The DVLA

DVLA, the licence agency

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, in Swansea, was established in 1973 to computerise the 15,000,000 driver and 13,000,000 vehicle records that were hitherto held on paper at 183 separate Local Authorities. Today, the Department holds the details of nearly 40,000,000 driver and 30,000,000 vehicle licences with this figure rising yearly.

About the Department of Transport

The Department of Transport started selling car number plates in the late 1980's. Now over 10 years later they have sold thousands of personalised number plates or private registration numbers worth over £50,000,000 to the treasury.
DoT sell previously un-issued numbers in three styles of plates: DVLA Select registrations (from £250), DVLA Custom marks (assorted low cost marks) and DVLA Classic marks (all sold by way of auction, priced from £1000 up to £200,000). All number plates released or issued by the DoT through the sale of marks scheme have never previously been issued and are held by the DoT as government stock. All prices are subject to vat and the £80 Department of Transport transfer fee.
Registration numbers purchased through DoT auctions will also be subject to an auctioneers premium of 7.25% or 7.50% of the hammer price. The highest bid yet was for K1 NGS, which made a total of £239,192. Others like P1 LOT made £66,000 on the hammer. MUS 1C £65,000. S1 NGH £86,000. 1 A £160,000. 1 J £60,000. All number plates are transferred through local vehicle registration offices & completed by DoT Swansea. A list of local DVLA vehicle registration offices is available.

DVLA clearly realise that personalised and attractive number plates have become a growth industry, with thousands of motorists now displaying registrations which perhaps represent their initials or advertise their business or profession. Others choose a number which bears an amusing message or simply to disguise the true age of their vehicle.

Unlike the DVLA, anyone who is not familiar with the system, or of buying, selling or valuing personalised registrations on the secondary market can face a number of pitfalls and difficulties.