FANCY a personalised number plate to make you stand out in the crowd? Well, depending on the ‘plate’s desirability, you may have to shell out a lot of money.
Personalised number plates can command six figure prices because these days you are largely restricted by letter and number combinations. It is worth taking a look at the DVLA website to see what interesting combinations are coming up but finding a special personalised registration plate at a price that suits is rare.
Some car dealers may be able to help while there are some specialist online sources. But beware of private purchases as there is no governing body to ensure that you actually get your plates after handing over the money.
As we said, private number plates don’t come cheap, so having a firm budget in mind is absolutely essential to ensure that you don’t end up overspending. Most dealers will allow you to search online with a price limit, so you’ll only find suitable plates that are within the budget you’ve set.
You may not be able to get the exact combination that you want. With private plates becoming more and more popular, you may have to settle for something a little different to what you originally had in mind. Being inflexible could lead to disappointment and even make you feel like you have to go over your budget just to get the plate that you want.
Understanding the different styles can help determine which is best ‘plate for you in terms of combinations. You are mostly limited by the original registration year of your car, it’s no surprise that the dateless style is one of the most popular amongst drivers but is also the most expensive option to go for.
UK private plates come in four different styles: dateless, current, prefix and suffix. The dateless style means that there is no date displayed on the number plate, whilst the current style is laid out just like a regular number plate, except for that you can choose the number and letter combinations displayed. For example, you can use your year of birth, lucky number, name or initials for a plate with personal appeal. These are usually the most affordable options. British Car Registrations offers a Valuations Guide for £19.99 which can help you determine the worth of a particular plate.
A private number plate is going to appear on both the front and back of the car and will hopefully last a long time, so ensure that you select one that appeals to you for more reasons than just the price. Although some buyers are only interested in getting the most expensive plates as a status symbol, don’t forget that the plate could easily lose its appeal after some years. It’s always a better option to go for a plate that’s more suited to your personality, or the car, rather than simply going for one which is ‘trending’ or popular at the time.
Before committing to purchase a private number plate, be aware that the price advertised is usually going to be less than the total amount you’ll end up paying. In addition to the fact that many dealers add on VAT, you’ll also need to be prepared to pay a fee to the DVLA for registering the plate to your car.
The DVLA will charge both an assignment fee and a fee to change the registration details on all personalised license plates. This will cover the cost of transferring ownership of the plate and assigning it to your vehicle. It’s a mandatory fee, so ensure that you factor in the additional cost in your budget. Most dealers will inform you of the additional fees, but if there is no fee displayed, it’s a good idea to get in touch and find out before you commit to buy in order to avoid any unwanted surprises.
Finally, it is illegal to display a private number plate that has not yet been assigned to your vehicle. As tempting as it may be to swap the plates as soon as you can and drive away with your updated car, you could get into serious trouble if pulled over by the police when displaying a registration number that is not yet registered to your vehicle.
Always ensure that you have paid the DVLA fee, filled out the correct paperwork and had official confirmation of assignment before you change the registration plates on your car. Once you’ve purchased the private plate, you will receive a V750 certificate of entitlement to prove that you have the right to use the plate.
