Personalised Number Plate Information

NUMBER PLATES:

THERE are a number of mistakes that can be made on personalised number plates that could see drivers land a £1,000 and also fail their MOT. Here is what they are and how to avoid them.

Illegal number plates could see thousands of Brits face fines and even make them fail their MOT.

Certain personalised number plates have the potential to be costly errors for drivers.

While a personalised number plate can be, to some people, a nice form of expression, they could also be costly.

According to the company, however, 15,000 drivers across the UK have been fined for having an illegal plates over the past three years.

The worst offenders come from London with 3,058 offences clocked while North Wales and Norfolk also totted up over 1,100 each.

This includes plates that did not conform to regulations, cars without a front or back plate or ones with indistinguishable/obscured plates.

It is a legal requirement for a car’s numberplate to be clear and legible and failure to meet these criteria can result in £1,000 fine, loss of the personal registration number and/or a failed MOT.

There are other modifications that drivers can also be penalised for.

These include using the wrong colours for the lettering or for the background of the plates.

Number plates should have black characters on a white background at the front of the car and on a yellow background on the back of the car.

Spacing is also crucial and drivers should ensure that the characters on their plate are correctly spaced.

Non-confirming backgrounds or stickers that could interfere with the legibility of a plate are also factors that carry a fine risk.

The standard font used on all number plates is ‘Charles Wright’ and it is the only one deemed acceptable for motorists to have.

Similarly, the flag on the left hand side of the plate must also be correct.

Acceptable flags include: The EU flag, The Union Jack, The St George Cross, The Scottish Saltire (St Andrew Cross) and The Red Dragon of Wales.

Relevant letters accompanying these flags must be also:

GREAT BRITAIN, Great Britain or GB

UNITED KINGDOM, United Kingdom or UK

ENGLAND, England, ENG, Eng

SCOTLAND, Scotland, SCO or Sco

CYMRU, Cymru, CYM or Cym

WALES or Wales

Failure to comply could also land drivers with a fine and/or MOT failure.

The staff of state Sen. Andy Dinniman’s office recently presented him with a historic Pennsylvania Senate license plate from 1933 as a holiday gift.

The plate, which features the number “19S,” dates back to the time when Chester County’s 19th Senatorial District was represented by the late state Sen. William Hannum Clark, who served from 1927 to 1935.

Clark, born at Doe Run in 1877, attended public schools in West Marlboro Township and the Maple Grove Institute in Delaware County before graduating from Coatesville High School. According to Senate records, he pursued the bonding business and served as superintendent of Chester County Highways, automobile inspector, and register of wills before being elected to the state Senate on Nov. 2, 1926.

Clark, who succeeded T. Lawrence Eyre, served five terms from 1927 to 1935 (at that time Pennsylvania state senators served two-year terms).

“While we may know little about state Sen. Clark, he certainly does seem to have had an interest in cars, as county superintendent of highways and automobile inspector,” said Dinniman, D-19. “I thought this was a really neat, unique, and thoughtful gift and want to thank my staff.

“When you have the opportunity and privilege to serve in public office, you join part of a long line of individuals and leaders who stood for and represented the values of your region. This really helps put that into perspective,” he added.

Dinniman said his staff came across the historic license plate in an online auction after being alerted to it by his Chester County colleague, state Rep. John Lawrence, R-13, who has an interest in historic automobiles.

Dinniman, a historian, history buff, and professor by trade, serves on the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, is known for his interest in local history and preserving local artifacts associated with his office. The building that houses his office, located at One North Church Street in historic downtown West Chester, has been home to various businesses since the early 1800s. From 1914 to 1947, it was a candy store and confectionary, Marakos Candy Kitchen, and Dinniman has preserved a clock and menu from the store that remains on display.

BRITS splashed the cash on private plates last year to the tune of £111million.

Personalised registrations spelling out names, initials, comedy phrases and car models all proved popular.

And the top five priciest plates netted almost £250,000 between them for the DVLA at auction.

The lucrative sales have generated over £2billion in the last 25 years for the agency.

