Personalised Plates: The New Valentine’s Day Favourite

09 Feb 2024

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, the pressure to find a gift that truly resonates can be overwhelming. Plates4Less emerges as a saviour for those seeking a distinctive and lasting gift option.

The trend of gifting private number plates is gaining momentum, with Plates4Less reporting that private plates constitute around 40% of their gift sales, predominantly for partners. These plates are becoming favoured choices for marking significant occasions such as anniversaries, birthdays, and Valentine’s Day.

The task of selecting, buying, and assigning a private plate might appear complicated at first. To simplify this, Plates4Less has put together the Plates4Gifts Guide, which breaks down the process into manageable steps.

The Allure of Private Number Plates

Known also as private registration marks, private number plates are lifelong gifts that offer a personal touch to a vehicle and can be considered as investments.

The Growing Trend for Private Plates

“We’ve seen a big increase in the demand for private plates over the last five years with a 30% increase in marketwide activity since 2017,” explained Antony Clark, number plate expert and Marketing Manager at Plates4Less.

With Valentine’s Day on the way, he’s shared some insights into the industry. He said: “Since cars are more expensive than ever but also more reliable and comfortable, it seems that some people prefer to purchase a new plate, rather than change their vehicle.

“People also enjoy private plates because they are personal and unique, so they can make their mass-produced vehicle more individual and special to them.”

Tips for Choosing the Perfect Plate

There are a few tried-and-tested insider methods that the Plates4Less team uses to find the perfect number plate. Starting with personal attributes like the recipient’s name, initials or a hobby, is always a good idea..

Once you’ve got the basic idea, you can add in fillers like significant dates or initials!

Things like K155, XXX, XOX, LUV, HOT, 69, TNT, WOW, SX51 or MI55 are cute, romantic and even raunchy, so they help complete the plate!

You can find many tips for gifting in the Plates4Gifts Hub Search Guide, but finding a good partner plate is pretty simple.

Designing Partner Plates

Plates4Less has identified “Partner Plates” as those that feature the names or initials of two people along with a significant number. Here are some recommended formats that meet government standards:

Your initials + 04 + Partner’s Initials
Your initials + significant number* + Partner’s 3 initials
First Initial + significant number* + 3-letter Abbreviated Surname
Marriage Month Letter + Day + 3 initials
MI55/ MR MR51 + Initials/ 3-letter name/ 3-letter Abbreviated Surname

*Significant numbers can be anything meaningful to the individual, enhancing the plate’s personal value.

For those wishing to express their love uniquely, especially if the recipient doesn’t have a vehicle or driving licence, generating potential private number plate ideas can be a heartfelt gesture. Plates4Less supports this creative endeavour with a platform for brainstorming and shortlisting, adding a personal touch to the gift-giving experience.

A stalwart in the UK market for private plate transactions, VRM Swansea – Plates4Less prides itself on its extensive catalogue of over 67 million registrations and its advanced search engine. Since its inception in 1997, the company has garnered acclaim for its superior service, evidenced by numerous 5-star Trustpilot reviews.

Despite its cost-effective name, Plates4Less has been involved in some of the most prestigious private plate sales in the UK, including a record-breaking sale for over £600,000 in 2022. This not only highlights the intrinsic value of private plates but also demonstrates Plates4Less’s adeptness at meeting a diverse range of client needs, positioning it as the go-to source for an unforgettable Valentine’s Day gift.