Buying a Number Plate

How to Buy a Personalised Number Plate — Step by Step

Buying a personalised registration with New Reg takes around 5 minutes online. Here is exactly what to expect at each stage.

1. Search for your plate. Use the search bar on any page — enter a name, initials, word, or number. The results show every available registration that spells or represents your search, across all UK plate formats.
2. Choose your registration. Click on any result to see the plate detail page with price, availability and finance options. Dateless plates carry no age identifier; current-style plates display a year. Choose the format that suits you.
3. Select physical plates (optional). During checkout you can order road-legal acrylic plates at the same time — choose your size, flag and border. We dispatch within 24 hours of ID verification.
4. Pay by card or finance. Pay in full by debit or credit card, or apply for 0% APR finance on eligible plates from £250. Finance decisions are instant and provided by V12 Retail Finance.
5. Receive your V750 certificate. We register the plate in your name and send your V750 Certificate of Entitlement — the legal document that proves you own the registration.
6. Assign to your vehicle. Use the DVLA online service to assign the plate to your vehicle, or ask New Reg to manage the assignment. The vehicle must have been registered on or before the date of the plate you are assigning.

Types of Personalised Number Plates

There are four main types of personalised registration available in the UK. Each has different rules on what vehicles they can be displayed on.

• Current style (2001–present) — Two letters, two digits, three letters. The digits show the year of issue. Can only be assigned to a vehicle registered on or after that year.
• Prefix (1983–2001) — Year letter first, followed by up to three numbers and three letters. Carries an age identifier but cannot make a vehicle appear newer than it is.
• Suffix (1963–1983) — Three letters, up to three numbers, one year letter. Older format — often available at lower prices.
• Dateless (pre-1963) — No year identifier. Can be assigned to any vehicle of any age — the most flexible format and often the most valuable.

Finance Options

New Reg offers 0% APR interest-free finance on qualifying registrations through V12 Retail Finance. Applications take minutes, decisions are instant, and you can spread the cost over several months with no interest charges. Finance is available on purchases from £250. New Reg is FCA authorised (FCA No. 626225) and acts as a credit broker, not a lender.

After Your Purchase — Assignment and Insurance

Once you have paid, New Reg registers the plate in your name and issues a V750 Certificate of Entitlement. To display the plate on your vehicle you need to complete a DVLA assignment (previously called a transfer). This can be done online via the DVLA website in minutes, or New Reg can manage it on your behalf. Once assigned, remember to notify your insurer — the registration number is linked to your insurance policy and should be updated.

Frequently Asked Questions — Buying a Number Plate

• How do I buy a personalised number plate?
  Search our inventory using your name, initials or any word. When you find a plate you want, click Buy and complete checkout in three steps: choose physical plates, enter billing details, and pay by card or 0% finance. We handle all DVLA assignment paperwork.
• How much does a personalised number plate cost?
  Personalised plates range from under £100 for common combinations to tens of thousands for premium dateless or short registrations. Use our search to see live prices on over 72 million available registrations.
• Can I buy a number plate on finance?
  Yes. New Reg offers 0% APR interest-free finance through V12 Retail Finance on qualifying purchases from £250. Apply online and receive an instant decision — no need to delay your purchase.
• What happens after I buy a number plate?
  Once payment is confirmed, we register the plate in your name and send you a V750 Certificate of Entitlement. You can then assign it to your vehicle online via the DVLA website or ask New Reg to manage the assignment for you.
• Do I need to change my insurance when I get a new plate?
  Yes. Once the plate is assigned to your vehicle, notify your insurer. The registration number is linked to your insurance policy — most insurers update this free of charge as a simple admin change.
• Can I buy a number plate as a gift?
  Yes, but the plate must be purchased in the buyer's name first. Once owned, you can transfer it to the recipient. New Reg can provide a gift certificate for presentation — contact us before purchasing to arrange this.