The most expensive ever was recorded in November 2014 when "25 O" sold to a Ferrari dealer for £518,000.

And the popular "O" series featured twice in 2017's top list with "45 O" and "96 O" both going under the hammer for over £50,000 - one now residing on a white Audi.

But top of the tree in 2017 was "JSK 1", sold for £56,200 at the Cheltenham Chase Hotel auction back in May, and now living on a black Mercedes.

The "812 S" plate sold for £45,500 - most likely to a Ferrari collector or dealer looking to twin it up with the 812 Superfast model launched last year.

"1 HSV" was the fifth priciest plate of 2017 with DVLA records showing it's yet to be registered with a motor.

Plates are sold at auction to buyers looking to add a personal touch to their beloved motors or to plate dealers and investors who stock up on popular registrations.

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Cherished Number Auction Listing Now Online

The cherished registration auction listing is now available online at the Image Reg website.

Prices are still subdued so its a perfect time to invest in cherished plates.

We also offer a bidding service so why not let us take the strain for you and have over 13 years of experience at hand.

Contact us now to find our more, 01482 627 628.

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A Statutory Off Road Notification is a declaration made by the registered owner of a vehicle that they are removing their car from the public highway.

By doing this, the person will no longer need to pay road tax, as the notification tells the DVLA that a vehicle is registered but not currently being used.

Those who have their insurance and road tax expire and don’t want to renew them may find it makes more sense to declare a SORN instead.

When do I have to make a SORN?
If one of the following situations applies to your vehicle you will need to declare a Statutory Off Road Notification:

You haven’t paid tax for your vehicle
You haven’t paid insurance for your vehicle
You want to break a vehicle down for parts before scrapping it
You purchase or receive a vehicle and don’t want to put it on the road
If you’ve sold a vehicle and been sent a V11 reminder letter, you won’t need to make a SORN, as you’ll receive a confirmation that you no longer have the vehicle within 4 weeks of informing DVLA you’ve sold it.

How do I declare a SORN?
People wanting to declare a Statutory Off Road Notification can go to the DVLA website to fill out the necessary details.

You will receive a refund for any full months of remaining tax, and won’t be able to use the vehicle on the road until you tax it again.

If you want to start the SORN immediately, use the 11 digit number on your vehicle log book (V5C).

If you want it to begin on the first day of the following month, use the 16-digit number on your vehicle tax reminder letter (V11) - but bear in mind this number can only be used once.

If the vehicle isn’t registered in your name you will need to tell the DVLA it’s off the road by post.

You can also send applications in the mail by filling in the V890 application form, or calling the DVLA vehicle service.

ext week the number plate “TAX 1” is up for auction – with bids expected to reach £100,000 – but anyone buying it might want to think twice.

That's because if your car is stolen or written off, it turns out not only is a personalised number plate not covered by insurance, you might lose it forever.

Personalised plates are getting more popular, with 374,968 auctioned off by the DVLA in 2016/17 alone. And while very few of these will cost more than a few hundred pounds, they might all be at risk.

The problem isn't just that the plates aren't covered, it's that unless you're careful when something happens to the car, they could be gone for good.

“A registration number is attached to the vehicle it is assigned to, not the person who purchased it,” said Matt Oliver from GoCompare Car Insurance.

That means if – for whatever reason – your insurance claims the car, they get the plates too.

A number plate for the Swiss canton of Zug has sold anonymously at auction for CHF233,000 ($253,353), breaking the previous record of CHF161,000.

For now, the buyer of the “ZG 10” plate remains unknown, as the item was sold on Wednesday at an anonymous online auction. Several other car and motorcycle plates were auctioned off at the event, the proceeds of which brought more than CHF500,000 to the treasury of the central Swiss canton.

The previous Swiss number plate auction record was set last March by a buyer who paid CHF160,100 for the privilege of owning the canton Valais registration number “VS 1”.

An Emirati businessman set the world record in 2008, paying 52.2 million dirhams (CHF14.4 million) for a plat displaying only the digit “1”.

A personalised registration plate is, by its very nature, very important to the owner and of special, sentimental value.

