The new 2012 series of number plates came out on 1 March. The number will now be 12. The overall numbering system being used is the same one that has been used since 2001, with two letters at the beginning, followed by two numbers indicating the year the car was produced. The two first letters tell you where the vehicle was produced (for instance, L for London, followed by a letter to indicate the local DVLA office). The three letters at the end are for identification of individual vehicles.

From September 2012, new cars will have the number 62 after the two initial letters. This is because last year's September number was 61, and is a way of showing how old the car is to within 6 months. This is designed to last until 2052, when the numbers will be back to 0 again.