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Private Number Plates

Private number plates, can be purchased and used on DVLA registered vehicles. Some types of private number plate, such as the Northern Ireland style, allow you to hide the age of a vehicle. Many people use private number plates to display their name, initials, hobbies, interests, vehicle model or occupation. Private number plates can be good investments.

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Making Private Number Plates Easy

We're here to guide you through the journey of finding, buying, and transferring the perfect personalised number plate. Proudly, we have the most 5-star reviews in the industry.

Based in Swansea with over 25 years of experience, we work closely with the DVLA HQ. We handle thousands of private number plate sales and transfers monthly.

For Buyers: How it Works

For Existing Customers: Need Help With an Order?

Plates 4 Gifts

Searching for a unique gift? Visit our Plates4Gifts Hub for easy shopping, helpful advice, FAQs, and guides. We offer a free instant digital gift certificate for last minute orders.

Collect and share a shortlist of gift ideas using our Favourite Heart Area for a second opinion. You can also show your thoughtful ideas to the giftee (you can choose to hide the prices) Learn more.

Plates 4 Business

Discover how private plates can benefit your business. Our Plates4Business Hub contains advice on choosing private number plates, investment tips, and answers to common business questions. Connect with our B2B team for personalised assistance. Learn more.

Sell Your Number Plate

We offer a free and easy seller's service whereby we will feature your registration mark on our website 24/7 365 days a year (until sold). We will also list your registration mark through other trusted agencies to find more buyers, but you will only need to communicate with us and we'll never share your personal information.

You set your own price and we promise to keep our fees to the minimum (our fees are paid by the buyer). Unlike other agents, we allow you to preview your advert and the full list price before submitting it for approval.

When we find you a buyer, our team will provide expert advice and assistance to ensure a smooth, fast and secure process.

Visit our sellers area to learn more and get started: Sell My Number Plate

Featured Articles

How do I Buy a Private Number Plate?

We know finding and buying the perfect private number plate can seem tricky, so we've provided various guides to make the whole process easy and hassle-free!

Check the vehicle's age

As many registration marks carry an 'age identifier' (the date when the mark was released) it is important to check the age of the receiving vehicle. The DVLA does not permit newer registration marks to be transferred to older vehicles - i.e. you can't make an older car appear newer than it really is - so be sure to pick a plate that suits the vehicle's age.

Try our Vehicle Age and Plate Checking tool

private number plate K155 ESS

Search for a perfect plate

Our Smart Search tool will help you find the perfect plate. Simply type in what you are looking for, be it a name, initials, keyword, a special number sequence, anything, and we will do the hard work for you, generating results tailored to your preferences. Our Advanced Options tab will even allow you to filter the search results by plate style, status, or budget.

See our Find a Private Number Plate Guide

The price

As part of your search results, we will present the price of each registration. As well as displaying the price of the registration as per the industry standard, we have a unique toggle function that allows you to see the price including VAT and the government transfer fee so there are no surprises later on when placing your order.

Plate options

You can also order a new set of private number plates with your registration. Use our drop-down options to select the size and shape suitable for your vehicle, and even add a decorative flag to the plate as well if you like.

Select a transfer preference

You can complete the transfer of the registration yourself, or you can choose to make the whole process even easier by having us take care of it all for you.

Other optional extras

Private number plates make perfect unique gifts. If you're purchasing the plate for someone else, we can help you keep it all secret! We can also suggest some added touches to make your gift extra special.

Secure payment

Once you've found the private number plate you want to purchase, use our simple and secure checkout process to purchase online or over the telephone. Our friendly, helpful sales team can answer questions you may have regarding our range of services and payment options, ensuring that the whole process is completed as smoothly as possible. You can pay by debit or credit card, or by bank transfer if you prefer. We also offer finance on many registrations.

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E-Transfer Gateway

If you have chosen our Done-for-You service and have received your confirmation letter, you may wish to submit your V5 information via our E-Transfer Gateway.

News!

Every week we will be releasing new articles to entertain and enlighten all you...

Sell Your Private Number Plate for FREE!

We offer a free seller's service. We will show your registration to thousands of buyers

Private Plate Finance

Help for Good Causes

Shop with us and help support these charities whose good works positively affect thousands of us and our families, every year

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Number Plate FAQs

Is a private plate worth it?

Private registration plates are available from only a couple of hundred pounds making them fantastic investments, with the value often increasing as time goes by. They truly personalise a vehicle and can be transferred and resold. They are great fun and can really help a vehicle stand out from the crowd, for very little money.

What is the law on private number plates?

In the UK, number plates are issued, arranged and displayed in a very specific way by the DVLA. There are fixed sizes, colours, materials and typefaces for letters and numbers. Private number plates must follow specific government sequences of letters and numbers and there are strict rules which prevent any plate making a vehicle look younger than it actually is. Private plates can be bought, sold and transferred between vehicles that are not Q-plated kit cars or non-road going vehicles. All vehicles need to be taxed and tested to accept a private plate. There are fines of up to £1000 and sanctions if a plate is displayed incorrectly.

How much does it cost to put a private plate on your car?

The DVLA charges a compulsory £80 transfer or 'assignment' fee to transfer a private number plate to or from any vehicle. This fee will be charged in addition to the cost of the rights to display the private number plate, regardless of who you purchase the plate from. The fee is always paid at the same time when you buy the private reg.

Can I put any private plate on my car?

Private plates can be bought, sold and transferred between vehicles that are not Q-plated kit cars or non-road going vehicles such as tractors or steam rollers etc. All vehicles need to be taxed and tested to accept a private plate.

The DVLA does not permit newer registration marks that carry age-identifying letters or numbers to be transferred to older vehicles. This stops fraudsters making cars look younger than they actually are. However, it does permit older or 'dateless' registration marks to be transferred to newer vehicles making them look older or hiding their true age altogether, without hindrance. It's always best to check if the private plate you like can be legally transferred to your chosen vehicle before you buy it, by asking a reputable dealer.

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