Britain’s motorists are increasingly keeping their cars for longer, and one registration specialist says some owners are spending less than £100 to disguise their vehicle’s age rather than replacing it.
The idea has been dubbed “number plate Botox” by PrimoReg.co.uk, with drivers choosing dateless registrations that remove the year identifier normally displayed on a UK number plate.
It comes as the average advertised used car price reached £17,131 in August 2026, according to Auto Trader’s Retail Price Index, while almost half of the cars on Britain’s roads are now more than 10 years old.
Older used cars continue to rise in price
Although average used car prices were broadly unchanged year-on-year in August, Auto Trader reported that cars aged between 10 and 15 years went against the wider trend.
Like-for-like prices in this age group increased by 6.9%, the strongest growth recorded across any vehicle age bracket.
That leaves motorists who might previously have replaced an ageing car facing higher costs, even when shopping towards the older end of the used market.
UK inflation was also running at 2.9% in July, remaining above the Bank of England’s 2% target.
Nearly 17 million cars are more than a decade old
Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders underline just how rapidly Britain’s vehicle fleet is ageing.
The average car on the road is now a record 9.7 years old, compared with 9.5 years in 2024 and around eight years in 2019.
Of the 36.7 million cars currently in service, 45.7% are more than a decade old. That equates to approximately 16.8 million vehicles.
For owners intending to keep those cars, the twice-yearly registration change can make their age increasingly obvious. The arrival of the new ‘76’ registration on 1 September provided the latest reminder, with older age-related plates moving another step away from the newest cars on the road.
How does a dateless registration work?
Unlike current-style, prefix or suffix registrations, a dateless number plate does not contain an identifier showing the vehicle’s year of registration.
That means someone looking at the registration cannot immediately determine the age of the car.
Subject to DVLA regulations, a dateless registration can be assigned to a vehicle regardless of its age.
While particularly rare or desirable cherished registrations can command substantial prices, PrimoReg.co.uk says selected dateless registrations start from £99.99, including the £80 DVLA assignment fee.
For motorists otherwise happy with their existing vehicle, the company argues that changing the registration can provide a relatively inexpensive cosmetic update.
Peter Johnson, Managing Director of PrimoReg.co.uk, said: “A dateless plate is basically Botox for your car. It changes nothing underneath, but it can take years off its appearance in seconds.
“When replacing the average used car costs more than £17,000, a facelift costing under £100 for the car you already own starts to look less like vanity and more like common sense.
“People are keeping good cars for longer because household budgets remain under pressure. The problem is that twice a year a new plate arrives and broadcasts exactly how old their own car is. A dateless registration removes the birthday badge and gives the car a cleaner, more timeless look.”
September demand expected to rise
PrimoReg.co.uk says it is preparing for its busiest September since the post-lockdown period of 2020, as motorists look for registrations suited to their cars or personal preferences.
Johnson added: “If you have a particular combination in mind, it pays to move quickly. Every registration is unique, so once it has gone, it has gone.”
PrimoReg.co.uk, which has operated in the UK for more than 20 years, handles the DVLA transfer and assignment process on behalf of customers. Assignment times vary depending on the registration and DVLA processing requirements.
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