There are many factors that, added together, make some registrations more sought after than others. The final value very much depends on the number and availability of letters, and the number of digits. And of course, whether the registration makes a name or word.

We've put together some information below, to help you plan your budget.

Dateless registrations were issued before 1963, and they don't contain a year identifier. These can have up to 4 digits and up to 3 letters. The format is a number of digits followed by letters, or vice versa. These are not to be confused with Irish Registrations, which also do not contain a year identifier.

Here are some examples:

As these don't have a year identifier, they are a good way of disguising the age of your car. The price for this type of registration can vary widely. The value depends on a combination of things:

How many letters? 3 letters Generally, these are the least expensive. Prices can start from around £800.   2 letters These can be significantly more expensive, starting around £1500.   1 letter These are the most expensive. Occasionally these can be found at around £1500. Most, however, will cost several thousand pounds.

How popular are the letters? Some combinations of letters are more likely to match a person's initials. For instance, there are more people with the initials RS than FE. Similarly, MJS is more common than EOC.

How rare are the letters? Some combinations of letters are more common than others because they were, effectively, released twice. When registrations were first issued 1903, they were a combination of letters followed by numbers. In later years this was reversed, i.e. numbers followed by letters. However, some combinations of letters were never released when the letters and numbers were reversed.

How many digits? Dateless registrations can have up to 4 digits. Naturally, 1 or 2 digits are more rare which makes them significantly more expensive. 3 or 4 digits will be less expensive.

How popular are the digits? Some digits are more desirable. The number 1 is extremely popular. Low numbers are generally more desirable. Other special numbers would be 11 or 13. Also repeated numbers such as 66 or 333, or consecutive numbers such as 321

Irish registrations follow the format of letters, followed by 1, 2, 3 or 4 digits or vice versa. Choices are more limited as the letters will contain either an I or a Z.

Irish registrations do not contain a year identifier, and are usually a less expensive way of disguising the age of your car. These can cost less than £100.
However, those that form a name (such as GIL) or relate to a car (such as MAZ for Mazda) will be more expensive. The price will vary, depending on the digits.

Here are some examples:

Does the registration spell a forename or surname?
Numbers can replace some letters, to create a forename or surname.
Click Here for a list of letters which can be replaced by numbers.

Here are some examples:

ANNE
LESLEY
GIBSON

These types of registrations are likely to cost several £1000s. The price depends on how closely the registration matches the name you are trying to create.

Does the registration relate to a car, such as 911 or V6?

Here are some examples:

Porsche 911		This dateless registration is highly desirable, will be several £1000s
Mazda		This is an Irish registration, and there are many MAZ plates available. They also have a wide appeal. Prices can start from around £700.
VW Beetle		These are popular, and the low number will increase the value. You may find something similar starting from £1000.

Prices for car related registrations vary widely depending on:

How closely the number matches the car model and
How many are available

There are many other options. Take a look at Need some Ideas? for more ideas for your special registration.