Is it possible to reserve a certain reg number?

Glaceon · 03-10-2021 10:49AM

Dublin Bus used to reserve reg numbers to match the fleet number of the bus. They've all been random since 2012 because of the tax hike.

Speedline · 03-10-2021 03:06PM

We picked up a Volvo 245 estate a number of years ago with the reg 89 xx 245. 2 weeks later it was stripped and entered into a banger race up the North where it was wrecked! 😁

beachhead · 03-10-2021 03:52PM

Specific number requests must be made to your local motor tax office in September of the previous year.Not sure if Shannon Tax Office has any imput.For 2022 reg your application must in during Sept '21.

Buddy Bubs · 03-10-2021 07:05PM

Had 5231 on an e60 523i up to a few years ago. Presumed original owner paid for that. Doesn't add value because I bought it for peanuts and sold it for less

colm_mcm · 03-10-2021 07:43PM

If more than one person wants to reserve the same number, there’s a ‘lottery’, but it’s not an instant thing, can’t remember the ins and outs of it, but you could reserve the number and then not get it. You used to be able to reserve a number in the November of the year before, not sure how it works now with the dual reg, probably from 1st of May for 212 regs for example.

Del2005 · 03-10-2021 10:03PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117969926#Comment_117969926

I could have xxx-x-335 as a personalised reg and only a few people would know, but not for €1k. I wonder would the let someone reserve xxx-x-3825968

Wishbone Ash · 03-10-2021 11:43PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117969859#Comment_117969859

It's not 'first come first served'. If 2 or more apply for the same number, the 'winner' is draw from a hat as such. Those who are unsuccessful have their €1,000 refunded. Lots of people will apply for the first number in certain counties for example (i.e. those counties where the first number is not assigned automatically to the mayor).

CiniO · 04-10-2021 01:06AM

I still can't understand reasons they don't allow personalised plates.

Like 221-D-PADDY for some fella wishing to have his name on a plate,

or 12-DL-AMG for newly imported Merc to Donegal.

I'm pretty sure people would pay thousand for that, so it would be money maker for revenue.

Btw - personalised plates in the UK are not really personalised. They are just whatever insteresting combination of numbers/letters plate was ever issued that makes some sense to someone (initial, name, etc) and this can be resold. It's not personalised in pure sense though like being able to choose your own wording for it.

Peregrinus · 04-10-2021 02:36AM

Well, yeah. The public interest here is revenue maximisation, obviously. The more you charge for elective number plates, the fewer people will apply for one, but the more profitable each application will be, plus fewer people applying means the overheads of administering the system are lower. Somewhere in there is a "sweet spot" for the reservation price which will make revenue from the operation exceed the costs of administration by a greater amount than any other reservation price would. Impossible to know what that is, without a lot more information than we have. But it is certainly a price higher than the one which would maximise the number of reservation applications.

zg3409 · 04-10-2021 08:26PM

The Gardai said they prefer the nnn D nnn format as after hit and runs witnesses often say it's a blue Mondeo 08 Dublin reg, and this narrows down their search massively versus say zg3409 where at a glance the average punter might get a letter or two but may not be much use.

In terms of reserving numbers some people don't reserve a number, and hope no-one else does. Then they register their car as early as possible (I think new years eve) using a dealer booking system. In smaller counties it can be easy to get DL 1 or at least low numbers, for free, but higher numbers such as 55 you might need to keep waiting or know someone on the inside to snag it when it comes up for free.

I think it's crazy in this day and age they don't have at least a bidding system say min 200 euro, max what you like with deadline of December 15th, so premium numbers will go above 1000 euro and enthusiasts will get low numbers. They used to reserve the first 100 or 200 numbers for paying customers only, but gave up with many went unused, so low numbers can be had for free instead!

Wishbone Ash · 04-10-2021 10:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117972892#Comment_117972892

I like to think they don't allow it's because it tacky in the extreme.

Sam Russell · 05-10-2021 12:29PM

I think the UK system was designed to maximise personal number plates.

They even have devised a conversion of numbers to letters - 3 = E, 5 = S, 2 = Z, and so on. They have 7 characters with 3rd and 4th are numbers. With so many letters, it is easy to get many names and words out of the format.

Personally, I would hate an easily recognisable number plate. Could not go anywhere without some **** recognising the car.

zg3409 · 12-10-2021 04:25PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117978891#Comment_117978891

In Germany you typically get sand number plate for life, for all your cars. They aren't custom nor reserveable as far as I know, but if you change county/state you get a new one. Often people put it up on the wall next to their parking spot, and any other car in spot automatically gets towed away. People get to know your reg, which is good for spotting out of town or suspicious cars on your street. It does reduce anonymity.

In Ireland they should at least allow people to change county on used cars, such as a kerry reg for a Dublin owner.

Sam Russell · 12-10-2021 04:31PM

I think the ZV number plates require a rethink.

They should not apply to any car registered after 1987 when the current system was started.

They could then start with AZV xxx, BZV xxx, restricting the numeric part to three digits.

Rowley Birkin QC · 13-10-2021 04:04PM

I have 02-MO-320 which (annoyingly) is a 318i rather than a 320i.

It was apparently a BMW demo car originally. I've toyed with the idea of an engine swap for the 2.2 that came in the 320i just to square that particular detail away!🙃

Is it possible to reserve a certain reg number?

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