Personalised plates are those that are created by the owner and usually reflect something to do with that person’s name, occupation or family.  For example, boxer Amir Khan has the plate “BOX IIIG” on his vehicle, while someone named Sonya might use the combination “SON 7A” to spell out her name.  By using numerals in place of letters—for example 3 for E and 5 for S—thousands of specialised words and phrases can be formed.  Several companies, along with the DVLA, offer search services so you can see if the plate you desire is available.  Plates with the middle digits of “60” are often fancied because they could substitute for the word “GO”.

Cherished plates, on the other hand, are plates with numbers that typically denote a vehicle with some history.  Owners of cherished number plates that have special, historical or significant value attached to them definitely cherish these plates.  Over time the value of these plates has increased exponentially, and many people will hang on to these plates ahead of just about anything else. 

Because of this, cherished plates can command quite a high price.  When someone does decide to sell a cherished number plate, it can fetch quite a price.  For example, back in 1989 when the previously unissued number plate 1 A was sold at auction, it fetched £160,000.  Imagine the price should it become available today!

The website at www.newreg.co.uk will allow you to search by first name, surname, as well as plates beginning with ‘Miss’ (MI55) or ‘Ms’ (M5).  If the plate you seek is not found, you’ll know immediately.  Most sites, including www.PremierPlates.co.uk, offer suggestions for other letter and number combinations if your first choice has already been taken.  Keep in mind that the new numbering scheme in effect since 2001 offers more possibilities, since there are more numbers and letters on the new plates.

Websites such as www.regtransfers.co.uk and www.carreg.co.uk also offer to handle the registration of your new plates as well – although keep in mind the new identification procedures still need to be followed.  However it’s often more convenient to have the same company issuing your plates take care of the registration at the same time.  They’ll handle the paperwork expeditiously and you’ll have your personalised number plates in a much shorter time, allowing you to place it on your vehicle and start driving legally.

Using the websites will allow you to search for the number plate you desire, avoid disappointment, and let a company with knowledge of the process take care of the DVLA proceedings. 

Before you apply to become a driving instructor its a good idea to check that you are eligible; you don’t need any formal qualifications, but the Driving Standards Agency will need you to:

•    Have held a full UK or European Union driving licence for at least four years.
•    Have not been disqualified from driving for any reason in the four years before you start your instructor training.
•    Have the ability to read car number plates from a distance of 90 Feet (27.5 meters).
•    Be ‘fit and proper in the opinion of the Driving Standards Agency.

Starting your new career is easy with instructor training and whether you join a driving school in Birmingham or your local area, you will have a job for life!

The section entitled “notification of sale or transfer” should be completed, detached, and then posted to the DVLA immediately (DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AR).  Be aware that the new car registration certificate will not be sent out immediately. If you do not do this, you will receive inquiries as to the subsequent use of the vehicle.  You will need to provide the purchaser with the top portion of the certificate.  Should the sale of the vehicle be a private one, the DVLA must be informed as soon as possible once the purchaser takes possession of the vehicle; you should remind them of this fact to be safe.

Typically what happens once the DVLA has been informed of the sale and transfer is that you will receive an automatic acknowledgement letter within about four weeks.  This letter will confirm the sale and transfer, as well as relieve you of any further reliability for the vehicle.  Just be patient as it can take up to four weeks for this to work through the system at the DVLA.  Do not contact the DVLA before the four week waiting period has expired. 

A number of private companies, as well as the DVLA, offer the ability to search available plate numbers for the one you specify.  They may even suggest options if the plate you desire isn’t available.  With the new numbering scheme, you’re likely to be able to ‘build’ a plate to suit your needs, since there are more letters and digits on the newer-model plates than in previous years.

Of course, cherished plates, those older plates from days gone by, are often made available as well.  But because there are fewer of them, they command a higher price than current-day plates.  Still, if you wish to truly make a car your own and ’76 MGB’ is the only plate that will do, you may just be able to get it – at a price.

Auctions are held several times a year for cherished plate numbers, and if you attend, even via the Internet, you may be able to bid on the plate you want.  It certainly makes memorising your plate number easier that way.  

Consider adding a personalised or cherished plate to your special car, and really enjoy your drive!

Some companies also offer to manufacture and supply the physical plate itself to you, although that is generally a separate charge.  Be sure to check the details if considering using a company to buy a plate registration; several of them require you to buy the plate itself from them as part of the purchase agreement.  In this way they can advertise “lower than DVLA” prices for the registration, because they can make up the difference in the manufacture of the plate itself.

