Sports Private Number Plates UAE

PRIVATE number plates have been around for a long time but first started to show up more often in the 1980s and 1990s.

Back then, they were something that millionaires and the ultra-wealthy could afford and were a sign of prosperity. But they were also a little bit ostentatious and people often frowned upon them as a sign of excessive spending and being wasteful.

Fast forward to modern times and more people have private plates than ever before – so have they become respectable?

There are still examples of people paying crazy amounts of money for a desirable private plate. The current world record is held by a plate bought by Abu Dhabi’s Saeed Abdul Ghaffar Khouri who paid a staggering £7 million for plate ‘1’ in 2008.

This beat the previous record from plate ‘5’ that sold for £3.5 million the year before to another businessman from Abu Dhabi. Despite claiming the number had no meaning, he also bought plate ‘55’ at the same time for another £800,000.

There are plenty of stories where people have made a good profit on their private plate if they decide to sell it. Popular names, dates and locations can all increase in value over time, especially if you catch the eye of a collector.

Radio DJ Chris Evans is a collector and has been known to leave notes on cars asking if the owner wanted to sell if he spots a plate that he likes.

The shorter the reg, the more valuable it generally is – hence the record being held by single-digit plates. Plates that show names, occupations or even things like football teams in some way can prove popular with collectors and some auction houses will buy the plates from you.

You can even leave the plate to someone after you die but you need to put a provision in your will. Otherwise, inactive plates simply disappear into the archives and cannot be reused in the future. And you never know, your plate could end up making them some money one day!

Vehicle owners in Ras Al Khaimah can now replace their regular number plates with customised ones from today.

The smaller and sporty number plates in black and white would cost only Dh500 as per the new scheme launched by the Ras Al Khaimah Police and general resources authority.

Colonel Adel Ali Al Ghais, acting director of the licensing department at the RAK Police, said the new number plates are available for all vehicles.

"Applicants should follow the set procedures and pay the due fees, and the regular number plates will be replaced with the new ones immediately.

"However, only the front number plate will be changed, and that will cost Dh500," Captain Thaer of the RAK Police told Khaleej Times.

The move is in response to the requests of the public to replace their big and long traditional number places with smaller and customised ones, Col Al Ghais said.

"They want to add a touch of beauty to their vehicles and share the feeling of the owners of luxury cars."

Col Al Ghais said the RAK Police and general resources authority spare no effort to meet the public needs, and provide the best and most convenient services to them. He added: "All our services are up to the latest international standards." Humid Al Marzouqi, an Emirati, said he had requested the licensing department several times permission to replace his car's big number plates with smaller ones.

"I am so happy that they have reconsidered the request," he said. "The sports registration numbers will make my Lexus car look better and more attractive on the road."

Mohammed Ibrahim, another Emirati, said he was looking for more changes in the new number plates. "I wanted to see more colours in the new number plates as is the case in other emirates."