There are nearly 40 million private number plates currently in use here in the UK, the popularity of which is showing no signs of slowing down.  Despite the fact that these were issued by the DVLA, you can only purchase “new” private number plates which have not yet been issued to any vehicle.  This means that if you are searching for a specific combination of letters and numbers to spell out your message, you may have to contact a private dealer.  Here are a few steps that you should take and options you can pursue for purchasing private number plates from the DVLA.

Check to see if the private number plate you are looking for is available.  You can do this by visiting the DVLA website and searching their current list of permissible characters in order to find your private number plate.  Once you have found the number plate you are looking for, you have the following three options for purchasing them:

Purchase your private number plates by telephone – if you choose, you can purchase your private number plates by calling the DVLA and ordering them over the phone.

Purchase your private number plates online – the most convenient way to purchase your private number plates is by using the internet.  The price quoted should include the £80 ‘assignment fee’ and the VAT.

Purchasing a private number plate as a gift – you will have to appoint the loved one or relative that you are purchasing the private number plate as the “keeper” of that number plate and signify that you are the purchaser.

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Personalised number plates; also known as vanity number plates, prestige number plates, cherished number plates, custom number plates or private number plates, are often highly sought after types of car registration plates. The series of letters and / or numbers which can be used, which are regulated by national authorities such as the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in the UK, often spell out personal names, initials, places of residence, professions or other connotative combinations.

In the United Kingdom, the limitations placed on personalised number plates are: any three consecutive letters have to be followed by a number, duplicated licence plates are prohibited, i.e. when a number plate is already in use, and certain connotations such as swear words are prohibited.

Searching for permissible letter and / or number combinations can be done in a variety of ways. The DVLA has a website, offices to visit, and a personalised number plate telesales department, through all of which enquiries can be made. There are also a number of private websites which offer search functions, although it is recommended in each case to check a chosen personalised number plate with the DVLA before acquisition.

Common searches are for personal names, personal initials, symbolic dates and / or places, memorable personal dates such as birthdays or marriage dates, and titles such as Mr, Mrs, Miss, Dr, Sir and Lord. Highly popular personalised plates can often be bought and sold for significant sums at private or DVLA auctions.

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Whenever you are considering purchasing private number plates at a DVLA auction, you need to be aware of a few aspects of the process.  Firstly, bid lots typically start with a reserve of around £200, but some have sold for many thousands.  Secondly, you have several options for bidding as follows:

- You can bid in-person at the auction
- You can bid online at the DVLA website
- You can bid over the telephone
- You can bid by virtue of submitting a “sealed bid”

Interestingly enough, and from an entertaining standpoint, we decided to include a list of the 10 most expensive private number plates to be purchased at a DVLA auction.  The following is a list of the most expensive ones auctioned off since 1989 including the rank, the number on the plate, the price it sold for at auction, and the year it happened:

#1 – 1 D – £352,411 – 2009 (the current record price)
#2 – 51 NGH – £254,000 – 2006
#3 – 1 RH – £247,000 – 2008
#4 – K1–NGS – £231,000 – 1993
#5 – 1 O – £210,242 – 2009
#6 – 1 A – £200,000 – 1989
#7 – 1 OO – £197,000 – 2006
#8 – 2 O – £142,249 – 2009
#9 – 6 B – £130,000 – 2008
#10 – 1 HRH – £113,815 – 2009

For further information regarding purchasing private number plates for your vehicle at a DVLA auction, you can search their website as well as contact them in-person or by phone with your questions.

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In the United Kingdom, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is the government body responsible for the issuing and monitoring of car registration numbers.  The details are kept in a national database known as the vehicle information database. It also monitors road traffic offences, road taxation compliance and issues driving licences.

Personalised car number plates; also known as vanity number plates, prestige number plates, cherished number plates, custom number plates or private number plates, can be bought privately at auctions or from websites as well as from the DVLA directly. The only limitations placed on personalised number plates are duplication – it must be an original plate – and broad standards of decency – no swear words or contentious issue denotation.

The DVLA sells personalised number plates through its telesales arm and it also runs its own auctions. Auctions are common when some personalised number plates are highly sought after; typical in the case where the combination of letters and / or numbers spell out common personal names. The cheapest personalised number plates currently sold by the DVLA are around £250, with £80 additional assignment fee. Naturally, there is no limit on the highest price, since these are determined by the auctions.

The DVLA auctions take place six times each year, throughout the United Kingdom. Auction venues are announced each year for the year to follow, with the list of personalised number plates up for auction being circulated in advance. There are also more regular online auctions.

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Buying a personalised registration plate is something that requires careful consideration. However, many people may have spent years dreaming of that perfect number plate. This was certainly the case for Charles Hudd from Middlesex. A self-confessed motor enthusiast, Hudd attributes his love of cars to riding an Auto Scooter as a young boy with his Belgian grandfather. In fact, he built up considerable skill at moves that were banned on British fairground dodgems, but were actively encouraged on the French version.

Hudd dreamed of growing up and owning a fancy car with his own personalised registration, perhaps a Morgan with a ’1 CH’ plate, but it took many years for his dream to finally be realised.

Then, as a young medical student, Charles and a friend decided to pay a visit to a Morgan dealership. He recalls the conversation with the salesman clearly, “We shall be doctors one day and we each wish to put our names down to buy a Morgan Plus Eight. However, we cannot afford the silly deposits required in South Kensington.” “Oh, so how much can you afford?” came the reply. “Twenty-five pounds please,” he responded.

This was written up in the order book, but it was twenty years later when Charles finally purchased his velvet green Morgan, built to his own specification, including customised seats fitted to his frame. He had purchased his dream car and he also managed to acquire his private number plate, 1 CH to proudly display on it.

Sadly, his dream car was the victim of a torching incident several years later, but his current car still displays his dream plate to this day.

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People often buy private number plates that represent their names or the name of their business. However, there are lots of fun alternatives out there and Simon Dolan, managing director of SJD Accountancy found the perfect plate for him, which combined his love of music with his love for his son.

Dolan had been a life long fan of David Bowie and even managed to convince his wife that they should name their first born, Bowie, when he was born on the same date as the superstar. Years later, he was looking at personalised number plates and came across BOW 11E. Straight away he decided that he had to have it. He was really impressed with how quickly he was able to purchase the plate.

Though BOW 11E provided the perfect representation of Dolan’s musical hero and first son, he then decided he would like to honour his second son, Enzo, in the same way. He had a look around at what registration plates were available and opted to purchase ENZ 30.

Simon Dolan is a successful businessman, running SJD Accountancy, which he originally ran from his home, seventeen years ago and is now one of the top fifty accountancy firms in the country. Dolan feels that his personalised number plates add to his status, as people are always commenting on them. Bowie fans regularly photograph the BOW 11E plate, but Dolan says they are often disappointed when they discover the star himself isn’t driving the vehicle.

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