| Road vehicles in the UK use registration numbers to | | | | order with no specific format. For this reason vanity |
| act as a unique identifier for our vehicles. In the past | | | | plates can read pretty much anything however as with |
| number plates were issued by local councils however | | | | DVLA registrations, obscene and offensive words are |
| they are now handled by the DVLA. Since car | | | | banned. |
| registrations were introduced in 1903 the popularity of | | | | In the US vanity plates are hugely popular and can be |
| personalised number plates in the UK has increased | | | | spotted in every state. The list of personalised number |
| dramatically and many highly sought after registration | | | | plates on the roads in the US is endless and includes |
| numbers are changing hands for vast sums of money. | | | | countless classic examples such as FAST (assigned |
| Personalised plates are car registrations that read a | | | | to a 1986 Corvette Pace car), HI-TECH and SNKBITE |
| name or word specific to the owner or their vehicle. | | | | (spotted on a Dodge Viper). Many of the vanity plates |
| They are made up of letters and numbers and follow | | | | in the US are used for comedy value or to portray a |
| the legal formats of number plates set by the DVLA. | | | | certain image. FBI AGNT for example is not assigned |
| The most popular personalised number plates such as | | | | to a Federal agent's vehicle, it is misleadingly owned by |
| MOD 31S (Models) and RO 55 (Ross) read precisely | | | | an insurance agent working for Farm Bureau |
| what they are meant to say whilst certain less | | | | Insurance. |
| desirable ones require a few (illegal) tweaks. Name | | | | Australia is another country which has embraced the |
| plates are extremely rare so it is more common to | | | | use of vanity plates with each state administering their |
| see car registrations displaying the owner's initials. | | | | own personalised registrations. Many states charge an |
| There are many more initial number plates on the | | | | annual fee for the rights to these cherished marks and |
| market and they are often easier on the wallet when | | | | in Queensland the personalised number plate scheme |
| purchasing a personalised number plate. | | | | funds Road Safety activities throughout the state. |
| In the past personalised plates were associated with | | | | Recently there has been a growing call for the DVLA |
| the business elite and people wanting to show the | | | | to issue US style vanity plates in the UK however |
| world their success. In today's motoring world however | | | | there is a heated debate going on between the |
| personalised plates are bought by people from all | | | | government, police and number plate dealers over the |
| walks of life who want to add the finishing touch to | | | | implications that the introduction of vanity plates would |
| their vehicles or make their car stand out on the road. | | | | have. However as the current format of DVLA |
| Some personalised plates are bought as a present to | | | | number plates has the scope to last until the year |
| mark a special date or occasion whilst other people | | | | 2049 the introduction of vanity plates to the UK is |
| buy car registrations as an investment and sell them | | | | surely still a long way off and the popularity of |
| on for profit. Whatever the reason, it is clear on any | | | | personalised number plates will continue to grow. |
| journey that the popularity of personalised plates is | | | | Summary |
| growing all the time | | | | The popularity of personalised number plates has gone |
| In other places the popularity of such plates is just as | | | | through the roof with people from all backgrounds now |
| strong with many countries issuing what are known as | | | | owning their very own private registration. Other |
| vanity plates to personalise the nation's vehicles. Vanity | | | | countries such as the US issue vanity plates for |
| plates are similar to personalised number plates in that | | | | people looking to customise their vehicles and make |
| they are all unique and are specific to the owner or | | | | them stand out on the road. This article explores the |
| their vehicle. The main difference to personalised | | | | private registration phenomenon and explains the |
| plates however is that they are typically be made up | | | | difference between personalised plates and vanity |
| from 6 or 7 characters (letters and numbers) in any | | | | plates. |