vehicle's age. And if you're seeking to get hold of one, you've come to the right place. Let's look at a few clickable examples of Irish number plates, in the same format that they appear in the NetPlates search results:
Incidentally, if you're in a different ballpark budget-wise, don't worry. Our Bargain Plates page includes a results section for Dateless Plates, and nearly everything you'll find in that section, on that particular page, will be Irish. Feel free to take a look. With base prices of well under £100, our lowest-priced Irish number plates might be exactly the type of acquisition you're looking for.
And if you'd like something more closely matched to you, it's easy to start your journey into the world of select Irish number plates. At the top of this page, you'll find a search entry box. You can simply enter search terms of your choice until you find something interesting. For Irish plates, it's worth including the letters Z and/or I in your search terms. The Z works particularly well for shortened names that end with that letter. Examples would include "BAZ", "CAZ", "DAZ", "MAZ", "MOZ", etc. Irish plates fill a very important gap when it comes to certain realms of personalisation.
Within all of our search results there's a Buy. button, which will take you straight through to the NetPlates purchase process. It's plain sailing from there. You can choose from our range of extras, including physical plates in standard, 3D gel or 4D acrylic format. Or, if you don't yet have a vehicle onto which you can fit the registration, we can send you a Retention Certificate, which gives you ten years to decide where you'd like the plate to go. If you spot the right plate, go for it while it's there. You can worry about fitting it later.
Ideal for personalisation enthusiasts and savvy car owners alike, Irish number plates add a dash of individuality and flair to your vehicle without breaking the bank. Why not celebrate your car's identity with the unmatched appeal of Irish number plates!
OTHER TRIVIA
One of the reasons Irish registration numbers are cheaper than the typical UK dateless number plate, lies in the numerical sequence. In a UK dateless registration, the digital sequence runs from 1 to 999. But Irish registrations consist of three letters followed by up to 4 digits. This extends the available combinations, whilst the larger character count keeps the plates affordable.
When people were first able to transfer cherished number plates it became something of a trend to buy and transfer Irish number plates - primarily due to the ways in which they differed from other available number plate formats.
The reason that the letters I and Z have been omitted from UK number plates is that they too closely resemble the numbers 1 and 2. This was considered problematic by the authorities, as identifying vehicles in the case of a crime can become more difficult when it's not entirely clear what the vehicle's registration was.
So now you have some background on Northern Irish registrations, it's time to explore. Don't let us stand in your way.
For further information, you might to take a look at the following:
Prefix Number Plates | Suffix Number Plates | New Style Number Plates | Dateless Number Plates
