Beginning in 2002, Beijing’s car owners were allowed to create personalized six-digit car number plates. The policy was abused with such choices as “FBI-001”.
On Oct 6, 2008, the policy was reintroduced, and car owners have showed more restraint in their choices. But if you fancy your favorite combination for your car plate, make sure you prepare an extra combination in case you don’t strike it lucky, officials with Beijing’s car registration office said on Monday.
This means that although choices are still abundant for the nearly one million car buyers expected this year in the city, chances are they will have to think of something other than the auspicious number 8 when they try to lock in special combinations.

Jon Cherry is a Director of leading personalised number plate dealer Regplates.com. Jon has over 25 years industry experience handling some of the most expensive plates ever sold with many high profile and celebrity clients. Active since 1991 in the number plate industry, Jon is currently Chairman of the Cherished Numbers Guild, a trade body representing number plate dealers in the UK. Jon has written many articles on the industry and insight into the future of numberplates and the market as a whole.