How much is my number plate worth?

How do I decide how much my personal number plate is worth?

We get asked this question so many times. And it’s a very good question.		How much is my number plate worth?
There are lots of factors which, added together, make some registration numbers more desirable than others. We’ve put together some of the main things that affect the value of your number plate.		How much is my number plate worth?
		Request a free number plate valuation
The less you have to ‘squint’ to ‘see’ the word, the more your number plate is worth!!

You should do some homework, and compare your number plate with other similar ones available.		Like independent advice on how much you should sell your number plate for? How does it work anyway? Did you know...? Sell your number plate privately, for a better price!

Remember that when you sell your registration number privately you should price it competitively against any dealer prices on similar registrations.

It’s acceptable to replace some letters and numbers on registration plates, to make a name. For instance the letter A can be replaced by the number 4.

Let's talk about the main things you need to think about....

Name Number Plates

If your registration number is a good representation of a first name or surname, these can be highly desirable. There are many more numberplates which contain shortened versions of names (for example BOB, SUE, DEN).

As a rule of thumb, the value depends how many variations of registrations are available to create that name, and whether the registration mark you have is a current style, prefix, suffix, or dateless registration. See number plate styles for more information.

Here are some examples of name number plates:

Some number plate variations for the name SARAH:

Suffix style number plate
Prefix style number plate
Prefix style number plate
Dateless style number plate
Current style number plate

Word number plates

Registration numbers which make a good word are also very popular. These can be words related to power and speed, hobbies, jobs, animals, and so many more themes. See our personal number plate themes for more ideas.

Words such as BOSS, TOY, BOY, SEXY are particularly popular words for personalised registrations.

Look at how good a match the number plate is for the word you are trying to create.

Here are some examples of word number plates:

Car model number plates

These are very popular. The value of your plate will depend on how many other similar number plates are available, whether the registration mark you have is a current style, prefix, suffix, or dateless registration. See number plate styles for more information.

We’ve got some examples here to give you an idea. You will also find more if you look at plate themes.

Your Initials on a number plate

By far the most common are a person’s initials on a personalised number plate. This is mainly because this gives the most choice. Prices can still vary widely as many other factors come into play.

Number plate style

These are current style, prefix, suffix, dateless and Irish registrations. You will find more information about each of these number plate types in number plate styles.

New (sometimes referred to as Current) Style registrations were first issued in September 2001. They start with 2 letters, then 2 digits (which identify when the car was first registered), and then 3 more letters.

Here's an example

Current style registration numbers are still readily available, so generally don’t attract high prices, particularly if the last 3 letters are straightforward initials. As well as availabilty, they are too new for the many older vehicles still on the road.

There are exceptions to this, where the registration number is a good word or name.

Most popular are usually registrations which start with letters such as MR, MS, MY, OO, OH, etc.

Prefix Style registrations were issued between 1^st August 1983 and 31^st August 2001. They start with a single (prefix) letter, followed by up to 3 numbers, then another 3 letters. The first letter indicates the year registration was first issued.

For example

Prefix style number plates are by far the most readily available. Earlier prefixes and low digits are becoming more difficult to obtain, so they attract a better price.

Suffix style registrations were issued between 1^st February 1963 and 31^st July 1983. They start with 3 letters, followed by up to 3 numbers, then 1 last (suffix) letter.The last letter indicates the date the registration was first issued.

For example

These generally attract a higher price than a similar Prefix style registrations as they are less readily available.

Dateless registration numbers are the most sought after because they do not have a year identifier. Before 1963, registration numbers were allocated differently. The year of issue was not identified as it is now. They were simply allocated as they were needed.

These are made up of up to 3 letters and up to 4 digits. This can be a number of digits followed by letters, or vice versa. These are not the same as Irish Registrations.

Here are some examples:

As these don’t have a year identifier, they are a good way of disguising the age of your car.

The price for this type of registration can vary widely depending on the other factors (see below).

Irish Registrations follow the format of letters, followed by 1, 2, 3 or 4 digits or vice versa. Choices are more limited as the letters will contain either an I or a Z.

Like dateless registrations, Irish registrations do not contain a year identifier. They are usually a less expensive way of disguising the age of your car. These can cost less than £100.

Here are some examples

However, those that form a name (such as GIL) or relate to a car (such as MAZ for Mazda) will be more expensive. The price will vary, depending on the digits.

Here are some examples

How many letters?

Dateless registrations can have 1, 2 or 3 letters. 1 letter will command a higher price than 2, or 3 letters. Single letter registration numbers were among the first to be issued in the early 1900’s.

For instance: D 23, DSG 23.

Other number plate styles have 3 letters.

How popular are the letters?

Some combinations of letters are more likely to match a person’s initials. For instance, there are more people with the initials RS than FE. Similarly, MJS is more common than EOC.

How rare are the letters?

Some combinations of letters are more common than others because they were, effectively, released twice. When registrations were first issued 1903, they were a combination of letters followed by numbers. In later years this was reversed, i.e. numbers followed by letters. However, some combinations of letters were never released when the letters and numbers were reversed.

How many digits?

Dateless registrations can have up to 4 digits. Naturally, 1 or 2 digits are more rare, and more sought after. This increases their price. 3 or 4 digits will attract a lower price.

How popular are the digits?

Some digits are more desirable than others. The number 1 is extremely popular. Low numbers are generally more desirable. Other special numbers would be 11 or 13. Also repeated numbers such as 66 or 333, or consecutive numbers such as 321.

Disclaimer

This information is for your guidance only. It is not intended as a definitive guide or a formal contract.Registration numbers are for illustration purposes only.
They do not represent any registrations for sale. Nor do we suggest that they were issued.