For years now, people have been “personalising” their car registration plates by having them made with strange fonts, different height letters, and even using large, black screws to affix the plates to the car.  The round, black head of these screws may be positioned so it creates a new letter or number, thereby creating, perhaps, a word or phrase that was already sold.

To be legal, UK plates must now be sold only with the modified Charles Wright font, which must be a minimum of 79 mm in height (64 mm for motorcycles), and black font on a white plate at the front, black font on a yellow plate on the rear.  There are a few other requirements such as minimum spacing between letters, but if your plate does not adhere to these standards, set in 2001, you could face a fine of up to £1,000 and withdrawal of your registration plate.  If you have paid for a personalised or cherished plate, that could be quite a loss.

Part of the reason for this rule change is loss of revenue.  The police are using Optical Character Recognition, or OCR software much more frequently these days, and these machines cannot read the non-standard fonts that are used on “fancy” or “show” plates. 

The OCR software can tell in an instant to whom the car is registered, whether there is insurance on the car, and other information – as well as whether or not you are travelling too fast on the road.  Fancy plates circumvent this, and now the police are cracking down.

If you have a vehicle that you take to shows, by all means keep your show or fancy plate.  Display it proudly at the show.  But if you plan to drive that lovely car on a UK road, put a legal plate on it for the trip.  Otherwise, that car could land you in a whole lot of trouble.

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If you own a cherished number plate or personalised number plates, the time may come when you think about selling them.  There are several options for this, depending on how much you wish to ask and how long you can wait for a potential buyer.

Several websites advertise number plates for sale.  You can sell your plate outright to a private party or a company.  The company will probably turn around and try to sell it for a profit.  This may be a good choice for you if you need money quickly or don’t want to deal with the paperwork and DVLA reporting that will need to accompany the transfer.  The company that you sell to will usually take care of all of that for you, but because of the speed of the sale and the company’s work on your behalf, you’re not likely to get the highest prices. 

Other companies can agree to sell your plate on a commission basis, where they take a commission on the total sale price of your registration plates.  The company will of course then be interested in selling the plate for a higher price, but keep in mind you may net less with this scheme, depending on the final selling price and the commission percentage.  However, there is often a chance that you can request a “reserve” or minimum price, below which you will not accept an offer. 

When selling your private number plate or cherished plate through a company; make sure to read all the fine print so you know what is expected of each party.  Don’t allow yourself to be rushed through the transaction – remember, your plate is worth something or the company wouldn’t be interested.

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The popularity of cars has been steadily increasing, since the steam engine was replaced by the internal combustion engine in the late 19th century. At first there were merely thousands of cars on the road, but as car numbers increased into tens of thousands and more, the Government realised that some sort of tracking system was needed, to link a vehicle to its owner.

In the UK, car registrations became mandatory with the passing of the Motor Car Act in 1903. Initially registration was managed on a local level, but by 1919 the Government realised that the tens of thousands of car registrations needed to be managed by a central authority, and established a Ministry of Transport to deal with this process.

The earliest registrations that started in 1903 were dateless registrations where the first letters of the number plates were associated with the local authority. These began running out quickly, and in 1932 the second dateless system was installed with a different configuration. The 1950’s introduced another system as car registrations again ran out, but by 1965 the system had to be changed again, illustrating how the popularity of cars increased exponentially during this period.

1983 brought on the prefix system but these also ran out, and in 2001 the Government introduced the number system we use now, which is again more complex than the previous system. Currently plates consist of 2 letters followed by 2 numbers and then ending with 3 letters. The DVLA believes this new system will be sufficient until 2050.

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Your vehicle will remain subject to the laws of the UK when you are taking it out of the UK on a temporary basis, meaning for a period of 12 months or less (according to the DVLA).  As the legal “keeper” of the vehicle, you are required by law to keep it taxed while it is out of the country, as is the case with all DVLA registrations.  You will be able to keep the vehicle taxed provided that you have a current insurance policy on the vehicle and a MOT certificate.

