Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

F1 or KR15HNA? Steep price tags put brakes on custom plates

Both male and female south Asians are paying thousands of pounds for a unique number plate which resembles their name

F1 or KR15HNA? Steep price tags put brakes on custom plates

For motorists wanting to put “Singh” or “Krishna” on a personalised number-plate, the price tag could put the brakes on such ambitions.

The most expensive registrations sold at auction were revealed by the government’s Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). And “51 NGH” made the top 10 after being bought for £201,000 while “KR15 HNA” was sold for £180,000.


Popular plates include “IMMY” for people named Imran which is estimated to be worth £4,000, while “ABU IM” sold for £4020 last year and “2M0” went for £6000.

The most expensive ever sold is “25 O” for £400,000, which is sought after because many classic car models have 250 including Ferrari, followed by 1 D which went under the hammer for £285,000. The DVLA holds nine auctions per financial year, when some of the more sought after number plates are auctioned and the next one is in June.

The organisation, responsible for maintaining a database of drivers and vehicles in Britain, told Eastern Eye: “Many people enjoy displaying a personalised registration and there are millions of registrations available on our website, dvlaregistrations.dvla.gov.uk with almost endless possibilities of combinations to suit a person’s taste, interest and budget with prices starting at just £250.

“The vast majority of personalised registrations are made available for sale, but the agency holds back any combinations that may cause offence, embarrassment or are in poor taste. DVLA currently hold nine auctions a year. Of the nine auctions scheduled for the 2023-2024 financial year, seven will be timed online auctions, with two being held in a venue in June and October.”

The money raised through the sale of registrations is passed to HM Treasury with a proportion of the revenue retained by the Department for Transport.  And the market has become popular among British Asian collectors.

Businessman Afzal Kahn, from Bradford, bought the F1 plate in 2008 for £440,625 and put it on his Bugatti Veyron supercar.

Kahn, who owns a car manufacturing firm and has 213,000 Instagram followers, turned down an offer of £6 million for his registration plate in 2013.

Soneya Dawett, from Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, was given the personalised plate “D4 WTT” by her husband Ricky in 2006 when she was pregnant with their first child Rehya.

Her husband was inspired into buying the plate as his father Baldir has the number “D4W ETT” on his Bentley purchased for £5,000 in 1996.

Kamran Uddin, a tech writer, said other common personalised number plates contain the names Muhammad or Ayesha.

He told Eastern Eye: “I am seeing a lot more private number plates on the roads and many of these appear to be owned by young south Asians in their 20s.

“Personally, I’m not itching to get one for my car but both male and female south Asians are paying thousands of pounds for a unique number plate which resembles their name. Typically they would need to have a nice car in order to show it off with a private plate,” he said.

“For some younger people it’s a status symbol and for the older generation it’s more of an investment for their children perhaps, which they can sell off for a higher price in a few years.”

Hugo Griffiths, from online marketplate carwow, said personalised number plates are a huge business, “bringing in £2 billion for the Treasury since the DVLA started selling them in 1989, with around 400,000 cherished plates sold each year.”

He added: “Even for those not interested in personalised registrations, changing your car during the March and September plate change months can be a wise idea, both for people wanting to have the latest reg, and for bargain hunters who could get a good deal on a car with the previous registration.”

The world record is around £100 million, which was paid by a buyer in Abu Dhabi for the number “1”.

In the US, the official record for the most expensive registration plate is around £500,000 for the number “6” which was sold in Delaware. The new “23” number plate was used for vehicles registered in the UK from the beginning of March 2023.  Elsewhere, senior members from the DVLA have a bi-annual meeting at their base in Swansea to choose personalised plates it wants to remove from sale for being too offensive.  This year, D23 UGY, EU23 OFF and UA23 ASE have all been pulled from availability.

More For You

UK defends France migrant returns deal after court blocks first removal

Police officers stand guard between an anti fascist group and Tommy Robinson supporters during an anti-immigration rally organised by British anti-immigration activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, in London, Britain, September 13, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy

UK defends France migrant returns deal after court blocks first removal

THE British government has defended its new migrant returns deal with France after a High Court ruling temporarily blocked the deportation of an Eritrean asylum seeker, marking an early legal setback to the scheme.

The 25-year-old man, who arrived in Britain on a small boat from France on August 12, was due to be placed on an Air France flight from Heathrow to Paris on Wednesday (17) morning. But on Tuesday (16), Judge Clive Sheldon granted an interim injunction, saying there was a “serious issue to be tried” over his claim to be a victim of trafficking.

Keep ReadingShow less
Asian surgeon sentenced to six years for sexual assault

Dr Amal Bose. (Photo: Lancashire Police)

Asian surgeon sentenced to six years for sexual assault

AN ASIAN senior heart surgeon, who abused his position to sexually assault female members of staff, has been jailed for six years.

Dr Amal Bose, from Lancaster, was convicted of 12 counts of sexual assault against five colleagues at Blackpool Victoria Hospital between 2017 and 2022. He was cleared of two other charges.

Keep ReadingShow less
Modi & Trump

Donald Trump and Narendra Modi shake hands as they attend a joint press conference at the White House on February 13, 2025.

Reuters

Trump greets Modi on 75th birthday, trade talks continue in Delhi

Highlights:

  • Both leaders reaffirm commitment to India-US partnership
  • Trade talks resume in New Delhi amid tariff tensions
  • India defends purchase of discounted Russian oil

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump on Tuesday called Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and greeted him ahead of his 75th birthday. The phone call sparked hopes of a reset in India-US ties, which had been under strain after Washington doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent.

Keep ReadingShow less
uk weather

Forecasters say 30–40mm of rain is likely to fall widely

iStock

Met Office issues yellow weather warnings as heavy rain threatens flooding in 15 UK areas

Highlights:

  • Two yellow weather warnings issued for parts of Wales and the Midlands
  • Up to 70mm of rain expected, bringing risk of flooding, power cuts and travel delays
  • Flood alerts in place for rivers in Cumbria, Devon, Cornwall and Carmarthenshire
  • Residents advised to prepare emergency kits and stay updated with forecasts

Heavy rainfall set to cause disruption

The Met Office has issued two yellow weather warnings covering parts of Wales and the Midlands today, with forecasters warning of potential flooding, travel disruption and power cuts. Between 6am and 11am, persistent downpours are expected to sweep eastwards, bringing nearly a month’s worth of rain in just a few hours.

Areas under warning

South and southwest Wales are expected to be worst affected, with Ceredigion, Conwy, Gwynedd and Powys in the Midlands also on alert. In Wales, warnings apply to Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea and the Vale of Glamorgan.

Keep ReadingShow less
​Donald Trump and Melania Trump

Donald Trump and Melania Trump exit Air Force One after arriving at London Stansted Airport for a state visit on September 16, 2025 in Stansted, Essex.

Getty Images

UK rolls out royal welcome as Trump begins second state visit

Highlights:

  • Trump begins his second state visit to the UK with a royal welcome at Windsor Castle
  • Prince William, Catherine, King Charles and Queen Camilla take part in ceremony
  • State banquet and trade talks with prime minister Keir Starmer scheduled
  • Protests and security operation mark visit amid political challenges

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump began his unprecedented second state visit to Britain on Wednesday with a lavish welcome from King Charles and the royal family at Windsor Castle.

Keep ReadingShow less