Personalised number plate sold by DVLA for nearly £70k

A personalised vehicle registration sold for nearly £70,000 at a government auction this week as demand for vanity plates continued to climb despite pressure on household finances. The sale, run by the UK’s Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), raised more than £5.1m over seven days, with nearly 2,000 registrations sold to motorists across the country. The most expensive plate, “57 O”, was sold for £68,010 after competitive bidding pushed the price to more than 27 times its £2,500 starting point. Other high-value sales included “788 HS” at £40,810 and “849 T” at £39,450. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here In total, 66 registrations sold for £10,000 or more, generating close to £1m in revenue alone, according to the DVLA. Among the top-selling registrations were “BUL 1T”, which sold for £22,450 after opening at £500, and “1 LRV”, which reached £21,510. Jody Davies, head of personalised registration sales at the DVLA, said bidding had been “competitive across most lots”, with particularly high demand for rarer combinations. The agency plans to hold its next online auction from June 17 to 23, featuring registrations tied to football themes ahead of next year’s World Cup. Personalised registrations have become a steady source of income for the government in recent years. Since the scheme began in 1989, the DVLA has raised billions of pounds through sales of customised number plates, with proceeds returning to the Treasury.