What are Personalised Number Plates?

Personalised Number Plates are number plates that have been bought by the vehicle owner for their vehicle. They are not the standard issued numbers plates that vehicle would have been given by the DVLA, the owner would have paid extra for them. In the United Kingdom, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) issue number plates. They will not approve personalised registrations if they contain words, which are offensive in any widely used language.   There are four main types of Personalised Number Plates available:

• Dateless Registrations, e.g. 20 PXX
• Prefix Registrations, e.g. T121 BMW
• Current Style Registrations, e.g. DO57 COW
• Irish Registrations, e.g. JHZ 1

Some plates only acquire significance because of particular owners. For example, "COM 1C" was formerly owned by the comedian Jimmy Tarbuck, magician Paul Daniels had "MAG1C", the 1967 plate "BEL 12E" is owned by the Belize High Commission, and "CHN 1" is owned by the Chinese embassy. VIP 1" was advertised "as one of the most important and impressive number plates ever issued". It is a registration issued in the Republic of Ireland for the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1984. The plate was used on his "Popemobile". Personalised Number Plates have become increasingly popular for motorists who want to stand out from their fellow road users.