The DVLA’s billion-pound business: How private number plates drive revenue in the UK

Personalised number plates have long been a symbol of status, individuality, and, for some, a savvy investment. What many people don’t realise is just how much money the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) makes from this uniquely British phenomenon. Over the past three decades, the DVLA has turned number plates into a billion-pound business—literally.