Number plates, love them or hate them it’s a requirement! The first number plate to be introduced in the UK was “A1” which was issued in London. “A1” was issued all the way back in 1903 as part of the Motor Car Act of 1903.
In the early 20th century, number plate prefixes where a whole lot different to what they are today. Instead of being longer like they are now (EX12MPL) they were simpler and started with a 1 or 2 letters, followed by a number between the 1-9999 range.
A good example of one of the first registration plates is “F1” – which was on sale in April 2018 for a whopping total of £14.4 million.
With the above information in mind, personalised number plates CAN cost a fortune BUT if you take your time and shop around you can still pick up bargain cherished number plates in the hundreds or small thousands.
Should I get a personalised number plate?
There’s a mixture of opinions when it comes to whether buying a private registration is a good idea. Both sides of the argument are interesting, so we have listed a few pro’s and cons of owning a personalised car registration below.
The pro’s
- Some personalised registration plates can look professional and smart – some businesses decide to use them in a way that stands out from others. For example, “CA11 OUT” which is currently used by a plumbing company and looks like “CALL OUT”.
- If you have an older car that’s in good condition a personalised plate can give off the appearance that your vehicle is newer, whilst the current prefix number plates give away the age of the vehicle, for example EX54 MPL … would be a 2004 vehicle (just an example).
The cons
- Some personalised reg plates can be offensive to other road users and there’s dedicated places on the web that sell rude and naughty registration plates.
- Personalised number plates can sometimes hold certain stereotypes and assumptions about their owners.
- Some people view personalised number plates as a waste of money or as low quality.
How to pick up a personalised number plate
Some people may assume that personalised reg plates can only be bought from private companies. This assumption would be wrong as you can pick up private reg plates from the DVLA as well.
DVLA number plates
A quick and easy way to get a private number plate, the prices start at only £250 for personalised number plates. To start just go to the website https://dvlaregistrations.dvla.gov.uk/ and enter a word of your choice. You will then be given results are based on your search.
Click4Reg
Click4Reg boast they are one of the largest personal number plate sellers in the United Kingdom. Just like the other websites they offer a simple search on their homepage.
Plates 4 Less
A quick and simple way to get a private number plate, just perform a search by going to the website – prices start in the hundreds and Plates 4 Less have an “Excellent” rating and over 11,000 reviews on TrustPilot.
National Numbers
National numbers sell private registration plates starting from £49 – Making a search is simple and they boast they have been trading since 1981.
Plate Hunter
Plate hunter offers a simple search on their website to find private registration plates, they also offer a price match guarantee that says they will not be beat on price.
The process of getting your new private plate
Step 1 – Buy a personalised plate from a reputable website, if in doubt – they don’t come more reputable than the DVLA so that’s always a great starting point.
Step 2 – Get your new registration assigned to your vehicle – For more information visit this gov.uk link.
Step 3 – Once step 2 is completed and you have assigned your new registration plate to your vehicle, Get your new registration plate made from a registered supplier.
Useful resources
Documents you need to get a number plate
Find your nearest registered number plate supplier
Thanks for reading!
If you have any comments or suggestions for this guide, then we would be more than happy to hear them. You can make a comment in the comments section below or contact us via email: enquiries@rapidcarcheck.co.uk
