In the UK, personalised number plates (also called private or cherished plates) are a popular way for drivers to stand out. Today, they are a huge business worth billions of pounds, used by people for personal reasons or as financial investments.

A Brief History of Vehicle Registrations
The UK started requiring number plates in 1903. While they were originally just issued in order, people soon wanted specific ones. The first private sale was in 1907, when Earl Russell bought the plate "A 1."
In 1989, the DVLA began selling plates through public auctions. This turned private plates from a luxury for the rich into something anyone could buy.

The styles have changed over time:
Dateless: The oldest style with no year code (e.g., ABC 123). These are the most expensive.
Suffix: Used from 1963, with a year letter at the end (e.g., ABC 123A).
Prefix: Used from 1983 to 2001, with the year letter at the start (e.g., A123 ABC).
Current: Used since 2001, featuring two letters, two numbers for the year, and three letters (e.g., AB24 ABC).

How to Buy a Number Plate
There are two main ways to buy a number plate:
Brokers or dealers: These companies sell both new plates and ones that are already privately owned. Prices can be high and availability is not guaranteed.
 Auction Sales: number plates are offered for sale through specialist auctioneers like Brightwells allowing buyers to bid what they think the plate is worth. Brightwells only auction number plates that are genuinely available for sale. 

The Buying Process:
Pick a plate: Find a combination that means something to you.
Buy it: You will get a certificate (V750 or V778) proving you own the rights to that number. You don't have to put it on a car right away.
Assign it: Use your car's logbook (V5C) and your new certificate to register the plate to your car on the government website.
Make the plates: Go to a registered supplier to have the actual plastic plates made. You will need to show ID and your certificate.
Tell your insurer: You must update your insurance company, or your cover might not be valid.

The Rules
To stay legal, you must follow these rules:
No "new" looks: You cannot put a plate on a car to make it look newer than it actually is. For example, you can't put a "24" plate on a car from 2018. However, you can put an old plate on a new car.
Standard look: Plates must be reflective, with black text on white (for the front of the vehicle) and on yellow (back of vehicle).
No tampering: You cannot change the font, spacing, or use screws to make letters look like other letters. Doing this is illegal and can lead to a fine.

For more information see our Displaying Your Number Plate

Value and Investment
Some plates are worth a lot of money. Generally, the shorter the plate, the higher the price. For example, the plate "JB 1" sold for over £600,000. Number plates that contain words or names (like "MAT") are also very valuable. Since 1989, the DVLA has raised over £2.9 billion for the government through number plate sales.

Looking to buy a number plate? Brightwells are here to help!
Brightwells offer regular auctions with a good selection of number plates at great prices.

Contact us to help you find that perfect plate.

Got a plate to sell? Brightwells are here for you!
Why not use our free valuation tool [turn text into link to valuation tool page] to see what your number plate could be worth.

Ready to sell? Fill in our Auction Entry form

Get in touch for a free no obligation chat today.

 

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