Guide - How much is my number plate worth?

We get asked this question so often, and it is a very good one, because putting a monetary value on a number plate can be very tricky, and as we all know a number plate is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

Did you know that around 6 out of 10 ‘normal’ vehicle registration marks have a value attached to them? You may not even be aware that the registration number on your car could be worth money.Even plain looking registration marks can have a significant value attached to them to different people for different reasons, even though they may look pretty boring to me or you.

When pricing your number plate, you need to decide whether you are looking for a quick sale, or whether you are willing to hold out for the right buyer. The first thing we would then recommend doing, is finding other, similar number plates for sale, and comparing yours to them, to get a base price to start from. We usually recommend starting your search at the DVLA registrations website, before checking with dealers, and on eBay.

We then recommend that you have a look at the number plates meaning. What does it represent? Is it something specific to you, or could it have a meaning to other people aswell? Is it a name, a word, or even a car make/model? The more popular the meaning of the plate, the more people will be willing to pay for it.

Does the plate need to be tampered with to make any sense? If the plate needs to be mis-spaced or needs cleverly placed screws to make any sense, then it is bound to be less desirable, and therefore have less value, than a similar plate that doesn't require any tampering.

Next you need to look at the number of characters that make up the plate, generally speaking, less is more here, so the shorter the plate, the more desirable it can be, however, do bear in mind there are exceptions to this rule.

Lastly, look at the style of the plate, there are 5 different styles in the UK, Current, Prefix, Suffix, Dateless and Irish plates, for more information and explanations of the different styles, see our number plate styles guide. Generally speaking, Irish plates are the cheapest, followed by Current style, then Prefix, Suffix, and lastly, Dateless registrations, however, as always, there are exceptions to the rule.

Hopefully this guide has given you some pointers, however, if you are still not sure, or want to have your number plate professionally valued, and have a valuation certificate to prove it, follow the link to number plate valuations and we will carry out a full valuation, and advise you of the sort of figure you can expect for your plate, as well as providing you with a valuation certificate to prove it!