My wife and I bought one 10 years ago with a new car. When the dealer showed us the numbers it had available, we jokingly asked if we could get a plate that incorporated both our initials. A quick check with DVLA and, £399 later, we have that plate which is now on its third car.

My younger son has one too, bought for his 21st birthday by grandad as something he would keep the rest of his life.

You assume you will always have the plate, swapping it from vehicle to vehicle, but that may not be the case because it is assigned to a vehicle not the person who bought it.

Rare DVLA number plate TAX 1 – which may appeal to tax experts or taxi firms – is expected to fetch up to £100,000 at auction on Thursday which has prompted GoCompare to warn drivers with personalised plates about the insurance implications.

Personal registration numbers are increasingly popular, starting at £250 from the DVLA which sold 374,968 of them in 2016-17.

But GoCompare car insurance says drivers with a personalised plate risk losing it if the vehicle is stolen or written off.

It analysed 302 comprehensive car insurance policies which revealed only 19 specifically cover the loss of a personalised plate if the car was lost or stolen. The sum insured varied from £200 to unlimited.

When an insurance claim is made for the cost of a car, the insurer owns both the vehicle and the registration number assigned to it, even if it’s a personalised plate. The claimant can buy the registration number from the insurer, if it still owns it, for no more than the settlement price. But, if the vehicle has already been disposed of by the insurer, all rights to the registration plate go with the vehicle.

If a car with a personalised plate is stolen and not recovered, its owner will have to wait 12 months to get the plate back. To reclaim the plate, they will have to prove the car had a valid MOT and tax at the time of theft.

Similarly, motorists who have had a car with a personalised plate written off have to arrange for the number to be transferred to another vehicle or retained on a certificate in sufficient time before the claim is settled. Registration numbers move with the vehicle they are assigned to, not the person who bought it. So, if the vehicle is written off and the car scrapped, the number plate can disappear with it.

The policyholder will need to contact the DVLA and their insurer to let them know that they want to keep the plate. The insurer will then write a letter of non-interest and send it to the DVLA.

Matt Oliver, of GoCompare Car Insurance, said: “When you register a personalised plate to a vehicle you need to tell your insurer immediately, otherwise your policy could be invalidated and, particularly if you’ve paid a lot for a registration number, you should consider whether it’s properly insured.”

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Eric Morecambes Cherished Number Rescued!

Eric Morecambe's 1971 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow has been spared from the scrapheap at the last minute.

Peter Yates, who runs a wedding car firm in Morecambe, spotted the car in a Shrewsbury junkyard just 24 hours before it was due to be dismantled.

He said finding the car - which had the number plate EM100 when Morecambe owned it - was a 'miracle'.

The car was owned by the comic from 1971 and 1974 - as shown by the original order note - and Yates says it still smells of cigar smoke.

How the car came to be in a scrapheap is unknown. Seven years ago the car, including the personalised number plate, sold for £36,000 at auction.

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The Licensing Agency, Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) is all set to offer 250 licensing plates comprising 3, 4 and 5 digits in its forthcoming 51st online auction. Plates on offer bear the Codes (H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, and T). Registration of bidders starts on Sunday 21st January. The bidding will start at 08:00 am on 28th Jan 2018 and continue for five days.

"The wide participation of the public in online or open auctions and the positive competition to grab such numbers underscore the importance of holding these auctions in bringing happiness & satisfaction to number plate enthusiasts," Sultan Al Marzouqi, Director of Vehicles licensing, RTA Licensing Agency.

Al Marzouqi highlighted the importance of online auctions to a large segment of community members who prefer such particular auctions as they find the liberty of selecting their fancied numbers in a hassle-free environment. "These auctions also contribute to enhancing the online services of the RTA under its annual plan aimed at improving the quality and standard of processing public transactions," he commented.

"Participation in the auction requires the client to have an account opened through RTA's website (www.rta.ae) or use the 'New User' link to obtain a Username and Password. For a new registration, the user is required to have either a vehicle registered in Dubai or a driver license issued from Dubai. For participating in the auction, the bidder is required to issue a security cheque to the order of the RTA amounting to AED5,000 and deposit it to one of RTA's Customers Happiness Centers at Umm Al Ramool, Bur Dubai, Deira or Al Tawar Municipal Centre. In the case of payment by a credit card, the client must also deposit five thousand dirhams as security. Clients have also to pay 120 dirhams as participation fees through the website (www.rta.ae)" explained Al Marzouqi.

