The series around SML
| Series | First open for bidding |
|---|
| SMH | November 2018 |
| SMJ | January 2019 |
| SMK | February 2019 |
| SML | March 2019 |
| SMM | April 2019 |
| SMN | June 2019 |
| SMP | July 2019 |
Also from 2019: SMJ, SMK, SMM, SMN, SMP, SMQ, SMR, SMS.
From LTA’s list of car prefixes on DataMall: from SDQ (December 2001) on, the month a series first opened for bidding; before that, the month it came out. Every series is on the car plate page, and in one CSV.
Questions
What year is an SML car plate?
The SML series first opened for bidding in March 2019. It was the newest series for 1 month, until SMM in April 2019. So a car with an SML plate was registered in March 2019 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.
How old is a car with an SML plate?
No older than 7 years and 8 months (in November 2026), counted from March 2019, when the series first opened for bidding. It can be younger: the plate only says when the number came out.
When does an SML car’s COE end?
A COE lasts 10 years from registration, so a car registered in March 2019, when the series first opened for bidding, has its first COE running to about March 2029; one registered later, later still. After that it’s deregistered, or its COE renewed for 5 or 10 more years at the Prevailing Quota Premium: see the latest COE prices and PQP, and the PARF and COE rebates for scrapping it.
What comes after SML?
SMM, which first opened for bidding in April 2019, then SMN in June 2019. Before SML came SMK (February 2019).
What letter does SML 1234 end in?
SML 1234 T. The last letter is a checksum worked out from the prefix and the number: SML 1 E, SML 88 E, SML 8888 K. Check any SML plate.