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.