Make a statement with private number plates

Your car is an extension of your personality, it says a lot to the world about who you are, and what better way to make that statement than with private number plates? Private number plates are not only unique and make you stand out from the boring crowd with a normal car number plate, but they allow you to really make your personality shine through.

Private number plates are completely personalised to you, you just need to come to a company which can make number plates, like Pro Plates, and choose the ideal number plate to suit you. Tell the world what you love, what you hate, what drives you-you can express whatever you want!

Your new private number plate replaces the old car number plate on your car, but if you decide that you need a new motor then you can keep your private number plates and register them against your new car, no need to go out and make number plates again!

When you buy a private number plate, you should receive either a V750 certificate or V778 certificate of retention, these are important as they are the documents that let you assign your private number plate to the vehicle of your choice. You’ll need to pay a yearly renewal fee to keep the plate registered to you, even if it isn’t currently assigned to a car. You’ll also need to pay a fee to keep the original number plate of the car unassigned and available for you to reuse, assuming of course that you want to keep it!

There are a few rules you need to be aware of, you can’t use a private number plate that’s already in use by someone else, and some special plates are reserved by the DVLA and auctioned off. You can’t use private number plates to replace a car number plate which starts with Q or NIQ, and you can’t use a private number plate if it would give the impression of the car being newer than it actually is. For example, XX14LUV couldn’t be used on any vehicle made before 2014.

Most private number plates are the same style as a normal car number plate, either the old style of 1 letter, 1 to 3 numbers and 1 to 3 letters, or the current style of 2 letters, 2 numbers and 3 letters – just keep in mind the rules for the age of the car, and remember you can always use a plate which would make the car appear older.

The DVLA has some pretty strict rules for the appearance of your number plate (made of a reflective material, black letters on a white background for the front and yellow for the back, no patterned background, standard font) but you can tweak it a little bit more. A company that makes number plates can add 3D lettering to really make it pop, and you can add the GB/EU logo on the left hand side, or a national flag (Union Flag, the Cross of St George, the Scottish Saltire or the Red Dragon of Wales) and accompanying country designation, although please be aware that you still need a GB sticker as well if travelling abroad.