Question 1

What year is an SBA car plate?

Accepted Answer

The SBA series came out in August 1984. It was the newest series for 6 months, until SBB in February 1985. So a car with an SBA plate was registered in August 1984 or later: a number can be bid for after its series opens, or kept from an older car, so the car can be newer than its plate, never older.

Question 2

How old is a car with an SBA plate?

Accepted Answer

No older than 42 years and 3 months (in November 2026), counted from August 1984, when the series came out. It can be younger: the plate only says when the number came out.

Question 3

When does an SBA car’s COE end?

Accepted Answer

The COE system began in May 1990, after the SBA series came out, so a car registered before then needed none when new. From May 1990 a new car gets a 10-year COE, renewable for 5 or 10 years at the Prevailing Quota Premium: see the latest COE prices and PQP.

Question 4

What comes after SBA?

Accepted Answer

SBB, which came out in February 1985, then SBC in January 1986. Before SBA came EZ (February 1984).

Question 5

What letter does SBA 1234 end in?

Accepted Answer

SBA 1234 G. The last letter is a checksum worked out from the prefix and the number: SBA 1 T, SBA 88 T, SBA 8888 Z. Check any SBA plate.

Registered no earlier than	August 1984
So no older than	42 years and 3 months (in November 2026)
COE	none when new, if registered before May 1990
Newest series until	February 1985 (SBB)
Plates in the series	SBA 1 T to SBA 9999 E

Series	Came out
EX	July 1983
EY	October 1983
EZ	February 1984
SBA	August 1984
SBB	February 1985
SBC	January 1986
SBD	March 1987

SBA car plate: what year?

The series around SBA

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