Search over 72 million private plates at New Reg — the UK's most trusted plate dealer since 1990 and the first company to sell registrations online in 1996. Plates from £69 with price match guarantee, 0% finance, and free DVLA transfer.
TIP: Try names, initials, words or a specific registration
Private plates — also known as personalised number plates, personalised registrations, cherished registrations, or DVLA registrations — allow you to choose the registration number displayed on your vehicle rather than accepting the one automatically assigned by the DVLA. They are one of the most popular ways to personalise a car in the UK, and over a million are bought and sold every year.
A private plate can spell a name, a word, your initials, your profession, or anything else meaningful to you. They range from budget current-style plates starting at £69 to investment-grade dateless combinations worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. Whatever your budget, New Reg has over 72 million personalised registrations to search.
Content by Jon Taylor, New Reg co-founder — 35 years in the number plate industry.
New Reg was established in 1990 and in 1996 became the first company in the UK to sell private plates online — before the DVLA, before Regtransfers, before anyone. Over 30 years later, we remain one of the most trusted names in the industry.
Every purchase comes with:
UK private plates fall into four main formats, each with distinct characteristics:
| Format | Years Issued | Example | Starting from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dateless (Cherished) | Pre-1963 | JON 1 |
£250 |
| Suffix | 1963–1983 | JON 1A |
£100 |
| Prefix | 1983–2001 | A1 JON |
£100 |
| Current Style | 2001–present | JO17 NNN |
£69 |
| Irish (NI) | 1903–present | GAZ 1 |
£69 |
Dateless plates are the most sought-after — they carry no year identifier and can be assigned to any vehicle regardless of age, making them ideal for hiding a car's age. They are also the most likely to appreciate in value over time.
Prefix and suffix plates are popular for personalisation because they place meaningful letter combinations prominently — three letters at the start of a prefix plate or three letters at the start of a suffix plate.
Current-style plates are the most affordable and the most recently issued by the DVLA. If your budget is tight, these offer the widest choice at the lowest price points.
Irish (NI) plates always contain an I or Z and carry no year identifier — making them another dateless option that can go on any UK vehicle. They are often available at lower prices than equivalent English dateless plates.
Enter a name, initials, word, or number into our search. We'll show you matching private plates sorted by price and relevance.
Select your preferred plate and complete the purchase. Pay in full by card or spread the cost with finance — instant online decision.
Our expert team manages the entire DVLA transfer process. We take care of all the paperwork — you just need your V5C.
Once the transfer is complete, your new registration is officially yours. Order matching acrylic plates and fit them to your vehicle.
Spread the cost of your private plate with 0% interest-free finance or longer-term options. No deposit required on selected registrations. Instant online decision.
Learn about financeYou can assign a private plate to any vehicle, with one important rule: you cannot make a vehicle appear younger than it actually is. This means the year identifier on a plate must not be newer than the vehicle's original registration date.
For example, a plate with a 2020 year identifier cannot be put on a car first registered in 2015. However, you can always go the other way — an older plate can go on a newer car. This is why dateless and Irish plates are so popular: with no year identifier, they can go on any vehicle of any age.
Your vehicle must be registered with the DVLA, currently taxed or SORN, and hold a valid MOT if it is over three years old. New Reg will guide you through all the requirements when you purchase.
The most desirable private plates — particularly short dateless combinations and those spelling common names or words — have a strong track record of holding and increasing their value. The supply of dateless plates is permanently fixed: no new ones can ever be issued. Plates like 25 O have sold for over £500,000, while iconic combinations like 1 A have changed hands for over £350,000.
Investment-grade plates tend to be those with very short combinations, single-digit numbers, popular three-letter sequences, or that spell something universally meaningful. As with any alternative investment, research matters — but the fundamentals of fixed supply and growing demand have historically worked in buyers' favour.
If you are considering a plate as an investment, our team can advise on current market values. Use our free valuation service to get an honest assessment of any registration you are considering buying or selling.
New Reg Limited are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (No. 626225).
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