If you fail to have your vehicle taxed and then return it to the UK, you will need to have it transported and not drive it back into the country.  You will also need to declare a “Statutory Off Road Notification” or SORN right away.  Taxing the vehicle or declaring a SORN can be completed by phone or online.  However, you cannot declare the SORN while the vehicle is still out of the UK.

If, by some chance, you do not have a DVLA registrations certificate, and you are planning on taking the vehicle overseas temporarily, you can obtain a replacement car registrations certificate from the DVLA by either applying by mail or over the phone.  Just be aware of the fact that it could take up to a month to receive it.  So if you need to be travelling within that time period, you will need to obtain a V379 temporary registration certificate.

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The car registrations plates on your vehicle are used to display the registration number or mark of a vehicle.  They are mandatory for all vehicles in the UK, and can be obtained through the DVLA, or Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. 

UK car registrations were changed in 2001 by including a new character style and two-digit year identifier in the majority of plates and registrations.  The numbering and registration system is slightly different between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, yet the basics of the two schemes are very similar.

The post-2001 Great Britain plates should have seven characters consisting of two letters, two numbers, and then three random letters.  Newer plates issued in Northern Ireland currently have a pattern of three letters followed by four numerals.

Both of these schemes lend themselves to plates that have significant patterns—for example, the last four digits of a Northern Ireland registration that has four 1s, or four of any other numeral.  These plates are generally withheld from the DVLA (DVA in Northern Ireland) as they are considered “cherished”.  The registration agency then submits various letter and numeral combinations for auction at various times throughout the year.

The various schemes were enacted partly because of the upswing in the theft of vehicle plates by criminals anxious to avoid being identified at the scene of a crime.  In addition to the new numbering system, the organisation producing the plates is required to place their name and postcode on the plate, usually near the centre and toward the bottom.  Since these requirements make it much harder to produce a legal-looking fake plate, theft of legitimate plates is on the rise.

Should your registration plates be stolen, the theft should be reported immediately to the DVLA and local authorities.

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Temporary car number plates are issued by national licensing agencies, such as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in the UK, so that cars can be used until the permanent car registration number becomes available. This often applies when a vehicle has been imported or has been built from a kit.

Temporary car number plates have the same legal characteristics as do regular registration plates. That is, they have to identify the car and its owner by being on the DVLA database. Temporary car number plates have to be clearly legible, with the code consisting of a combination of numbers and letters. Unlike regular number plates however, temporary number plates can be displayed in the window of the car, rather than on the bumper at the front and back of the vehicle.

Temporary number plates, as the name indicates, are only legally valid for a short period of time. National licensing agencies will send out regular number plates without much delay, so that the vehicle can quickly become more standardised from the point of view of registration. In some countries, the particular time limit of a temporary number plate is clearly indicated on the plate itself, meaning policing authorities can verify this. Failure to replace a temporary number plate within the specified time can lead to a fine.

Temporary number plates should not be confused with personalised number plates.  These are completely different and are legal throughout a car’s length of life on the road.

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Obtaining a private number plate for your car can often be done at auction if the plate number you desire is one that has been withheld by DVLA for later sale as a cherished plate.  The prices obtained for some of these plates has been astounding, while other go for a quite reasonable price.  As with all auctions, the price a given plate sells for will be determined partly by the letters and numbers on the plate, as well as how many other people are bidding on that plate.

Recently a new world record for UK number plates was set when the plate number M 1 sold for an amazing £331,500.  Even more amazing, the plate was purchased by a doting grandfather on behalf of his six-year-old grandson!  It may be a while until we see this plate actually on the road, but when we do, we’ll see a legacy passed down from one generation to another.

When the Pope visited Ireland, number plate VIP 1 was auctioned for £285,000 and affixed to the ‘Popemobile’.  Another high price was commanded by personalised plate number F1, which sold for £144,500 in 2009. 

Should you not care for the auction format or not need a plate quite that expensive, remember that there are also websites dedicated to the search for and purchase of private number plates.  Input a combination of letters and numerals you would like and the search engine will tell you if it’s available. 