One way to compare is to use various websites to compare prices.  If searching for personalised number plates, this is an especially good idea.  You may find different prices quoted for the number you want, and spending some time searching can save you hundreds of pounds. 

The company should also follow the new regulations regarding identification of buyers, usually through your photocard driving licence.  Also, the company should have alternative means of identifying you should you not have a photocard licence. 

Buying a plate registration needn’t be too expensive.  Many plates are available starting at £69.  Of course, the more memorable a plate is, the more expensive it’s likely to be, but many people have been able to find a plate number with special meaning for them at a very reasonable price.  Getting that special plate registered then only takes a few clicks on the DVLA website.

Many websites allow you to input plate numbers and see if they’re available.  For example, input a choice of one letter, one number, and then three letters and see if they are available.  For example, the plate registration PR05 PER (prosper) would be one that would follow the current registration format and be fun to drive with, as well.

Fun registration plates are also viewed as investments by many people.  Obviously, each plate or set of registration plates must be unique, so if your registered plate is the older, suffix-model of JEN 11E, you can be assured that is the only plate of its kind on the road.  Uniqueness, of course, has always been valued.  Should you decide to part with your personalised plates, you can be sure a good price would be likely at auction.

The more unique your plate is, yet with widespread appeal, the higher the price you are likely to receive.  Cherished number plates, especially those with older origins, are valued the highest and can be sold for tens of thousands of pounds.  In many cases, the appreciation of personalised registration plates far outstrips that of many other investments. 

Also, as DVLA changes their numbering scheme, those plates with an older style will increase in value because they will no longer be issued.  Just as the original dateless number plates issued after the original 1903 Motor Car Act are highly prized, so too are today’s numbers likely to be when their style is no longer available.

When purchasing a new or used car, the dealer or seller is usually the one to notify the DVLA of the sale, although sometimes the purchaser is asked to do this.  The form used to record the sale, the V5 or V5C, has a portion for you as the purchaser to keep and record your information.  Both purchaser and seller must notify the DVLA immediately of the transfer of the vehicle.

If for some reason the seller doesn’t have a car registration document (V5) or certificate, you as the purchaser can move the DVLA registration into your name via form V62, available for download from the DVLA website.  In 4-6 weeks of mailing the form in you should have your new car registration.  Be sure to check it carefully for accuracy.  Mistakes not caught right at the outset can take much longer to correct later on.

If you are registering a car for the very first time, be aware that a fee of £55 will usually be levied to cover the costs of the vehicle’s registration throughout its life.  Under normal circumstances, a dealer will include this in the cost of the vehicle and take care of the registration paperwork for you as part of the sale.

If you are applying for a VIC, the DVLA will ask you to declare whether your vehicle’s monocoque body or its chassis has been modified or replaced in any way.  VOSA will then be able to decide whether or not your VIC application can proceed based on the information that you provide them with, or whether your vehicle will need to be referred to a local DVLA office for further inspection.  At this point, it will be ascertained as to whether or not it falls under the DVLA’s guidelines for vehicles which have been rebuilt.

If the vehicle’s identity cannot be confirmed, it will fail the VIC.  Nor will it be entitled to retain the original registration marks.  It is possible that the vehicle can be registered with the DVLA, provided that hard evidence of a British National Type Approval can be produced in the form of a Minister’s Approval Certificate.  You can apply to VOSA for an IVA (Individual Vehicle Approval), but you will need to contact the DVLA office and obtain an alternative VIN (Vehicle Identification number.

In order to operate a non-EU vehicle in the UK temporarily, the driver will need to contact the HMRC (HM Revenue and Customs) upon entering the UK.  It is up to the HMRC to allow a vehicle from outside of the EU to be operating on UK roads.  If the vehicle is going to remain in the UK, you must obtain a UK DVLA registrations certificate and pay the appropriate vehicle tax.

EU vehicles that are imported into the UK can be operated in the country for up to a six month period within any 12 month period.  You will not have to obtain a car registration certificate or pay the vehicle taxes provided that you can show proof that you have complied with these requirements for the vehicle’s country of origin.  It is the driver’s responsibility to provide proof of how long the vehicle has been in the UK.  Usually, ferry tickets are proof enough.