"The successful bidder has to clear the due amount within ten working days from the Auction Closing Date by cash or credit card through centres of service providers or RTA's Customer Happiness Centers. Cash payments are acceptable up to AED 50,000. For higher amounts, customers can make payment by a certified check or credit card, or pay online using a credit card too. Failure to clear due payments will result in entering the bidder in the list of defaulters," he added.

"A dedicated team at RTA's Call Center has been furnished with all information related to the auction, and stands ready to respond to any public inquiries relating to procedures of participation or payment through the toll-free number 8009090," concluded Al Marzouqi.

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For the motorist who has everything, including a sense of humour! - Reg Plate Special Cherished number plate dealer Image Registrations are offering a unique opportunity for the savvy motorist to show they have the vehicle, the reg plate and a sense of humour! The East Yorkshire based company are marketing the ultimate reg plate to make a tongue in cheek statement.

car registration VUL 64R is offered for sale at £3395, a snip compared to the 'phantom' or 'hummer' it may well end up displayed on.

We think this registration plate will appeal to clients who have all the toys and appreciate the fun aspect of this unique reg number plate" said Bruno Morris at Image Registrations. He went on to say "the plate reads so well as it is almost a prefect spelling of vulgar!".

VUL 64R can be purchased now through Image Registrations, online at www.regplates.com or by telephone on 01482 627 628."

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A businessman who bought the No.1 limited edition licence plate in Abu Dhabi for Dh31 million has been sentenced to three years in jail for issuing a dud cheque to the organisers.

The Emirati man had bought the special number plate at an auction last year.

The Abu Dhabi Misdemeanour Court handed down the sentence to the Emirati man after he was found guilty of fraud and issuing a bounced cheque.

Abu Dhabi public prosecution had ordered for the detention of the 32-year-old man after organisers of the auction filed a complaint that he issued them a cheque after buying the number plate, even though he didn't have enough balance in his bank account.

Prosecutors had detained the businessman. He was charged with fraud and issuing a bounced cheque.
And during interrogation, the Emirati admitted to giving the cheque to orginisers despite being aware he didn't have sufficient funds in his account, said prosecutors.

"He said he was planning to re-sale the rare number plate at a profit so he could pay the value of the cheque to the organisers and maintain enough balance in his account," said a prosecutor.

Authorities, however, said one can only re-sale a number plate bought in an auction after one has paid the full amount and that any resale before making the payment is considered illegal.

The auction, which generated Dh99 million, was hosted by Emirates Auction in cooperation with Abu Dhabi Police on November 19, 2016 at Emirates Palace hotel to commemorate the Abu Dhabi Government's Golden Jubilee.

And the Emirati beat several bidders for the coveted plate after starting at Dh1 million. The limited-edition golden jubilee plates all featured the number 50 in the top left corner.

Fifty vanity Abu Dhabi number plates were up for grabs at the Emirates Auction event.

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The first series of number plates were issued in 1903 and ran until 1932, using the series A 1 to YY 9999. The letter or pair of letters indicated the local authority in whose area the vehicle was registered, for example A - London, B - Lancashire, C - West Riding of Yorkshire. In England and Wales the letter codes were initially allocated in order of population size (by the 1901 census) whilst Scotland and Ireland had their own sequences incorporating the letters S and I respectively, which were allocated alphabetically: IA = Antrim, IB = Armagh, etc. When a licensing authority reached 9999, it was allocated another two letter mark, but there was no pattern to these subsequent allocations as they were allocated on a first come first served basis. There are three interesting anomalies where a zero has been issued - The Lord Provost of Edinburgh has S 0 and his Glasgow counterpart has G 0 while the official car of the Lord Provost of Aberdeen has RG 0. In addition the Lord Mayor of London has the registration LB 0.

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