Future Retirement Success
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks

Future Retirement Success

Business

Personalised plate boom: drivers and investors snap up unique registrations

by February 3, 2025
February 3, 2025

Sales of personalised car number plates have more than doubled over the past ten years, according to new figures released by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). The data, obtained by the BBC, reveals more than 1.2 million transactions in 2024, up from about 500,000 in 2014.

This surge is fuelled by two primary sources: plates bought directly from the DVLA—some of which can cost under £50—and those traded privately, where sought-after combinations can fetch hundreds of thousands of pounds. Industry experts say private plates are increasingly viewed as investments, with a notable rise in registrations never even making it onto a vehicle before being resold.

In the last financial year, the DVLA raised £276 million for the government through personalised registrations. The agency keeps a watchful eye on market trends and releases attractive combinations to maximise revenue. However, it withholds any combinations deemed potentially offensive or in poor taste.

Meanwhile, second-hand registration plates change hands through private auctions, online dealers and social media groups. The number of transactions for plates already in circulation has almost tripled since 2014, reaching around 800,000 in 2024. That figure includes sales and any official changes to ownership details, such as name or address updates.

Rob Nicholls, a finance director from Exeter, has snapped up a few plates in recent months, selling some on at a profit without ever fitting them to a vehicle. “They do seem to be increasingly popular,” he told BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours. “Is there a value? Yes. Can it increase in value? Yes. I’m probably going to buy more because it’s an interesting, tangible asset.”

Nicholls believes that while personalised plates can be purchased for sentimental reasons—perhaps displaying a name or special date—many buyers now view them strictly as assets.

For 17-year-old enthusiast Noor Dar from Manchester, part of the appeal is deciphering clever number-and-letter combinations. “It’s all about image,” he says. “You have collectors who focus on cherished plates, but then you also have a younger generation more interested in the message they display, rather than any potential resale value.”

London based Pimlico plumbers use Private number plates for marketing and have also seen the value of their uniques plates have risen

Platforms like Facebook and Instagram have helped cultivate a community of enthusiasts who swap ideas, display recent purchases and even trade plates privately.

Mark Reynolds, sales manager at the private dealer Plate Hunter, says the market’s diversity—options range from as little as £25 to six-figure sums—has helped broaden its appeal. “We sold KS1 for £285,000 just before Christmas,” he says, noting that such high-profile sales are not uncommon when the plate matches a buyer’s initials or a particular phrase.

In the 1990s, the DVLA began to capitalise on the enthusiasm for personalised plates by releasing a wide array of unused combinations to the public. It now maintains a bank of more than 60 million registrations.

Despite the boom, veteran collector and self-described “number plate nerd” Neal Bircher warns that not every combination will generate profit. Neal, who has been assembling plates for his entire adult life, has amassed around 220, most of which he is willing to sell. He points out that, while there was a spike in interest during the Covid-19 era—likely due to people having more disposable income and free time—profits are far from guaranteed.

“Plenty of people dabble, but it’s easy to be stuck with plates that don’t sell,” Bircher says. “I’d advise caution. There’s money to be made, but it’s not always straightforward.”

With the market continuing to thrive, personalised registrations remain both a sentimental purchase for some and a potentially lucrative investment for others—though success, as in any speculative market, is never certain.

Read more:
Personalised plate boom: drivers and investors snap up unique registrations

0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
ANDREW BATES: How Democrats can crush Republicans on the economy and win the midterms
next post
South Africa hits back at Trump’s claim that it is ‘confiscating land,’ as US aid to country threatened

You may also like

One in four Brits scammed buying tickets for...

April 7, 2025

P&O Ferries owner reports record-breaking profits after mass...

August 19, 2022

Nearly Half a Million UK Businesses Now Use...

January 6, 2023

Artificial Intelligence for Everyday Business

January 15, 2025

UK’s entrepreneurial ambitions stronger than ever as small...

June 9, 2023

Smart Buildings Made Simple: The Power of Building...

September 13, 2024

‘Realistic’ sellers cut house asking prices by £14,000

April 5, 2023

Bank of England cuts interest rates to 4.25%...

May 8, 2025

John Lewis golf club members make retailer sale...

March 14, 2023

Staff at nine train companies to stage 24-hour...

August 31, 2022

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free

    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • Friday Feature: Incubate Debate

      June 6, 2025
    • Risch urges ‘top to bottom’ USAID spending review after waste, fraud exposed

      June 6, 2025
    • Universities in Libertarian Land

      June 6, 2025
    • Elon Musk may speak to Trump aides in push to calm feud

      June 6, 2025
    • Everyone Talks About Leaving a Better Planet for Our Children: Why Don’t We Leave Better Children for Our Planet?

      June 6, 2025
    • MARK HALPERIN: Democrats try to construct a Frankenstein candidate while JD Vance gains momentum for 2028

      June 6, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (8,149)
    • Investing (2,013)
    • Politics (15,545)
    • Stocks (3,130)
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: futureretirementsuccess.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 futureretirementsuccess.com | All Rights Reserved