Private Number Plate Guides

Clear, practical guides for private plate owners, covering what plates are worth, how selling works and the DVLA paperwork that comes with owning a plate. Choose a topic below.

 

Valuation guides

Number Plate Valuation Guides

What is your plate worth? Each guide covers real sale prices, what drives value and what to do if you own one.

A 1

2 Character Plates

One letter and one number: the shortest registration on a UK car.

Read the guide JB 1

3 Character Plates

Two letters and a number, or one letter and two numbers.

Read the guide LSK 1

4 Character Plates

Initials, words and short plates with the number 1.

Read the guide 15 LAM

5 Character Plates

Short enough to stand out, long enough to spell a word or name.

Read the guide ABZ 1

Northern Irish Plates

Dateless plates from Northern Ireland, each containing an I or a Z.

Read the guide J42 MES

Prefix Plates

The year letter comes first. Issued from 1983 to 2001.

Read the guide BEA 5T

Suffix Plates

The year letter comes last. Issued from 1963 to 1983.

Read the guide

Number Plate Valuation

Typical values for every plate type, and what affects the price.

Read the guide

Selling guides

Number Plate Selling Guides

Practical help with selling a private plate, from paperwork to pricing.

Selling a Car With a Private Plate

How to keep your plate, or sell it, before your car changes hands.

Coming soon

Selling an Inherited Number Plate

The paperwork you need to sell a plate left to you.

Coming soon

Ownership guides

Number Plate Ownership Guides

Retention, certificates and transfers: the DVLA admin that comes with owning a private plate, explained simply.

How to Take a Private Plate Off Your Car

Putting your plate on retention, step by step.

Read the guide

V750 and V778 Certificates Explained

What each certificate is, and what to do before it expires.

Read the guide

How to Transfer a Private Number Plate

Moving a plate from one car to another, or onto a certificate.

Coming soon

Private Plate Nominees

How to add someone else to a plate you own.

Coming soon

Market insights

Number Plate Market Insights

What plates are really selling for, based on real auction results and public sales.

DVLA Number Plate Auction Prices

What plates really sell for at DVLA auctions, by plate type.

Coming soon

The Most Expensive UK Number Plates

The record sales, and what made each plate so valuable.

Coming soon

Ready to sell?

Thinking About Selling Your Plate?

It’s free to list your plate with us, and you only pay commission when it sells. We find the buyer, handle the DVLA transfer and release your payment once it’s confirmed.

Find out more about selling: Sell my number plate

Start selling today

  • No upfront fees and free to list
  • Commission only when your plate sells
  • No obligation to sell
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