Luxury private number plates: how much can they cost?

In 2008, businessman Saeed Abdul Ghafour Khouri paid the equivalent of $14.3 million (USD) for a number plate with the single-digit “1”. However, private number plates do not have to cost millions. Many luxury plates are affordable, and with their ability to transform a car into something more unique than just a generic brand, it is no wonder that more and more people are starting to purchase one-off number plates. If you are considering getting a private plate, check out the following price range guide

The Lowest Costs of Luxury Number Plates

 In the UK, the most expensive number plate of all time was purchased in 2014 for £518,000 by a Bradford businessman. The plate, with the digits “25 O”, was bought to adorn the man’s Ferrari 250 GT. But UK based private plates can be purchased for as little as £150. Ones like “BV41 JON” and “BA52 SUE” can typically be bought for under £350.

 The Next Level

For more dynamic number plates like “SUE 555S” or “JON 313B”, where triple letters are at the beginning of the number plate and not at the end, you can typically find them for around £300 to £600. But the exact price will depend on the popularity of the precise triple letter combinations. These types of plates can be more personal as you can buy ones that signify a special meaning. For example, “SUE 555S” is ideal for someone whose name is Sue Smithers born in May 1955.

More Luxurious Number Plates

The next tier up from basic triple letter combinations is triple letter combinations with prefix year letters, like “F4 BOB”. Although some such plates with less interesting combinations of digits can sell for as little as £200, they generally cost a lot more. For a plate like “F4 BOB”, you could end up paying five figures. But for such a prestigious and unique digit combination, it can be more than worth the investment. Just imagine the heads that will turn as you drive through town. 

Almost the Top Range

If you want to upgrade your number plate’s distinctness even further, you can choose plates that do not contain any prefix year letters. Instead, they contain just a year number followed by three letters, such as “2 TOM” or “4 JAN”. Those types of car registration plates typically sell for thousands. Sought-after combinations of digits can reach up to £60,000.

The Rarest of the Rare

If you want to go beyond the last level, you could need to be a millionaire. But a five-figure sum could suffice. Double letter suffix combinations with one preceding number, such as “3 JB” or “2 LS” are perfect for people who want to display their initials or indicate another meaningful thing. Even more expensive than those types of digit combinations are plates that have single-letter prefixes, such as “B 55” or “M 12”. Such combinations can reach up to £500,000.