Personalised Number Plate Information

NUMBER PLATES:

Record numbers of motorists are driving cars fitted with personalised numberplates amid a surge in “auto vanity”.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency sold a record 374,968 registrations last year, up 12 per cent in 12 months and almost five times the total in the mid-90s.

The trade in numberplates made more than £110 million for the Treasury in 2016-17 alone, a record annual total.

The rise coincides with an increase in the number of registrations made available by the DVLA, combined with a sharp rise in the value of rare plates over the past two decades.

In an era when we’re all supposed to be flaunting our individuality, the trend for personalised car number plates has apparently never been higher. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), which sells new and never-issued registrations, sold 374,968 last year, an increase of 12%.

Among private dealers, who sell pre-owned plates, business is just as good.

“For the past five years, [the market has] been steadily rising.” It is thought one reason is a personalised plate makes the age of the car less obvious. But he also says social media has played a huge part. “It’s, ‘Hey, everybody, look at me’,” he says.

People post pictures of their new cars on Instagram, and adding a private plate “seems to be something that people can use to boost their social media reach”.

At the entry-level end of the market, “registrations that start at £250, on average there are 800 of those sold every day.” He says one fairly common customer is the parent who buys a personalised plate for their child on passing their driving test, to go with a new car. “My typical client would be someone in their 40s or 50s, they’ve got a bit of money sitting about and always fancied a personalised number plate.”

At the extreme end, plates can fetch more than £500,000. In 2014, one classic-car dealer bought a “25 O” plate, reportedly for his Ferrari 250 GTO, for £400,000 (the final price, including fees, was £518,000) and a “250 L” for £130,000.

“The numbers that were selling for £1,000 in 1980 now sell for £150,000. What probably changed it was in the late 80s, when the government started to sell numberplates. We in the trade all thought it would devalue the numbers, but it didn’t, it just got more people interested.”

A personalised plate is “a prestigious thing. There’s a little bit of vanity about it,” says Saperia. As for those of us who believe it’s the mark of a bit of a berk, Saperia points out that the DVLA’s sale of personalised plates “bring more than £100m every year to the treasury”.

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Since the dvla introduced the bsau145d legislation it has been increasingly difficult for motorists to obtain number plates with anything other than legal spacing.

There is however another line of argument for the defence of the serial mis spacer. They say that a number plate that has been altered to make a word or a name is much more memorable in the event of an incident.
They also argue that the dvla blatantly auction registration numbers that would be virtually worthless without mis spacing.

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The RTA announced on Wednesday that customers can now check out both available and unavailable numbers as well as those that are likely to be available in the future.

Sultan Al Marzouqi, director of Vehicle Licensing at the RTA’s Licensing Agency, said: “This service does not only allow customers to enquire and buy the current codes, but also future codes (Up to Z). Customers can log onto RTA’s website (www.rta.ae) by clicking ‘Inquiring about Distinctive Number Plates’ to know about the available numbers and buy them online.”

He added that the system has been developed and programmed to provide information about available and unavailable numbers along with their prices.

The system also enables enquiring about numbers in four different ways: by code, by number of digits, by entering the numbers required, or by the price.

The RTA also offers distinguished number plates through online auction as well as through live auctions, drawing huge interests from enthusiasts with some plates going for millions of dirhams.

Last year, the single-digit plate D5 was auctioned for Dh33 million, the highest priced number in Dubai.

A TOTAL of 58 number plates are due to go under the hammer at Highlands College next week as part of an auction organised by the Infrastructure Department.

During the last two events, the auction raised more than £421,750 with the money going towards buying equipment for Driver and Vehicle Standards – the department’s authority which oversee the registration of the Island’s vehicles.

In 2013 one anonymous individual paid £71,000 for the plate JSY 1.

Infrastructure Minister Eddie Noel said that he was expecting one number plate to receive particular interest from bidders this year.

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By 1932, the available numbers within this scheme were running out, and an extended scheme was introduced. This scheme consisted of three letters and up to three digits, taken from the series AAA 1 to YYY 999. The letters I, Q, and Z were never used, as they were considered too easy to mistake for other letters or numbers or were reserved for special use, such as the use of I and Z for Irish registrations and Q for temporary imports. (After independence, the Republic of Ireland continued to use this scheme until 1986, and Northern Ireland still uses it.)

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Would you like your birthday, wedding, graduation or employment day reflected on your car plate? It's possible.

Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has launched a new phase called of 'Your Memorable Moments on Your Vehicle's Plate' initiative for U-Coded plates. The initiative avails the opportunity for customers to choose five-digit plates bearing this code personalised to resemble important events in their lives such as birthday, employment, wedding and graduation day, among others, according to the RTA.

The available numbers relate to the period from 1967 to 2017. The cost of the special plate is Dh1,620 each and customers can buy their number plates from RTA Customers Happiness Centres all over Dubai, service providers, strategic partners, RTA website (www.rta.ae), or the smart app 'Drivers & Vehicles.'

"This stage fits well with the intention of adding to people's happiness in Ramadan and the joyous Eid al-Fitr," said Sultan Al Marzouqi, director of vehicles licensing at RTA's Licensing Agency.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has launched a new phase of ‘Your Memorable Moments on Your Vehicle’s Plate’ initiative for U-Coded plates. The initiative avails the opportunity for customers to choose five-digit plates bearing this code personalised to resemble important events in their lives such as birthday, employment day, wedding day, and graduation day, among others. The available numbers relate to the period from 1967 to 2017. Customers can buy their number plates from Customers Happiness Centres all over Dubai, service providers, strategic partners, RTA website (www.rta.ae), or the smart app ‘Drivers & Vehicles.’ This stage fits well with the intention of adding to people’s happiness in Ramadan and the joyous Eid al-Fitr.

Sultan Al Marzouqi, Director of Vehicles Licensing, RTA’s Licensing Agency, said: “The U Code number plates bearing dates from 1967 to 2017 will be issued, once available on the list of plates in RTA’s website. The total cost of the plate is AED1620. Customers can buy their number plates from Customers Happiness Centres all over Dubai, service providers, strategic partners, RTA website (www.rta.ae), or the smart app ‘Drivers & Vehicles’. This stage fits well with the intention of adding to people’s happiness in Ramadan and the joyous Eid al-Fitr.

"This phase, of ‘Your Memorable Moments on Your Vehicle’s Plate’ initiative, follows the remarkable turnout seen by previous phases of Code "S” and “T" for the dates from 1981 to 1998. This initiative reflects the core role of RTA in providing new and premium services to raise customers’ satisfaction and happiness through engaging them in selecting personalised & important numbers for their vehicle plates,” 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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