News
Here you can stay up to date with the latest developments in the private number plate industry, including updates on private registrations, reg transfers and developments relating to the DVLA. We will also provide news updates on private plates that have made their way into the media spotlight.
Buying and selling number plates is a big business, with everyone keen to bag personalised plates with their name, birthday or a favourite phrase on them. In 2012 the UK's Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) raised a staggering £67 million through selling them, and the priciest ever to hit the market sold for a whopping £518,000. What did it read? "25 O".
Personalised registration plates aren't to everyone's taste - but it's not every day one gets banned for being offensive. That's what happened to Texas local Safer Hassan this April, when he fitted the private registration plate "370H55V" onto his sports car.
What's more, the state of Texas banned the registration plate for being offensive - but only if it is read upside down.
The Texas Department for Motor Vehicles (the state's equivalent of the DVLA) told Mr Hassan that he must change the private reg plate that is fitted to his red Lamborghini within 30 days to avoid causing offence to other motorists.
More than 20,000 people own personalised number plates in Texas alone, but the state says that the car is turning heads for all the wrong reasons. They say that when read upside down, Mr Hassan's personalised number plate reads 'A**hole', making it offensive to others and therefore against the rules.
The owner disagrees with that, saying to a local TV news station in the area, he said: "I had it for more than three years without any problem.
"People have no idea what that plate means. My closest friends don't even know."
In spite of his claims the state of Texas has revoked the license plate under local laws that state that a plate can be rescinded if it "evokes a response from other drivers passing that vehicle."
In this country you can find the numberplate "BRE 4ST" selling for more than £12,000, while "FR11 SKY" is on the market at a cool £15,500, suggesting British rules on rude personalised registration plates are slightly more relaxed. You can find a list of the words that ARE banned by the DVLA here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2514202/B4NN3D-DVLA-draw-list-X-rated-number-plates-censored-grounds-poor-taste.html
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