This easy to follow private number plates guide is written to help anyone who is thinking about adding the finishing touch to their car. Many people are too eager to secure their ideal private number plates and end up paying more money than is necessary.

Important Information to Consider Before Buying Private Number Plates

It is highly likely you will keep your private number plates for many years to come so it makes sense to choose wisely.

Follow these simple steps for a happy private number plates buying experience:

Rather than rushing into your purchase, why not take your time and carry out a bit of research first. The internet has lots of great information which is only a few clicks away. Take advantage of this wealth of knowledge which is available to you free of charge! There are millions of different combinations of private number plates available and by planning in advance you can buy a fantastic plate at the right price.

How Much should you Spend on Your Private Number Plates?

Set a realistic budget and be prepared to stick to it. The last thing you want to do is to buy private number plates and end up having to re-mortgage your house in order to pay for them. With prices starting at £255 you don’t have to break the bank to get what you want. At the end of the day, only you can decide what is the correct amount to spend. Your decision will based on circumstances which are very personal to you.

Don’t be Affraid to Haggle When Buying Private Number Plates

Shop around to get the best price. There are lots of dealers out there who would love to supply you with your new private number plates. Compare prices between the different dealers and don’t be afraid to haggle. It is not unusual for owners of private number plates to offer them for sale via several different dealers. Each of those cherished number dealers will have an opinion on the value of private number plates which is likely to differ slightly between dealer to dealer. Your aim is to find out which dealer is offering the private number plates you want to buy at the best price. Thanks to the internet your research can be done from the comfort of your own home.

Buy From a Reputable Private Number Plates Seller

You may wish to choose a private number plates supplier who has the backing of a reputable trade organisation. There are three main number plate dealer associations; The Association of Personalised Registration Traders (APRT), The Cherished Numbers Dealers Association (CNDA) & Members of the Institute of Registration Agents & Dealers (MIRAD). Have a read of the different websites of the associations to see what levels of professionalism you can expect to receive from their members. If you find a private number plates dealer who is not a member of any of the trade organisations, ask yourself why they would choose not to belong to at least one dealer association?

Have a look at these private number plates for sale from one of the UK’s leading and most trusted suppliers.

You Could Get a Bargain

Check the classifieds and the private ads. You may be able to find what you are looking for from a private seller without having to pay a dealers mark up. There is a very good Cherished Numbers section on Ebay and even your local newspaper may include private number plates for sale. Bear in mind that private sellers are not regulated and offer less protection that if you were to buy from a dealer who is a member of a trade association.

Protect Yourself

If you are going to be spending several thousand pounds when buying private number plates make sure you do it sensibly. Most credit card companies offer an inbuilt insurance for purchases made on card. For amounts over £10,000 you may want to consider using a solicitor or an escrow service. Unfortunately there are people who will happily take your money and then disappear into the sunset without giving you anything in return. This applies for lots of different products and services, not just private number plates. If you can meet the seller in person at the DVLA Local Office and complete the transaction the same day you will eliminate a lot of the risks that are attached to buying private number plates.

Don’t Alter the Appearance of Your Private Plates

Stay on the correct side of the law. If you have to misrepresent your private number plates for them to have the desired effect, then you might be better keeping your money in your pocket. You do not want to attract the wrong kind of attention from various law enforcement authorities. Expect to be fined by the police if you get caught displaying your private number plates illegally and understand you could also have your registration confiscated. In addition your car will fail the MOT test if your private number plates are not displayed as required by law.

Have I Mentioned My New Private Number Plates?

Share the good news. Remember to notify your motor insurance provider and tell any breakdown organisations that you belong to, that you have changed your registration number. It will probably be necessary for your motor insurer to reprint your insurance policy documents. Some motor insurers have now introduced a small charge for the re-issue of your insurance documents. You could have a fee of £15 to pay which is a small cost for the pleasure of driving about displaying your new private number plates.

We hope you have found this guide useful. This guide is for information only and as such the privatenumberplates4u website can not be held responsible for any actions you decide not to, or to take, or losses you may incur as a result of using this guide to private number plates.

Please ensure you fully understand the DVLA rules relating to number plates and the correct way to display them before buying your own private number plates.

We are going to publish a series of posts which look at the different ways people search for and buy private number plates. The purpose of the posts is to reveal the smart way to locate the private number plates you are looking to buy at the best possible price.

There is no doubt that the internet has changed the way we search for and buy certain products. Houses, concert tickets, flights, hotels, holidays and cars are now predominantly researched and purchased online. There are a number of tricks and tips which, if you aware of, can save you a lot of money.

The purpose of this article however is to show you how to search for and buy private number plates as cheaply as possible using a few insider tips. I have mentioned in other blog posts that it is often the case that you will see the same registration number being offered for sale in several different adverts or on various websites. How to buy at the lowest price depends on what type of car registration it is.

