subject: Private Number Plates [print this page] Private Number Plates Private Number Plates
Private number plates have always been popular with the discerning motorist. They provide a certain bespoke flair, being the automotive equivalent of a tailor-made suit from Saville Row or one-off piece of jewellery from Hatton Garden.
This popularity is ever increasing. Personalised registration plates can be seen on the cars of drivers of all ages and from all backgrounds. These unique marks of distinction are no longer the preserve of the super-rich and cheap private number plates can be acquired for relatively small sums of money. Standing out from the crowd has never been so easy or so affordable.
It all began back in 1903 with the introduction of the Motor Car Act. This act stated that any motorised vehicle must be given a registration mark to be taken onto the public roads. One of the first number plates in Britain was registered to one Earl Russell who acquired the now feted 'A1'. Incidentally, there had been an earlier plan that, in the manner of boats, all motor vehicles should be given an identifying name rather than a number. Just imagine how much originality it would take to come up with a unique name on the overcrowded roads of today.
If 'A1' were to come onto the current market it would be widely expected to achieve in excess of 1 million. The current record for the highest figure achieved for a private number plate is a mind-boggling 330,000. This was paid for 'M1', which was sold at auction in June 2006. The rumour is that the man who bought this plate did so for his son who was at the time, and still is, too young to drive.
There are some important considerations to bear in mind when looking to acquire a private number plate. Firstly, in addition to the price of the plate, you must also pay an 80 transfer fee, which is levied by the DVLA. Secondly, you need to consider that new number plates are brought out each year and that it is illegal to use a private number plate that is newer than the vehicle it is attached to. To put it another way, you cannot make a car appear newer than it actually is. Making a car look older is, of course, no problem at all. This is something that you need to check out but, even with these caveats in place, it is still true that there is an amazing array of private number plates to chose from.
As well as using private number plates to add a touch of class and an element of uniqueness to your vehicle, many people see them as investments. In addition to buying a number from a dealer, it is also possible to use the dealer to sell a number on. Very much unlike the vehicles they are attached to, private number plates generally increase in value.
In an uncertain economic climate, it is true that people will always want to stand out and, for many drivers, private number plates are this season's (and every season's) must have!
