How to Choose a Personalized Number Plate?
Introduction
If you want to turn heads when you’re driving, one of the easiest ways to achieve this is with Personalised Number Plates. There are a few elements that you need to consider when choosing a number plate, so we’ve put together some answers to frequently asked questions. Check them out before you get yourself a custom license plate!
What is a personalised number plate?
Personalized Number Plates are registrations that have a combination of letters and numbers that are unique to you. The DVLA issue personalized registration plates and assign them to the vehicle as an identifier. The registered keeper of the vehicle has the entitlement to the registration.
The DVLA currently allocates registration numbers with two letters, followed by two numbers, and then three letters with seven characters in total. For the prior formats which were termed to be prefix registrations, the first letter is the year identifier and it is followed by one to three numbers, and then followed by a further three letters. Prefix registrations can vary in length whereas the current style of registration has a fixed length with seven digits in total.
Where do I start looking?
The first place to start your search is with the DVLA. This is where you can find all of the information about your car and its year of registration. The DVLA holds a record of all vehicles that have been registered in the UK, so they’ll know if a particular plate has been already been assigned to a vehicle.
A registration broker will provide you with a more personal service than an online auction website such as eBay, however, they will charge for their service in assigning the registration to your vehicle. When considering your options, think about how much time and money you’re willing to spend on finding your perfect plate. A registration broker will know where to source the plate of choice and this will save you time and effort.
Why are some personalised number plates more expensive than others?
The prices of Personalised Number Plates are influenced by a number of factors:
- The fewer letters and numbers you have on your plate, the more it will cost. If you have a four-letter combination like 77 TK for example, it will be worth more than a five-digit combination such as 777 TK
- Dateless combinations are more valuable and can fetch tens of thousands of pounds. For example, the prefix registration S1 TAK will be valued at around £2000 whereas the dateless version 1 TAK will be valued at around £35,000
What does the number plate age identifier mean?
The number plate age identifier tells you how long the vehicle has been on the road.
Prefix registrations use the first letter as the year identifier with the letter S in the example above will be for a vehicle first registered in 1998.
How many digits and letters can my registration plate have?
You can have up to seven characters (a combination of numbers and letters) on a registration plate. The minimum number of characters you can have is two, but the maximum is always seven. The formats across the history of number plates are as follows:
Dateless: ABC 123
Suffix: ABC 123A
Prefix: A123 ABC
New Style: AB22 ABC
Which style of number plate should I choose?
The choice is down to your personal preference in terms of number plate layout, the age of your vehicle, and your budget.
It is important to know that you can’t make a vehicle appear younger than it is and using a plate that has a year identifier may restrict its use.
Personalized Number Plates are registrations that have an association with a name, a place, or a unique characteristic created through the combination of letters and numbers in a sequence. They are distinctive and unique rather than random letters and numbers used in standard registrations.
Who designs plates and where can I get it from?
The plate is created by the DVLA, and un-issued registrations in combination with issued registrations are made available to the general public by registration brokers.
A registration broker will also be able to supply the physical number plates to attach to your vehicle.
Conclusion