| With the current system of creating number | | | | would step on the toes of the March 2001 |
| plates, i.e. basing two of the digits on the six | | | | registration date. March meanwhile, will begin |
| month period in which the car is put on sale, there | | | | encroaching on the September 2001 registration |
| has been some confusion surrounding what | | | | dates. |
| happens in March of 2010…… | | | | |
| | | | | Whether this will genuinely be an issue or not |
| The way it operates at the moment March 2009 | | | | remains to be seen. It will have been fifty years |
| started the 09 digits being used in all new license | | | | since the original 01 and 51 license plates were |
| plates and September 2009 started the 59 digits. | | | | issued and it may turn out that they can be |
| This pattern follows on from March 2008 | | | | reused with no issues. If this does prove to be |
| beginning 08, September 2008 beginning 58 and all | | | | the case then the system could continue when |
| the way back to March 2001 beginning 01 and | | | | 2101 rolls around and both the March updates and |
| September 2001 beginning 51. | | | | September updates will begin repeating |
| | | | | themselves. |
| What some people are wondering is what this will | | | | |
| mean in 2010. The final digit can no longer be | | | | Another possibility is bringing in a new format for |
| changed to match the year! Except that the initial | | | | license plates either in 2051, 2101 or at any point |
| digit can be changed too, and that is exactly what | | | | from now onwards, though given that the |
| is going to happen. March ’10 will see the 10 | | | | system is fine until then, this would appear to be |
| code being used, and September 2010 will simply | | | | unnecessary and costly. |
| use 60. | | | | |
| | | | | So far we have discounted the possibility of a |
| This means that everything is fine until 2050. At | | | | new technology emerging to replace license |
| this point the March update will move on to 50 | | | | plates, of course. What form this would take and |
| and the September update will need to change | | | | why it would be seen fit to make the change are |
| from 99 to 00. What happens the following year | | | | speculative at best. |
| is a problem though. September 2051 using 01 | | | | |