How to read a number plate like a dealer

To most people a number plate is a jumble of letters and numbers. To a dealer it is a puzzle that often spells a name or a word. Here is how to read one the same way.

The character swaps. The key is that some numbers look like letters. A 1 reads as an I, a 5 as an S, a 0 as an O, a 3 as an E, an 8 as a B, a 6 as a G, a 2 as a Z and a 4 as an A. So DAV1D reads as David, and GLO55Y reads as glossy. Once you start swapping, plenty of plates suddenly say something.

Mirror plates. Some combinations work through numbers that mirror letters. A group of letters ending in S, O or G can be paired with numbers that echo it, so a plate ending ABS might be matched by AB51. Dealers use this to find alternatives when the obvious combination is not available.

Initials, and initials twice. The most personal plates carry your initials, and the very best carry them twice, with the two-letter block and the three letters both pointing to you, as in SJ11 STJ. If the exact set is gone, your first and last initial together is the usual next best, because middle names are often dropped.

Put it together. Read the numbers as letters, check whether the ending mirrors, and look for initials. Do that and you will spot value that others walk past. You can try your own combinations at newreg.co.uk. This guidance is based on official DVLA formats and New Reg experience; it is general information, not advice.