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Number plates and
personalised number plates
Owning your own
personalised number plate is fun and can also be a
useful investment as number plates do appreciate in
value. Whether you buy your private number plate for
yourself, with your name or initials, or maybe with your
Company name or business description, your vehicle will
stand out from all the others without personalised number
plates.
People of all types and backgrounds are
becoming aware of the joys and benefits of owing their own
personalised number plate. However, private number plates
have not always been so affordable and were once exclusively
for the rich and famous. Traditionally private number plates
were found only on luxury cars, now many people buy marks
that bear their name, initials or car make. As a general
rule, the shorter and more distinctive a car number plate is
the more valuable it is likely to be. |
Is
your Car Number Plate Compliant?
A number of laws, including rules
about typefaces and 'GB' number plates, came into force
with the introduction of the new car number plate
system. The main ones are:
 | all new number plates must
display the new mandatory font |
| existing number plates need
not be changed provided the font used is
substantially the same as the new one |
| number plates must be
replaced if they have been customised with stylised
letters and figures, such as italics, or with number
plate fixing bolts that alter the appearance of the
letters or numbers. Failure to replace such number
plates may result in keepers risking prosecution
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| the symbol of the European
Union (circle of 12 stars on a blue background)
combined with the national identifier 'GB' is the
only symbol permitted on UK number plates. Vehicles
with a Euro-plate no longer have to use the
traditional oval-shaped national identifier sticker
when travelling within the EU |
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| Car registrations
were first made compulsory in 1903 when the Motor Car Act
was introduced. There have been 3 different registration
plate number formats: suffix registration numbers, prefix
registration numbers and the current or new style
registration numbers. Suffix number plates began being
issued in 1963 and ran until 1983. The format displayed
three letters, up to three numbers and then an age
identifier letter for example ABC 321A. Prefix car
registration numbers were released when the suffix series
was exhausted and reversed the format by putting an age
identifying letter at the beginning of the registration
plate. This was followed by up to three numbers and then
three letters for example A321 ABC). I, U, Z, Q and O
registrations were never issued for either the suffix or
prefix series.
Our current style of DVLA number plates were
first issued in 2001. These registration numbers display the
format of two letters, two numbers followed by three
letters. The numbers give an estimate of the age that the
vehicle was first registered and the first two letters
related to the area where the vehicle was first registered.
An example of a current style DVLA number plate is NE02 ABC.
Unlike your car, the value of your
private registration plate does not go down, it doesn't
require any maintenance, lasts a lifetime, can be a family
heirloom and is totally unique.
Search for personalised number plates
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