Brand New or Previously Unreleased Private Number Plates

If you are looking to buy a brand new private number plate which has never previously been released, it is highly likely that it is still in the hands of the DVLA. If you were not already aware, the government department responsible for keeping driver records and vehicle information in Great Britain also sells private number plates.

DVLA Personalised Registrations can sell you a never before issued registration for your vehicle. The only way to buy direct from the DVLA is via their website as DVLA Personalised Registrations no longer operates a telephone ordering service. It is a fairly straightforward process which results in you receiving a document in the post called a V750.

Do not waste your time shopping around for the best price from dealer to dealer for this type of registration. Go direct to the DVLA Personalised Registrations website and make your purchase. There is no service aspect to the transaction. You buy online and once you have the DVLA certificate you can apply to your local DVLA office to assign the registration to your vehicle. If you would rather pay someone to handle the transfer on your behalf, some dealers offer an assignment-only service for a small fee.

We will continue the theme of buying private number plates the smart way in the next blog post. Why not bookmark this site or add it to your favourites? Next we will investigate pre-owned or second hand private number plates and how to buy at the best possible price.

Private number plates have been around for more than a century. Just by looking at the number of vehicles on the road today which are displaying these attention-grabbing registrations, it is clear that the industry is still growing.  There are many reasons why drivers choose to pay vast sums of money for the right to have these unique registrations on their vehicles. For some it is for prestige, for others it is flamboyancy. Whatever your reasons for being here, welcome to this light-hearted look into the fantastic world of private number plates.

The History of Private Number Plates

Lots of people do not understand the history behind private number plates in Great Britain. As mentioned earlier, they have been seen on the country’s roads for more than a hundred years, beginning in the early 1900’s. Their appearance was due to the Motor Car Act of 1903, which stipulated that all vehicles must display their registration on a plate with alphanumeric characters.  At the time, every authority had its own set of letters, with London being given the single letter ‘A’. As the years progressed it became necessary to include more letters and numbers to make up the alphanumeric vehicle registration. As recently as 2001 the system was overhauled again so that the current versions of car registrations now have seven characters.

Reasons to Choose Private Number Plates

Private number plates are chosen for a number of different reasons; they represent different things to different people.  We have found, primarily, that drivers who choose them want to show off and be noticed. These drivers certainly do not want to blend in with everyone else and prefer to stand out from the crowd.  An often overlooked factor is that private number plates make excellent investments. They can stay with a family for many years, often passed down from generation to generation. History would suggest that money invested in private number plates is just as good (if not better) than money in the bank. There are many examples of private number plates which have changed hands for tens of thousands of pounds, netting their owners very handsome profits indeed.

Picking the Right Private Number Plates

As your private number plates will be seen by everyone you pass on the road, it is important to choose wisely. You need to feel comfortable with the statement that you are making via the letters and numbers on the front and rear of your car. You have probably guessed by now that private number plates are not recommended for shy, retiring individuals. By effectively broadcasting a funny word or statement via your car registration you will definitely draw attention to yourself. It is no good being conscious about your figure and having the number plate FAT 1Y on your car. The most sought after combination for many private number plates enthusiasts is their initials with the number ‘1’. Lord Sugar is probably one of the most well known private number plates owners with AMS 1 proudly presented on his Rolls Royce Phantom. If you are fortunate enough to be able to locate and purchase private number plates with your own name or initials with the number ‘1’, then it is definitely worth considering. The investment potential of these particular car registrations is astonishing. There have been some occasions when successful individuals have paid huge amounts of money to get the private number plates that they simply had to have.

Where to Find Private Number Plates

As the desire for private number plates continues to grow, so does the number of places to buy them. The internet has made searching for and buying them so much easier. You can search the market place from your home computer with just a few clicks of your mouse. It is typically the most efficient way to research your options when it comes to finding your private number plates because it takes less time and there is very little hassle involved. By choosing to deal with a professional private number plates dealer, buyers do not have to fill out any paperwork. The administration side of things, including the often complicated DVLA forms can all be completed on behalf of the buyer, which ensures that everything is done properly.

No matter what job, hobby, likes, or dislikes a motorist has, he or she should be able to find a multitude of suitable car registrations which match those interests.  Private number plates offer you the opportunity to be unique in a world that often seems to favour conformity.  They have a long, rich history and drivers have often used them to demonstrate their affluence or individuality and there is no reason not to jump on that bandwagon. You only live once, so they say, and as far as we know it is still not possible to take your money with you when you die. So if you have a secret desire to own private number plates why not take the plunge and make your purchase. If you manage to buy at the right price it is more appropriate to think of it as investing money rather than spending money. One thing is for sure, the demand for these prized assets is not going away. So even if you do go ahead and buy private number plates and then happen to have a change of heart at a later stage, there is sure to be someone out there who would love to handover their hard earned money and relieve you of your private number plates.