Last updated 1 November 2026.
17 plate facts at a glance
| Registration window | 1 March 2017 to 31 August 2017 |
|---|---|
| Age today | Between 9 years 2 months and 9 years 8 months old (as of 1 November 2026) |
| First MOT due | Due by the third anniversary of registration, so between March 2020 and August 2020. Every car on this plate has now passed that point. |
| MOT tests so far | About 7 if it has been tested on time every year. |
| Road tax (VED) system | This plate straddles the change. Cars registered up to 31 March 2017 pay by CO2 band (A to M). Cars registered from 1 April 2017 pay the newer system: a CO2-based first payment, then a flat rate. The registration date on the V5C decides which. |
| ULEZ rule of thumb: petrol | Most petrol cars registered in this window meet the Euro 4 standard that ULEZ asks for. |
| ULEZ rule of thumb: diesel | Most diesel cars registered in this window meet the Euro 6 standard that ULEZ asks for. |
| Typical mileage now | About 65,000 to 68,500 miles at the average of 7,100 miles a year. Many cars do more or less, so treat it as a guide. |
Sources: GOV.UK, displaying number plates; GOV.UK, getting an MOT; GOV.UK, vehicle tax rate tables; TfL, ULEZ standards. The average mileage of 7,100 miles a year is from the Department for Transport's National Travel Survey, table NTS0901 (England, 2024 and 2025). See also our average mileage page.
How to read the 17
Since September 2001 UK plates have two letters for the area, two numbers for the age, then three random letters. The two numbers change on 1 March and 1 September. March plates use the last two digits of the year, so 17 means 2017. A private or cherished plate can make a car look older than it is, so the plate only tells you the earliest the car could have been registered. See every plate from 51 to 76.
Checking a 17 plate car before you buy
- Check the service history is complete and stamped. It shows whether the car has had one careful keeper or several.
- Ask whether the cambelt has been changed or is coming due, if the engine has one.
- Look at the MOT mileage readings. They should rise steadily, with no reading lower than the one before.
- Check the exact registration date on the V5C, because road tax rules changed on 1 April 2017.
None of this replaces checking the actual car. A car that was written off by an insurer, or still has finance owed on it, can look perfect, so run a write-off check and a finance check before you pay. A car history check also shows the real first registration date, plate changes and the MOT and mileage history.
ULEZ: check the exact car
The ULEZ rule of thumb above is a guide, not a promise. Whether a car meets the standard depends on its engine and emissions, not just its plate. Use TfL's vehicle checker on the exact registration before you drive into the zone.