Police Phonetic
Alphabet
Alpha to Zulu: the spelling alphabet UK police use on the radio and in control rooms, how to read out numbers, registrations and postcodes, plus a free converter for any name or plate.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 18 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
UK police use the international spelling alphabet: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliet, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whisky, X-ray, Yankee, Zulu. Numbers are said digit by digit.
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The full A to Z list
Numbers
Say numbers one digit at a time: 2047 is "two zero four seven". Say "zero", not "oh", so it can't be confused with the letter O. Times are often given in the 24-hour clock: "fourteen thirty" for half past two in the afternoon.
Registrations, postcodes and names
- Registration: GN18 WTR is "Golf November one eight, Whisky Tango Romeo". The pause after the numbers matches the gap on the plate.
- Postcode: SW1A 2AA is "Sierra Whisky one Alpha, two Alpha Alpha".
- Names: say the name first, then spell it: "Smith: Sierra Mike India Tango Hotel".
- Partial plates: say what you have and say clearly what is missing: "Hotel Juliet one nine, rest not seen".
Call handlers read details back to the caller to check them. Getting one letter wrong in a registration can send officers after the wrong car.
Letters that get mixed up
These are the letters most often misheard on a phone or radio. These are where the phonetic word matters most:
| Sound alike | Say instead |
|---|---|
| B, D, E, P, T, V | Bravo, Delta, Echo, Papa, Tango, Victor |
| M, N | Mike, November |
| F, S, X | Foxtrot, Sierra, X-ray |
| A, J, K | Alpha, Juliet, Kilo |
| I, Y | India, Yankee |
| O and zero | Oscar, zero |
Practice plates and postcodes
Say each one out loud, then open it to check. All are made up for practice.
KX21 PLD
Kilo X-ray two one, Papa Lima Delta
HJ19 MVN
Hotel Juliet one nine, Mike Victor November
YF71 BDE
Yankee Foxtrot seven one, Bravo Delta Echo
LS68 TUW
Lima Sierra six eight, Tango Uniform Whisky
CQ05 RZA
Charlie Quebec zero five, Romeo Zulu Alpha
M1 4BT
Mike one, four Bravo Tango (a postcode)
B33 8TH
Bravo three three, eight Tango Hotel (a postcode)
Okafor
Oscar Kilo Alpha Foxtrot Oscar Romeo
Why police use it
On a radio or a bad phone line many letters sound alike: B, D, E, P, T and V; M and N; F and S. A word for each letter removes the doubt. Control room staff use it to spell names, streets and registrations to callers and to officers on the radio.
How to learn it fast
- Spell your own name, address and car registration out loud until it is automatic.
- Read every number plate you pass on a walk or a bus journey, in your head.
- Learn the letters that trip people up: Juliet, Kilo, Lima, Quebec, Uniform, Yankee.
- Practise under pressure: have someone read a plate quickly while you type it, then read it back.
Applying to a control room? The free typing test has mock calls with registrations in them. The prep pack has a phonetic drill with random plates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What phonetic alphabet do UK police use?
The international radiotelephony spelling alphabet, also called the NATO or ICAO alphabet: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta and so on to Zulu. It is the same alphabet used in aviation and by the military.
How do police say numbers?
One digit at a time: a registration with 18 in it is read "one eight", not "eighteen". Zero is said as "zero" so it is not mistaken for the letter O.
How do you read out a car registration phonetically?
Letters in the phonetic alphabet and numbers digit by digit. GN18 WTR is "Golf November one eight, Whisky Tango Romeo".
Do I need to know the phonetic alphabet to be a call handler?
You will be trained in it, but knowing it before your assessment helps: role plays and call simulations often involve spelling names and reading registrations back to the caller.
Why is it called the NATO alphabet?
NATO uses the same spelling alphabet as international aviation and shipping, so the names are used interchangeably: NATO alphabet, ICAO alphabet or international radiotelephony spelling alphabet. It was adopted internationally in the 1950s.
How long does it take to learn the phonetic alphabet?
Most people can learn the 26 words in a few short sessions. Using them quickly while listening and typing takes longer, which is why reading number plates as you walk or travel is such good practice.
Is it Whisky or Whiskey, Juliet or Juliett?
The international standard spellings are Whiskey and Juliett. UK forces commonly write Whisky and Juliet. They are said the same way, so either is understood.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 18 October 2026. Rules and figures change, so check the source for the date you are reading this. Where we could not confirm something from an official or independent source, the page says so rather than guessing. Spotted something out of date? See our corrections policy.
- College of Policing: Contact centre officer profile : the communication skills the role needs (accessed 18 October 2026)
- Ofcom: numbers for drama : the invented numbers used in our practice calls (accessed 18 October 2026)
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Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by any police force, the College of Policing or the Police Staff Council. Recruitment processes, tests, pay and eligibility are set by each force and change, so always check the current advert and candidate pack for the force you are applying to. Practice questions, example answers and exercises on this site are original PolicePay material, not real or recalled test or interview content. Details are as checked on 18 October 2026.