24/08/2026

Classic car hotspots in Northern Ireland: where are the most classic cars?

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Written By Faryal Raza Bhatti, Marketing Manager, Heritage Car Insurance
Expert commentary by Mark Wilkinson, Managing Director. Heritage Car Insurance
Last updated: August 2026

Northern Ireland is home to 38,913 classic cars. We analysed the latest DVLA data to find the exact postcode districts where the most historic vehicles are registered, and how many are still being driven.

At Heritage Car Insurance, we’ve spent more than 60 years insuring classic and specialist vehicles, so we know how much where you live shapes classic car ownership. To map it properly, we obtained a Freedom of Information response from the DVLA covering every vehicle in its historic tax class, cars 40 years or older, and broke Northern Ireland down to postcode-district level.

The result is a clear ranking of the classic car hotspots across Northern Ireland, showing not just where the most classics are kept, but whether they’re taxed and on the road or tucked away off it.

The top spot goes to BT94 (Enniskillen), with 2,095 classic cars, ahead of BT23 (Newtownards) (1,297) and BT47 (Derry/Londonderry) (1,271).

Which postcode has the most classic cars in Northern Ireland?

BT94 (Enniskillen) leads Northern Ireland with 2,095 historic vehicles. Of those, 351 are taxed and on the road and 1,744 are declared off the road on a SORN. The full top 20 is below.

The top 20 classic car hotspots in Northern Ireland

Rank Postcode district Taxed SORN Total
1 BT94 (Enniskillen) 351 1,744 2,095
2 BT23 (Newtownards) 679 618 1,297
3 BT47 (Derry/Londonderry) 623 648 1,271
4 BT45 (Magherafelt) 679 512 1,191
5 BT42 (Ballymena) 628 543 1,171
6 BT34 (Newry) 629 476 1,105
7 BT71 (Dungannon) 554 497 1,051
8 BT30 (Downpatrick) 487 559 1,046
9 BT53 (Ballymoney) 536 476 1,012
10 BT44 503 493 996
11 BT22 (Newtownards) 467 515 982
12 BT40 340 569 909
13 BT51 464 445 909
14 BT62 421 480 901
15 BT78 399 451 850
16 BT41 425 418 843
17 BT35 305 489 794
18 BT60 350 427 777
19 BT27 277 482 759
20 BT39 412 347 759

Source: DVLA (FOIR13488), Heritage Car Insurance analysis. Figures combine taxed and SORN vehicles per postcode district.

Are Northern Ireland’s classic cars driven or stored?

Across Northern Ireland, 47.2% of classic cars are taxed and on the road, while 52.8% are declared off the road on a SORN. That’s a higher off-road rate than the UK average of 47.6%, pointing to a strong local culture of restoration and long-term storage. Nationally, the split between taxed and SORN classics is almost exactly even, and it shifts noticeably from place to place.

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Why do these areas have so many classic cars?

In our experience, classic car hotspots share a few things in common. They tend to be more rural or suburban than inner-city, because classics need space, a garage or off-street parking to keep them dry and secure. They often have quieter, more scenic roads that make ownership rewarding, and long-established local car clubs and specialists that keep older vehicles on the road. That’s why the leading districts in Northern Ireland are rarely the busiest town centres, but the areas around them.

Mark Wilkinson, Managing Director of Heritage Car Insurance said:

“Fermanagh leads Northern Ireland in remarkable fashion, Enniskillen has more classics than any other NI postcode, yet more than eight in ten are off the road, the most extreme storage rate in the UK. It’s the clearest example of why a stored classic still needs protecting: laid-up insurance covers exactly these cars against fire, theft and damage while they’re off the road.”

Most Frequently Asked Questions

Which area has the most classic cars in Northern Ireland?

BT94 (Enniskillen) has the most classic cars in Northern Ireland, with 2,095 historic vehicles, according to the May 2026 DVLA snapshot.

How many classic cars are there in Northern Ireland?

There are 38,913 vehicles in the DVLA’s historic tax class (cars 40 years or older) registered across Northern Ireland, based on the May 2026 DVLA snapshot.

 

What counts as a classic car?

For DVLA purposes, a vehicle becomes a historic (classic) vehicle once it is more than 40 years old, based on its date of manufacture. Historic vehicles can be exempt from vehicle tax and, in most cases, the annual MOT.

Do I need insurance if my classic car is SORN?

No, UK law does not require you to insure a vehicle declared SORN and kept off the road. However, a stored classic can still be damaged, stolen or lost to fire, so many owners choose laid-up insurance for protection.

Protect your classic in North East

Wherever in Northern Ireland you keep your classic, it deserves cover built around it. Heritage offers specialist classic car insurance with agreed value protection, plus laid-up cover for cars kept off the road. You can also explore where classics live across the country in our guide to where Britain keeps its classic cars, or browse our other classic car guides.

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John
19 May 2026

I have recently been in contact with Heritage Insurance Brokers, who I have had my classic 1960 Morris Mini Minor insured through for many years. I wanted to increase the agreed value. The team were most helpful. A gave them a history oqr the car and provided 6 photographs of the car including the interior, engine bay etc. Within two days they cam back to me agreeing the value I wanted at a very satisfctory premium

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Thank you Tamba for great service and price

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Hugh Blackburne
27 May 2026

Excellent.

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Kevin McGrath
27 May 2026

Very good price for my classic VW campervan. New quote was the same as last year so can't complain at all. Added breakdown and recovery for a good price that beat AA by a long way. Very helpful staff on the phone. Excellent service.

Methodology

Figures are drawn from a DVLA Freedom of Information response (FOIR13488, May 2026 snapshot), covering vehicles in the DVLA’s historic taxation class — those 40 years or older with a recorded date of manufacture of 1985 or earlier (where the manufacture date is unavailable, the year of first registration is used). Vehicles are shown by postcode district and by whether they are taxed (on the road) or declared off the road under a SORN. Northern Ireland figures combine the relevant postcode areas; rankings reflect total historic vehicles per district.