Personalised / Ordinary / Special number plates

[Captain_Kong]

Guys, a bit of lateral thinking may get you an "EV" plate. You can apply to TD for the customized plate auction program as long as the applied plate hasn't been issued yet.


If you don't mind having a "12EV" plate for example. Or something cooler like "88EV". The auction starts from HKD1k and sometimes a bit more but can avoid being skimmed by the car plate dealer : )

 

[markwj]

Guys, a bit of lateral thinking may get you an "EV" plate. You can apply to TD for the customized plate auction program as long as the applied plate hasn't been issued yet.

If you don't mind having a "12EV" plate for example. Or something cooler like "88EV". The auction starts from HKD1k and sometimes a bit more but can avoid being skimmed by the car plate dealer : )

The reserve price is HK$5,000 but auction may drive it higher. Biggest issue is the time and hassle, though - seems to be about a year or so from application to auction.

 

[DITB]

The reserve price is HK$5,000 but auction may drive it higher. Biggest issue is the time and hassle, though - seems to be about a year or so from application to auction.

Yes, I can confirm that, 5K is minimum price. Only certain periods are open for "application", and not all applications will be honoured.

Ironically, I was worried initially that with all the delay of the auction, my license plate wouldn't be ready by the time I got the car.

I got the license plate about half a year ago (it must be used within a year of auction) and the car should arrive in a little over a month from now.

So you cannot just order a license plate and go get it. Find an existing one, then hope no-one else bids on it. Even if no person really wants your plate, those "agencies" will bid for it if they think they can make money on it. At the auction there were two major players bidding. They hardly even looked up, just a phone on the ear, looking down into their papers, total sharks. Obviously they knew each other, although they didn't speak directly at the auction.

 

[Captain_Kong]

I've got both of my 2 sequential plates in auctions, the plate auctioned can be as low as 1k as the opening bid but the auctioneer also used experience in calling the opening bid, and could be as high as 3-400k.


For unique plates, the competition from the dealers is not necessarily a problem from experience. As there is always a risk you may not bid in the next call and they are then stuck with an expensive plate that nobody wants and you just walked away. Popular or lucky plate is another story. May be someone should try to apply "1EV".


I think there is no restriction on the time to apply or the contents of the plate other than good taste and common sense.


I waited about 8-9 months between filing the application online and the auction (separate auctions), and using a normal plate in the meantime. One plate has a bit of competition the other no counter bid. Changing the plate on the car is surprisingly easy - download and mail the TD form and literally a 5min stop at the plate maker to get the plate made and fitted.


Overall, if you've the time and patience it's a cool thing to have.

 

[DITB]

It seems they lowered the price from 5,000 to 1,000. When I did it, it was 5,000 for sure.

Transport Department - How to Obtain Your Favourite Vehicle Registration Mark by Auction

Also, it seems that now you can apply any time, though it still takes about 8 months at the moment (according to the website) for your mark to come up.

Note that anyone can go to the auctions and bid on any plate. You can see which ones are up in the newspapers, as well as online.

In the latest auction, EV 43 went for 3,000 HKD http://www.td.gov.hk/filemanager/common/tvrm%20auction%20result%20handout_3.8.2014.pdf

Didn't mean to hijack your diary Mark, we can start a new thread about personal plates?

Keep the info coming, your posts are most useful, Mark.

 

[Captain_Kong]

Yeah sorry Mark. We should have a new plate thread!


Last from me on this, and in case anyone fancies "Ironman" for a Tesla, it's "sadly" gone to a proud Bentley owner. Though someone should start a Tesla fleet with Ironman1,2,3 etc. it'd be awesome.

 

[lx3h]

Can it be your own name? Like Elon, Musk, lx3h?

 

[markwj]

Ordinary plates (letter letter then up to four numbers) start at HK$1,000. Personalised plates ("MARKWJ" or "IM BATMAN") start at HK$5,000.

Auctions for ordinary plates are much simpler, and they often go for just the minimum. If you have the time, an ordinary plate auction is the cheapest and simplest, so long as the plate you want is up for auction.

One warning: some ordinary plates are not transferable (seem to be those with just 1 or 2 digits or the same digit more than once).

 

[markwj]

Can it be your own name? Like Elon, Musk, lx3h?

Yep. Personalised plates have limitations (lots of limitations), but you can be creative. An example is no letters L, I or O. But boss and zeros are available.

 

[JohnxII]

Yep. Personalised plates have limitations (lots of limitations), but you can be creative. An example is no letters L, I or O. But boss and zeros are available.

I think L is available?

 

[markwj]

I think L is available?

Yep, sorry, my bad.

http://www.td.gov.hk/filemanager/en/content_1284/pvrm%20guidance%20notes_appendix%201%20(eng).pdf

“I”, “O” and “Q” not allowed.

 

[ekwng]

"EV" is with plate dealer and up for sale now at hefty HK$480,000!!

 

[WoodyOHill]

Yep, sorry, my bad.

http://www.td.gov.hk/filemanager/en/content_1284/pvrm guidance notes_appendix 1 (eng).pdf

“I”, “O” and “Q” not allowed.

You can just use 0 (zero). My plate starts with "0"

 

[Alipapa]

I am considering getting a new plate. Any suggestion?

How about "N1C0LA" ? I think it is cool but it has nothing to do with me personally...