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                  Where can I find registration records for former (pre-1978) Scottish vehicle licensing offices?

                  Not all the vehicle registration records still survive.  Some can be found in local authority archives services and the Kithead Trust holds some records. <https://kitheadtrust.org.uk/ > [accessed 26 April 2024]. The following information is taken from Philip Riden, How to Trace the History of Your Car: a guide to motor vehicle registration records in Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man and The Channel Islands (Merton Priory Press, 1998). In most cases the records listed are registers, but some are the registration cards (compiled under the 1920 Roads Act). For further details see Riden

                  County vehicle registration records

                  Aberdeenshire

                  Records for index marks AV and SA, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust.

                  Angus

                  Registers for index marks SR, 1903-74, are with Dundee City Archives, other records for index marks SR, 1921-48 with Kithead Trust.

                  Argyllshire

                  Registers for index marks SB, 1903-20, with Argyll & Bute Archives, other records for index marks SB, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust.

                  Ayrshire

                  All registration records for index marks AG, CS, and SD presumed destroyed.

                  Banffshire

                  Registers for index marks SE, location unknown.

                  Berwickshire

                  Records for index marks SH, 1903-46, with Kithead Trust.

                  Buteshire

                  Registers for index marks SJ, 1903-31, with Glasgow City Archives.

                  Caithness

                  Record cards index marks SK, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust. Registers for index marks SK are  believed to be in private hands. Enquiries to Highland Archive Service.

                  Clackmannanshire

                  All registration records for index marks SL presumed destroyed.

                  Dumfriesshire

                  Registers for index marks SM, 1903-70, with Dumfries & Galloway Archives, other records for index marks SM, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust.

                  Dunbartonshire

                  Records for index marks SN, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust.

                  East Lothian

                  Records for index marks SS, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust.

                  Fife

                  Records for index marks FG and SP, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust.

                  Forfarshire (see Angus)

                  Haddingtonshire (see East Lothian).

                  Inverness-shire

                  Registers for index marks ST, 1903-75, with Highland Archive Service, other records for index marks ST, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust.

                  Kincardineshire

                  Records for index marks SU, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust.

                  Kinross-shire

                  Registers for index marks SV, 1904-52, with Perth & Kinross Archives. But note that SV is a popular registration because it appears to have been issued for re-registered vehicles for vehicles before 1931 (vintage) and for vehicles between 1931 and 1963. Perth & Kinross Archives do not hold information on re-registrations.

                  Kirkcudbrightshire

                  Registers for index marks SW, 1903-76, with Dumfries & Galloway Archives.

                  Lanarkshire

                  Records for index marks VA, 1922-48, and VD, 1930-48, with Kithead Trust. All records for index marks V presumed destroyed.

                  Linlithgowshire (see W Lothian)

                  Midlothian

                  Records for index marks SY, 1949-52, with Edinburgh City Archives.

                  Morayshire

                  Registers for index marks SO, 1903-46, with Moray Heritage Officer.

                  Nairnshire

                  All records for index marks AS presumed destroyed.

                  Orkney

                  Registers for index marks BS, 1904-76, with Orkney Archives. Other records for index marks BS, 1904-60, with Kithead Trust.

                  Peebleshire

                  All records for index marks DS presumed destroyed.

                  Perthshire

                  Records for index marks ES, c.1904-1920s, with Perth & Kinross Archives. Other records for index marks ES, 1904-45, with Kithead Trust. All records for index marks GS presumed destroyed.

                  Renfrewshire

                  Registers for index marks HS, 1903-49, with Glasgow City Archives.

                  Ross & Cromarty

                  Records for index marks JS, 1974, Highland Archive Service, other records for index marks JS, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust.

                  Shetland

                  Registers for index marks PS, 1904-72, with Shetland Archives.

                  Stirlingshire

                  Registers for index marks MS, 1903-20, with Stirling Council Archives. All records for index marks WG presumed destroyed.

                  Sutherland

                  Registers for index marks NS, 1904-26, with Highland Archive Service, other records for index marks NS, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust.

                  West Lothian

                  Records for index marks SX, 1904-21 and 1934-58, with Edinburgh City Archives, other records for index marks SX, 1921-48, with Kithead Trust.

                  Wigtownshire

                  Registers, 1904-1973, are held by Stranraer Museum, The Old Town Hall, George Street, Stranraer DG9 7JP.

                  Burgh vehicle registration records

                  Burgh (Index mark) Surviving Dates Location of records
                  Aberdeen (RG) 1921-48 Kithead Trust
                  Aberdeen (RS) Presumed Destroyed
                  Coatbridge (XB) Destroyed
                  Dundee (TS) 1904-81 Dundee City Archives*
                  Dundee (YJ) 1932-1964 Dundee City Archives
                  Edinburgh (FS) 1921-48 Kithead Trust
                  Edinburgh (S) 1921-48 Kithead Trust
                  Edinburgh (SC) 1921-48 Kithead Trust
                  Edinburgh (SF) 1921-48 Kithead Trust
                  Edinburgh (SG) 1921-48 Kithead Trust
                  Glasgow (G) 1921-48 Kithead Trust
                  Glasgow (GA) 1921-48 Kithead Trust
                  Glasgow (GB) 1921-48 Kithead Trust
                  Glasgow (GD) 1921-48 Kithead Trust
                  Glasgow (GE) 1928-48 Kithead Trust
                  Glasgow (GG) 1930-48 Kithead Trust
                  Glasgow (US) 1933-48 Kithead Trust
                  Greenock (VS) 1921-48 Kithead Trust
                  Kirkcaldy (XA) Destroyed
                  Motherwell & Wishaw (GM) 1921-48 Kithead Trust
                  Paisley (XS) 1921-48 Kithead Trust

                  *Published as Dundee Motor Registrations TS1 – TS1000, ed. by J.G.L. Wright, (Friends of Dundee City Archives, 2003)