A car number plate is really a form of identification, but it can be so much more to a personalised number plate owner than that. Rather than a random, nonsensical sequence of characters, a private number plate allows the driver to stand out. There are so many combinations of letters and numbers available, giving motorists the chance to make any statement they want to, or to reflect their name, job, hobbies or personality.
Buying personalised number plates
When you’re buying personalised number plates, you can take your pick from a variety of different styles. New (or current style) number plates follow a formula specified by the DVLA. They begin with an area identifier, where the first two letters reflect where the vehicle was first registered. The numbers that follow relate to the age of the car, van or motorcycle, then the last three letters are a random sequence, ensuring each number plate is unique. Sometimes, this system results in desirable combinations of characters that spell words or names. As many people have three initials, it’s also usually easy to find sequences that match those.
There are also other kinds of older style number plates. The style that preceded the current type was the prefix plate, where the registration began with the letter denoting the car’s age. Before this there were suffix plates, which ended with the year of issue. Prior to suffix plates were dateless plates, which may display letters or numbers first. These dateless, or cherished, plates are generally regarded as very desirable indeed.
Where can I buy personalised number plates?
At New Reg, we deal in all kinds of personalised number plates. Some of the more sought-after plates tend to have higher price tags, but others are often surprisingly affordable. Many buyers see private number plates as a great investment, and some such purchasers might own a whole portfolio of plates that they expect to increase in value. Others buy them for their family or friends, as well as themselves, as they also make great and very personal gifts.
How to buy a personalised number plate
It’s easy to find a great personalised number plate here at New Reg. Think about what sort of combination you would like, then input your ideas. The user friendly search function will return various combinations that match your search. Typical combinations favoured by our customers include occupations, sports teams, interests, names or initials. The list of registrations matching your requirements includes prices, so it’s simple to see what your options are and how they fit in with your budget.
At New Reg, we stock a large number of plates that are highly affordable, and one combination that is often well priced is initials. Conversely, if you have a popular name or want to display a commonly used word on your car, then you can expect to pay more money.
What happens when you buy a personalised number plate?
There are two options open to owners of personalised number plates. Most buyers will want to use the private plate on their vehicle, which means you need to complete a private registration transfer with the DVLA. We can handle this on your behalf at New Reg, and it can take up to four weeks depending on the situation. If you‘re purchasing a plate that has never been used, the process may be completed within a week. Otherwise, the average transfer time is between two and four weeks, as long as the required documentation is provided to us promptly.
If you’re buying a brand new car, you should be able to have it registered with the new private plate, but we advise to check with the dealership as early in the process as possible.