8 quirky facts about personalised plates you didn't think you needed to know
DVLA is reminding people still looking for a gift for their loved one that it’s never too late to pick up the perfect personalised registration online.
Here are some interesting and strange facts about personalised plates you might not have known.
1. Last year over 600 people bought a personalised plate between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
90 of those purchased their personalised registration from DVLA on Christmas Day before 9am - talk about a last minute present...
2. The most expensive personalised registration went for £400,000
According to DVLA data† the most expensive car registrations sold in the UK as of July 2019 are:
- '25 O' for £400,000
- '1 D' for £285,000
- '51 NGH' for £201,000
- '1 RH' for £196,000
- 'K1 NGS' for £185,000
'KR15 HNA' which sold for £180,000 definitely deserves an honourable mention for creativity.
3. Some letter and number combinations are banned for being rude or inappropriate
There are many that we won't be repeating here, but some of the banned plates include: 'FA** RTY', 'BR18 ERY', 'RO18 BER', 'DR12UNK', 'LE61ESS' and unfortunately given the time of year 'JE55 US'.
4. 28% of UK motorists have named their car
According to the research by DVLA, ‘Doris’, ‘Dave’, ‘Henry’, ‘Betsy’ and ‘Bumble’ are all popular†. Out of these car-namers, 87% said they had bought a personalised registration to match the name they give to their car.
Best to make it official, right?
5. DVLA sold more than 32,000 personalised plates between 1 and 25 December 2018
The popularity of these plates seems to show no sign of slowing down, so you might want to grab a good one while you can!
6. Green plates for electric cars which could let them use bus lanes and park for free will be introduced
This government campaign aims to raise awareness of the increasing number of zero tailpipe emission vehicles on UK roads, help their drivers to benefit more easily from local incentives and encourage greater uptake of new vehicle technology.
Just how much these green plate benefits will be adopted by local councis remain to be seen, but you can't deny that these plates will definitely make you stand out!
- Electric car owners to be given green plates which could let them use bus lanes and park for free
- What you need to know about personalised car number plates
- What is car cloning? Buyers beware of this scam
7. 3 out of 4 motorists said they would prefer a registration that bears their own name
That means a personalised registration with the giftee's name in it may be the ideal present if you're struggling for a stocking-filler.
8. The top 3 search terms on the DVLA Personalised Registrations website are currently ‘Sam’, ‘Dan’ and ‘Tom’
No matter what a person is called they can search for their ideal personalised registration on the DVLA site.
DVLA Chief Executive Julie Lennard said:
“With millions of registrations available to suit all tastes, and with prices starting at £250, there’s still time to find that perfect present - even if it is on Christmas morning.”
Have you got the perfect personalised plate already? Or perhaps you've seen some wacky ones out on the road? Let us know either way in the comments below.
Cheaper than AA Price Promise^
- Roadside cover from £5.29 a month*
- We get to most breakdowns in 60 mins or less
- Our patrols fix 4/5 breakdowns on the spot
*At least 10% of new customers pay this for single-vehicle Roadside (Basic). ^T&Cs apply.
You might also like
What you need to know about personalised car number plates
Buying a number plate for the first time is an exciting prospect, but how do you go about it and what are the legal requirements? Read more here on RAC Drive.
What is car cloning? Buyers beware of this scam
Car cloning is a very real problem for UK drivers. But what is it and how you can prevent yourself from becoming a victim? Read the RAC's guide here.
What are Q-plates and can I insure a Q plate car?
Q-plates are more common than you’d think, but come with their own specific set of rules to ensure they can be driven safely the road.
Electric car owners to be given green plates which could let them use bus lanes and park for free
Green number plates for EVs to be introduced and drivers to benefit from local incentives such as free or cheaper parking and using bus lanes.
Video
11 ways to reduce your driving emissions
Reducing your emissions is good for the environment and will also offer better performance, increased fuel economy and be cheaper to run
Popular in News
1
Car buyers to save thousands as EV grant returns
2
Private parking companies issue a record 14.4m tickets to drivers in a single year
3
Drivers fined £1m from just 36 yellow box junctions in 2024
4
Road deaths on the rise in Great Britain
5
Private parking industry urged to publish ‘full and transparent’ complaints and appeals data
6
Drivers now able to search for new home that comes with EV chargers
7
Leicester’s Sean Kimberlin named as RAC Mobile Mechanic of the Year
8
Number of drivers caught using unroadworthy vehicles jumps by 52% in a year
9
Warning to drivers across the UK over fake parking apps
10