Why are personalised number plates a good investment?

Whilst private number plates were once only seen on luxury cars owned by the rich and famous, they are now a popular way for car owners to personalise their own vehicles.

The benefit of investing in private number plates is that you get the enjoyment from having the registration displayed on any of your vehicles, with no expense to upkeep or maintain.

Whether you purchased a number 1 registration (1 ABC) or a 2x2 (12 AA) or a single number two letter (4 XT) all these private number plates have trebled in value over the last 5 years.

Car registration sales are currently at a record level with prices increasing month by month.

In fact, it has previously been reported that the British public owns a staggering £4.3 billion worth of private number plates and personalised plates are now taken into account as assets when bodies such as the Office for National Statistics calculate the UK’s national wealth.

Examples of number plates increasing in value

7 XG

Purchased in 2019 for £14,638. Today’s value is around £28,000

3000 JK

Purchased in 2019 for £2,700. Sold in 2022 for £6,250

B21 CKS

Purchased in Oct 2022 for £250. Sold in Dec 2022 for £4,180 (Plate means: Bricks)

111 APC

Purchased in Jun 2021 for £3,610. Sold in Oct 2022 for £8,500

1 MWH

Purchased in Feb 2005 for £14,000. Today’s value is £40,000 to £50,000

C45 POR

Purchased in Jan 2020 for £1,493. Sold in Jul 2020 for £6,000 (Plate means: Carrera 4 S Porsche)

6 MJB

Purchased in Oct 2000 for £6,100. Today’s value is £20,000 to £25,000

11 RLD

Purchased in Oct 2021 for £7,690. Sold in Jun 2022 for £10,800

F430 TOY

Purchased in Feb 2021 for £4,000. Sold in May 2021 for £7,000 (Plate means: Ferrari 430 Toy)

804 KEV

Purchased in Mar 2022 for £2,600. Sold in Jun 2022 for £4,280

25 LB

Purchased in Oct 2021 for £12,500. Sold in Jan 2022 for £17,500

9 J

Purchased in Jul 1995 for £8,100. Today’s value is £250,000 to £300,000

Choosing private plates which are a good investment

Many people assume that finding and buying private plates which will increase in value over time is both difficult and time consuming, but this isn’t the case.

With Right Reg you can simply check how much your number plate is worth and you can search our extensive database of private number plates in the UK. With so many options, the hardest part of the process can be deciding on the style you want but our experts will be able to share their knowledge and advice every step of the way.

Ordering a personalised number plate

Importantly any number plate purchased for investment purposes needs to be bought at a competitive price, this is where Right Reg can be of assistance to you. If you are interested in building up a private number plate portfolio, please contact us directly for a confidential discussion. We have a number of investment clients who have been very successful with the return on their outlay.

If you are considering purchasing cherished number plates as a form of investment, we are available to advise you which registrations would prove to be a worthy investment. There are so many pitfalls when buying a private number plate to resell that you must consider. We get calls from people regularly who have purchased completely the wrong sort of registration as an investment. This is where our years of experience are so important in deciding what to buy and at what price.

Tips for investing in number plates

Do your research

Doing your research is important and you need to consider which combinations will appeal to people and why. You can use our plate price checker to help you but picking number plates with popular names or funny words have become an increasingly safer bet as an investment rather than choosing cherished numbers which are personal to you.

Compare prices for personalised plates

Look around to see how much number plates cost and what you can expect to pay. By looking around different websites you can find some great deals so when you come to buy a personalised number plate, you will not be paying more than you should.

Buy direct to save

Buy your private plates directly using websites like us here at Right Reg as you will find more appealing plates and you can buy ones with a number and letter that you think will increase in value.

By buying from an expert website, you can benefit from their expert knowledge and will be able to find number plates that are much cheaper than you will find elsewhere.

Think long-term

Buying and selling number plates for profit is not always a quick buck. You may need to have your money invested in the plate for perhaps a year or two before finding the right buyer and selling it for a profit. You can also use any number plates you have bought as an investment on your own car, so you can enjoy it yourself.


Right Reg offer a full buying and selling service with complete confidentiality assured. If you would like to join our other successful investors, please contact us.