Personal Number Plates

[Awhileago]

Hi there,

How do I find out if a certain UK Number Plate is a personalised one?  The plate in question has a number missing so, for example, it is R89 WYX (not real!) instead of the usual R899 WYX is this a personal plate do you think please?  Also, how would I go about getting it valued please?

Many thanks in advance.

[Bob...]

Doesn't sound like a private reg but you can get it valued for free here http://tinyurl.com/4unn6

[trilobite]

There's no such thing as a "Personalised Plate"!

Secondly, your example does not 'have a number missing'. For a given letter combination, all Suffix and Prefix-style plates ran from 1 to 999 (eg A 1 XYZ to A 999 XYZ ).

Not all of these plates were ever released by the (then) DVLC.

Some combinations were deemed offensive, whilst certain letters were never used in registrations, as they could be confused with other letters or figures (ie Z for 2 and I for 1), the potential value of a certain combination was also anticipated, and these were also held back.

Certain plates attracted attention because they had a low-number-snob-value or because they appear to spell out a name (if you stood on your head and squinted). And since a plate could be transferred to another vehicle, these gained a value andd began to be traded leading to the 'Personalised Numbers' industry we know today.

The DVLA even joined in (early nineties I think) by releasing a load of previously withheld numbers, and auctioning them off to the highest bidder.

-

As to your plate's value - it's only worth as much as another mug... er person will pay for it. There are a number of companies that buy and sell registration numbers. Try having a look in the back of car magazines or the free mags you get on garage forecourts - they're bound to have web-sites.

Oh, and finally. By Law, registration plates have to conform to strict regulations with regard to letter height, spacing and font. So, any squashing together of numbers to make it look like a letter so that it spells out a name, is not only illegal, but is extremely sad. Such individuals need to get a legal number plate and a life.

[smudge]

You could try 'Registration Transfers' in Dunstable. It's where my boss bought my cherished no. plate. They are very helpful & are on line.

[raiz]

a private plate can be any of the above as it is only deemed private if it is somehow relevent, or could be relevent ie R89 LEE might not be your name but would fetch good money and R899 LEE is still equally as good.

to get an idea have a look at www.regtransfer.co.uk

HAVE FUN

LEE

[smudge]

riaz - that's the web address for the same company I suggested to Awhileago as above!

 

Registration Transfers based in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. www.regtransfer.co.uk

[Awhileago]

Thanks all for your help.  trilobite I agree - it's just that if I can make some money out of the plate then all the better! I'm definately not into "Personal" plates!

[smudge]

Hi Awhileago - I hope you get a good return for your no. plate.

 

I am not a snobby, private no. plate person either, but my boss bought mine years ago & when I left the company after 26 years, he gave me my co. car, along with the plate - well you don't look a gift horse in the mouth do you? Good luck.