Number plate probate
valuations only £99

HMRC-compliant valuation of number plates, delivered in 2-3 days

No visit required in most cases.
Send us your photos. Our expert valuers do the rest.

Start your valuation

Rated ‘Excellent’ on Google and Trustpilot

“Valuations are the biggest single area of risk, accounting for a large part of our compliance checks. You are strongly advised to instruct a qualified independent valuer.”

Source: Inheritance Tax Toolkit, HMRC, Published July 2018

What we can value

We provide specialist probate valuations for private number plates, cherished registrations and dateless number plates. Whether the estate includes a single personalised registration or several valuable plates, our valuers can assess their open market value for HMRC.

PLATES WE CAN VALUE FOR PROBATE

Dateless Registrations

The oldest and most prized marks, issued before 1963 with no age identifier — such as “A 1”, “AB 1” or “123 AB”. The short, single-letter and single-number combinations are the ones that command the highest prices at auction.

Suffix Registrations

Issued between 1963 and 1983, with a year letter at the end (for example “ABC 123A”). Value here tends to rest on the letters spelling a name or initials rather than the format itself.

Prefix Registrations

Issued between 1983 and 2001, with a year letter at the front (for example “A123 BCD”). Combinations that read as names or initials are the most sought-after.

Current (New Style) Registrations

The format used since September 2001: two letters, a two-digit age identifier and three letters (for example “AB51 CDE”). Most carry modest value, though a clever name or word combination can still attract a premium.

Northern Ireland Registrations

Dateless-style marks containing an “I” or a “Z” (such as “JIL 1” or “MAZ 1”). Often more affordable, they disguise a vehicle’s age and lend themselves well to names and initials, which keeps demand steady.

Name, Initial & Word Plates

Registrations that read as a first name, surname, set of initials or recognisable word. This is the single biggest driver of value across every format, with demand strongest for common names and popular single initials.

Single Numbers & Iconic Marks

The rarest and most valuable of all — single-digit numbers, single letters, and historically significant or celebrity-associated registrations. The number “1”, in any format, is the most coveted in the market.

Need help? Call the office on 0330 088 4099 and we will be happy to help.

Your probate valuation in 3 easy steps

Swift Values provides a simple, cost-effective way to meet your probate valuation obligations. Here’s how it works:

Send us the registration

Just tell us the registration mark and let us know whether it’s still on the vehicle or held on a retention certificate.

We value the registration

Our expert valuers assess the plate, drawing on decades of experience and current market demand, and will ask questions if more detail is needed.

Receive your HMRC compliant report

Typically delivered within 2-3 working days and prepared under Section 160 IHTA 1984 – ready to submit with confidence.

✔ No home visit required ✔ 100% transparent with no hidden costs ✔ Only £99

✔ No home visit required

✔ 100% transparent with no hidden costs

✔ Only £99

See exactly what you’ll receive

Every Swift Values report is a professionally formatted PDF, ready to submit with your probate application. It includes:

Fully illustrated PDF report

High-value item breakdown for IHT 407

Valuer notes to detail specifics

Section 160 compliance statement

Signed declaration for IHT400

Valuer bio

View example report

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Why executors choose
Swift Values for number plate valuations

A private number plate is one of the most overlooked assets in an estate. Executors often forget it entirely, or assume a personalised registration is worth far more than the open market will actually pay.

Dateless, prefix and current-style plates all sell differently, and value rests mostly on the letters, the numbers and live demand, not on what the plate once cost.

Our online service gives executors a clear, expert valuation without unnecessary cost. Tell us the registration, confirm whether it’s on the vehicle or held on a retention certificate, and we will assess it against the market and provide an HMRC-compliant figure.

No guesswork, no inflated figures and no paying for a service you don’t need.

Dateless, prefix and current-style plates all sell differently, and value rests mostly on the letters, the numbers and live demand, not on what the plate once cost.

No guesswork, no inflated figures and no paying for a service you don’t need.

Swift-Values-Probate-Valuations-For-Executors

Trusted by thousands of executors

Rated ‘Excellent’ on Google. Over 1,000 valuations completed UK-wide.

I was overwhelmed by my mother’s estate. Swift Values made it simple and sent a professional report within two days. The service was perfect.

Barbara, Ipswich

Clear, thorough and incredibly quick. Exactly what we needed for probate to go through quickly.

Richard, Southampton

The report was far more detailed than I expected for the price. HMRC accepted it without question.

James, Salford

What’s included in your number plate probate valuation?

Our £99 online valuation covers personalised and private registrations of all styles, including dateless, prefix, suffix and current-style plates.

If anything requires specialist input, we’ll tell you early and confirm any additional costs before proceeding. No surprises.

Service

Single plate

Price (inc. VAT)

£99

Fair use policy

Is there a limit to what’s covered in our fee?

No. Our £99 fee covers a full valuation and report for the number plate you submit. Last year, 99% of our valuations were completed at the headline price and needed no further research.

In the 1% of cases that need more work, the only thing that changes is how precise the figure is. The higher the value, the more is riding on the figure and the more work it takes to pin it down. A plate worth around £75,000 with almost no comparable sales on the open market can take us much longer to narrow down. We’ll still value it for £99, but the initial valuation may need to be expressed as a wider range, for example, £50,000 to £100,000. That gives you a reliable indication of where the plate sits in the market, but narrowing it further may require more detailed research into similar registrations, private sales and auction results.

If the estate is comfortably below the inheritance tax threshold, a wider range usually makes no practical difference. You can use the top figure and move on. If inheritance tax is due, a narrower figure can make a big difference. For example, further research might narrow a range of £50,000 to £100,000 down to £72,000. Using £72,000 rather than the £100,000 top figure takes £28,000 off the value of the estate, and at 40% inheritance tax that means £11,200 less tax to pay. Our valuer will explain what would be needed to narrow the figure down and what that would cost. You can then decide whether to go ahead. Nothing extra happens without your agreement.

Ready to start your probate valuation?

Only £99. Delivered in 2-3 working days.

HMRC-compliant – guaranteed, or your money back.