New Registration number

abc123456

I intend to buy a brand new car.

Can I request a particular registration number for this year? It would just be a standard number with 2 particular prefixes, the year, and 3 particular initials. (ie something like (but not the same as)
AB15 CDE)

Would the dealer request this?, and can they request something similar, ie a new reg with the 3 particular initials, if the one I am hoping to get, is unavailable.

Basically, can we request? ( I am referring to a standard reg)

Norman_Castle

All numbers are standard. If you want to choose your own its likely you will have to buy and transfer it, assuming its available.

MX5huggy

No not from the dealer in my experience the dealer will have a limited list that they may let you choose from and they will all be similar ie AB15 CDE AB15 CDF etc. The first 2 letter will all be the same as that is tells you which DVLA office has issued the reg and the numbers will be the current numbers.

You can buy a reg from the DVLA for not alot (£250) if you arn't too fussy. You can have a plate that makes your car look older than it is but not visa versa.

http://dvlaregistrations.direct.gov.uk/

Car_54

Go to https://www.gov.uk/buy-a-personalised-registration-number

Iceweasel

As you live in Scotland all the plates available for dealers to fit to new vehicles start with an S - just as in Wales (Cymru) they start with a C.

Glasgow issues SA through to SJ
Edinburgh issues from SK through to SO
Dundee issues SP, SR, SS and ST
Aberdeen issues SU, SV and SW
Inverness issues SX and SY

If you don't like what is issued in your locality you'll have to buy a plate from elsewhere, and swap it over.

Of course what is possibly going to happen to Scottish plates if/when Scotland gives other parts of the present UK their independance is anyone's guess.

I just hope that I don't have to give up my Northern Ireland dateless plates, and have to re-register with a new Scottish system.

force_ten

you will basicly get what you are given when you buy a car and you cant as you suggest request a specific plate

you will however be able to buy the plate that you want dvlaregistrations.direct.gov.uk/search/

have a look at that site to see if the plate you want is available and if it is purchase it and then get the dealer to assign it to your new car when they register it

Richard53

I have bought a new car just twice in my life. Both times, the dealer was able to offer me a choice from three or four that he had been allocated, and I just chose the one that seemed the 'nicest' combination.


As others have said, there is the option to purchase a specific number, but I think the DVLA only hold back numbers that are likely to be in demand (JE51CAS was one I heard of, and it was always the 1-20 numbers under the old A123ABC system), and the vast majority will be allocated to dealerships. I doubt if you could get a number once it has been allocated. Computer says no, type of thing.

force_ten

Richard53 wrote: »

I have bought a new car just twice in my life. Both times, the dealer was able to offer me a choice from three or four that he had been allocated, and I just chose the one that seemed the 'nicest' combination.


As others have said, there is the option to purchase a specific number, but I think the DVLA only hold back numbers that are likely to be in demand (JE51CAS was one I heard of, and it was always the 1-20 numbers under the old A123ABC system), and the vast majority will be allocated to dealerships. I doubt if you could get a number once it has been allocated. Computer says no, type of thing.

if the plate has not been allocated to a vehicle the DVLA will sell it to you as an example HB64 KFB is for sale at £399.00

Iceweasel

There are loads of plates for sale on eBay starting from £19.99 - buy it now.

Of course you also have to pay the £80 fee to DVLA to transfer it onto your vehicle.

Richard53

Richard53 wrote: »

but I think the DVLA only hold back numbers that are likely to be in demand (JE51CAS was one I heard of, and it was always the 1-20 numbers under the old A123ABC system)

force_ten wrote: »

if the plate has not been allocated to a vehicle the DVLA will sell it to you as an example HB64 KFB is for sale at £399.00

Sure. I was talking about DVLA holding back from issuing certain numbers once they got the idea that people would pay money to have something a bit different or personal. There are lots of A1ABC type numbers on the usual websites because these were held back in a block at the time of issue. That's not the same as a random number simply not being allocated and later offered for sale.


As an aside, who would pay £400 for HB64KFB, apart from Heston Blumenthal, born in 1964, owner of Kentucky Fried Baboon? And don't get me going on the advert I saw in a classic car mag this week, which was offering SM14 RTS - "it actually spells the name Smarts!"


Er, no it doesn't.

AdrianC

Given that there are no DVLA local offices any more, the local mnemonic letter is much more arbitrary than it was, but is still almost certainly allocated geographically to the dealers.

As has been said, if you want anything else, that's what DVLA's "Select" is for.