A personalised plate is a wonderful alternative to a cherished plate, especially if you cherish your money.  You can obtain a special plate and still have money left in the bank!

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A private registration plate number or cherished number plate is one which has a series of letters and numbers of either general significance or of significance to the owner.  Examples would be plates with your initials or some combination of your initials and birth date.  Plates such as MS 1 (Mark Smythe) or LP 1000 (Lance Painter) would likely fetch very high prices.

Cherished number plates, especially those costing high amounts, are often viewed as investments which go up in value over time.  The very first plate, now lost to time, was plate A 1 issued in 1903 when the numbering scheme first became law.  Should that plate somehow be located, it would fetch millions of pounds at auction.  While it is illegal to use a car registration to make your vehicle appear newer than it is, there is no such prohibition on making your car appear older. 

Regardless of age, however, many people enjoy the novelty of having a say in the car number plate on their vehicle.  There are several private companies that can supply someone with a private number plate or several private registration plates for all your vehicles, and the DVLA periodically holds auctions of cherished number plates that have been withheld from public consumption.  Many of the private companies also offer a “plate search” service, which allows you to input the plate number you would like.  It will tell you if a plate meeting your requirements, or close to your requirements, is available.

Of course, the price may need to be negotiated, and it may become a little expensive for a plate with special significance to both you and the seller.  However, cherished number plates have proven to be a good investment over time, which requires little in the way of maintenance and upkeep.  For those looking to invest without much worry, this might be the option for you.

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Private number plates have been in use for years now, but the growing interest in owning them, especially those with low numbers, also known as “cherished plates”, and has created a new category of investment vehicle – literally.  People who purchased specialised, private number plates have seen their “investment” appreciate in value much faster than average.  In fact, even when the economy hit a rough stretch and most assets, including homes, were losing value, private registration plates continued to appreciate.

Why is this?  Basically, due to simple supply and demand.  There are a limited number of plates available, and of course there can only be one registrant per plate.  Stirling Moss, for example, has plate number ‘SM 7’.  He is the only one who can hold that plate.  Anyone who wishes to have that plate number will have to wait until such time as Sir Stirling wishes to release it.  At that point it would likely be auctioned, if not inherited by someone, and would likely fetch quite a price.

A private number plate has many of the qualities associated with investment material; it is rare, and can be highly sought by collectors.  There is a way to register ownership as well, and it’s unlikely to be stolen, as once displayed in public its whereabouts would be immediately known since the whole point of a private number plate is to display it on your vehicle. 

There are several companies who offer number plates for sale, and if you’re searching for private registration plates, this is a very good place to start.  But because they are considered collectibles by many people, the prices can climb quite quickly.  For example, plate ‘FCA 5H’ was originally purchased for £648.  It sold approximately 18 months later for £7,247, a stunning increase of over 1000%!

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Car number plates, once they have outlived their legal use as unique identifiers of cars, often become collectible items. This hobby is known as car number plate, or vintage number plate, collecting. Car number plates generally date back to the early twentieth century; in the UK, the 1903 Motor Act introduced car registration as a legal requirement. There are some older examples in other countries, which, of course, are highly valued as collector items because of their age.

Other car number plates can be valued as collector items due to their colour, regional origin, shape and / or size and historical peculiarities. Particular combinations of numbers and / or letters can be valued for their rarity or special value. Personalised car number plates, also known as vanity or cherished number plates, are among the most highly valued and collectible.  These can be very expensive and are usually registered index marks displayed on a vehicle being used.  In all cases however, unless national licensing authorities have given specific legal consent, collected car number plates cannot be displayed on a vehicle being driven on a public road.

Collectible car number plates are often offered at auctions. Other collectors browse through old junk sales, garage sales, car scrap yards, and so on, hunting for these collectors’ items. In some countries, specific collectors’ associations have been set up, such as the Automobile Licence Plate Collectors Association (ALPCA) in the US. In recent years, the number of website and social media sites devoted to collecting private number plates has grown greatly in number.

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