Analysing the UK’s Private Plate Market Popularity
13th May 2026
We have analysed DVLA data to discover the huge scale of the UK’s private number plate market today.
Total market revenue for private plates throughout the UK reached approximately £289m in 2024/25, according to data from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
Obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, Stratstone has also found that the total number of personalised registrations sold by the DVLA is quickly closing in on 10 million plates.
Based on Worldometer's analysis of the latest United Nations data that the UK’s current population is nearly 70 million, that works out at around one plate for every seven people across the nation.
The most expensive private plates come in at six-figure prices too.
- What’s the Most Expensive Private Plate Sold in the UK?
- Growth Recorded Across Every UK Private Plate Market Channel
- Methodology
What’s the Most Expensive Private Plate Sold in the UK?
25 O is the most expensive reg plate sold at a DVLA auction, recording a hammer price of £400,000 in November 2014. That sum alone would almost be able to see you being able to afford two editions of the new Aston Martin DB12.
This plate sits more than £115,000 clear of the second most valuable private reg ever sold too – 1 D, which sold for £285,000 in March 2009.
Short private plates certainly do appear to fetch high asking prices, with KR15 HNA being the only plate in the top 20 highest value personalised registrations that’s set out like a standard registration. It still sold for a startling £180,000 in May 2015 though.
The fact that nine of the top 20 highest value personalised registrations were sold in the 2020s also suggests that there has been increased demand for premium private plates in recent years. However, take note that 1 A sold for £160,000 in December 1989.
This was the first year that DVLA auctions began and highlights that the market has been producing serious money from day one.
Using the DVLA’s online vehicle information tool, we can see that the UK’s most expensive private reg plates are currently placed on some of the country’s most luxurious and premium car brands as well. This includes vehicles from Audi, Bentley, Ferrari, and Land Rover, where data was available.
The full top 20 highest value personalised registrations are as follows:
| Reg Plate | Current Vehicle | Hammer Price | Date of Sale |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 O | Ferrari | £400,000 | 27th November 2014 |
| 1 D | Bentley | £285,000 | 25th March 2009 |
| DEV 1L | Audi | £240,010 | 7th December 2021 |
| IG 1 | Bentley | £222,000 | 18th July 2019 |
| 51 NGH | Not Found | £201,000 | 20th April 2006 |
| 1 RH | Not Found | £196,000 | 18th November 2008 |
| K1 NGS | Not Found | £185,000 | 22nd December 1993 |
| KR15 HNA | Not Found | £180,000 | 13th May 2015 |
| 1 O | Not Found | £170,000 | 30th January 2009 |
| 1 A | Not Found | £160,000 | 1st December 1989 |
| LSK 1 | Audi | £160,000 | 26th October 2021 |
| 15 LAM | Not Found | £156,010 | 20th January 2026 |
| 1 OO | Not Found | £156,000 | 20th April 2006 |
| 77 O | Not Found | £125,510 | 18th May 2021 |
| DSK 1 | Not Found | £120,010 | 14th September 2021 |
| 2 O | Bentley | £115,000 | 27th March 2009 |
| H1 NDU | Not Found | £112,010 | 1st August 2023 |
| 1 DEO | Land Rover | £106,090 | 1st August 2023 |
| 52 O | Not Found | £102,010 | 9th September 2025 |
| 6 B | Audi | £101,700 | 24th September 2008 |
Growth Recorded Across Every UK Private Plate Market Channel
Auction sales, fixed-price online sales, and plate transfer fees (this aspect being the application of moving a personalised plate between owners) made up the data received from the DVLA through our FOI request. Encouragingly for the private plate market, all three channels have recorded revenue increases throughout the past decade:
| Channel | 2015/16 Revenue | 2024/25 Revenue | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auctions | £24.7m | £44m | +78% |
| Fixed-price online Sales | £77.5m | £111m | +43% |
| Transfer fee stream | £94.8m | £133.6m | +41% |
A Stratstone spokesperson commented: “The data shows that the UK’s obsession with personalised plates is not just cultural – it’s a serious and growing market that’s quickly closing in on 10 million private plates.
“The buoyant secondary resale market also tells you that for many buyers, a personalised plate is an appreciating asset that’s as much an investment as it is a statement.”
Are you thinking about purchasing your own private reg plate but would like to also update your car to truly show it off? Check out our huge collection of expert buying guides for top tips on finding a vehicle that will suit your tastes and your lifestyle if you know what you are looking for browse our range of new and used cars.
Don’t forget that we’re happy to buy your car with its cherished number plate still on too. Chances are that you will want to keep your private reg though. It’s easy to reassign the plate to another car or put it on retention by visiting the DVLA website, fortunately, but just make sure you do this prior to selling your car to us.
Methodology
- Data was obtained via a Freedom of Information request to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), reference FOIR13160, responded to on 13th March 2026.
- All auction figures represent hammer prices only and exclude buyer's fees and VAT, which the DVLA does not hold separately. • Revenue data covers three streams: auction sales, fixed price online sales, and cherished transfer and assignment fees.
- 2025/26 figures cover 1st April 2025 to 31st January 2026 only (10 months).
