How to Choose a Personalised Number Plate
When you decide that you want to buy personalised number plates there are several factors that you should take into account. Here’s our handy guide on how to choose your private plates.
Know Your Budget and Stick to It
There is literally no limit on how much you can spend on personalised number plates. The highest price paid for a registration number in the UK was a staggering £518,480. However, most people don’t really want plates that cost more than a house! Set yourself a firm limit on how much you want to spend, including VAT and assignment fees. With the CarReg search function you can select the “View Cheapest” option to see what’s available.
Be Flexible with Your Choices
You might have a specific idea of the letter and number combination you want, but that might not be possible within your budget. In the search box, enter the digits you want and you’ll be offered many different combinations that include them. You might find something really close, but if it’s beyond your budget, you may need to be a little more flexible and creative to get something that works for you.
Understand the Different Types of Registration Numbers
The way registration numbers are laid out has changed over the years. The original dateless number plates feature one, two or three of both letters and numbers. Then came suffix plates with an age identifying letter at the end. They were followed by prefix number with the age identifier at the front. The current plates have two letters, a two-digit age identifier, followed by three more letters.
Dateless personalised plates are the most popular and also the most expensive. The shorter the number, the more it’s likely to cost. The benefit of the current plates is that you have the chance to choose the combination of numbers and letters you want, as long as they don’t make your car appear newer than it is.
Only Buy Legal Number Plates
In the UK, vehicle number plates have to conform to strict regulations with regard to the material used, the font and spacing, and they can only be bought from a licenced supplier such as CarReg. Many online suppliers sell show plates that feature different fonts and shading, and 3D and 4D characters. These plates might look flash but cannot be legally used on the road. If you get pulled over, you could face a fine of up to £1,000.
Once you’ve bought your personalised number plates, you can’t display them until the new registration number has been officially assigned to your car. It’s usually a quick process and CarReg can help you with all the paperwork. You’ll receive a new log book and a certificate of entitlement to show you have the right to that registration number.
So, now you know how to choose your personalised number plates, what are you waiting for? At CarReg we have millions of available number plates and all you need to do is enter the letters and numbers you’re looking for.
