CarReg Review 2026: Pricing, Fees & Verdict
Family-run since 1988. 70M+ plates. Makes its own number plates. 4.9/5 Trustpilot.
1988
Established
70M+
Plates
4.9/5
Trustpilot
10,200+
Reviews
HQ + 9 local
Offices
Overview
CarReg has been buying and selling personalised registrations since 1988. It's a private, family-run business — a trading name of Classic Enterprises (UK) Ltd, incorporated in 2001 — founded by Jason Wilkes, and the founders still run it day to day.
Its database covers 70M+ registrations — its own stock, third-party plates sold on commission, and the DVLA's unissued government stock. Unlike most dealers, CarReg also manufactures and supplies physical number plates: it's a DVLA Registered Number Plate Supplier (RNPS 27154) making standard and 4D plates to BS AU 145e — £22 when added to a registration order (standalone pairs £31.20 inc. VAT), printed while you wait at the Wolverhampton office or delivered free UK-wide.
The main office is at Coven, just outside Wolverhampton. Nine local offices — London (Mayfair), Windsor, Bath, Bournemouth, Swansea, Manchester, Loughborough, Belfast and Edinburgh — handle collection and delivery of documents and plates, by appointment.
Pricing & Fees Breakdown
What you'll actually pay — no surprises
| Fee | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| DVLA plates (starting price) | From £154 + VAT | Plus the £80 DVLA fee — roughly £265 all-in for the cheapest unissued plates. |
| DVLA £80 transfer fee | £80 | Mandatory government fee. VAT applies on DVLA and dealer-owned stock; agent-sold plates are usually VAT-free — each listing states which. |
| Dealer markup | Added on top | Plates are listed at the seller's agreed return plus CarReg's markup; nothing is deducted from the seller. |
| Full transfer service | £25–£30 (optional) | CarReg's site quotes £25 on its homepage and £30 in its FAQ. Without it you receive a V750/V778 certificate and assign online yourself. |
| Physical number plates | £22 (with a registration) | Standard or 4D to BS AU 145e; standalone pairs £26 + VAT (£31.20); single plates from £9. Free UK delivery. |
| DVLA auction bidding | £30 + VAT booking; £250 on success | £200 + VAT if the lot sells under £1,500. Success fee only charged if your bid wins. |
| Finance | 10% deposit | Novuna over £500 (19.9% APR representative, 24/36 months; buy-now-pay-later 21.9%); Klarna Pay in 3 interest-free on £150–£500 cherished plates. |
| Selling via brokerage | Free to seller | Free valuation within 24 hours; CarReg may offer to buy plates into stock (paid within 14 days). |
Example total cost: A plate listed at £800 plus the £80 DVLA fee comes to £880. Add the optional transfer service (£25–£30) and £22 for a pair of physical plates and you're at roughly £930.
Pros & Cons
What We Like
- 4.9/5 on Trustpilot from more than 10,000 reviews — among the highest-rated dealers in the UK
- Trading since 1988 — nearly four decades, and still family-run
- Manufactures and supplies road-legal plates (DVLA RNPS 27154, BS AU 145e)
- Finance through Novuna Personal Finance (over £500), plus Klarna Pay in 3 on £150–£500 plates
- DVLA auction bidding service — bids on your behalf, success fee only if you win
- MIRAD and CNG member (both independently verified); 100% money-back guarantee on failed transfers
Room for Improvement
- Transfer to your vehicle is an optional add-on (£25–£30) rather than bundled in the price
- No cooling-off period — payments are non-refundable once the order is placed (finance-declined deposits are refunded)
- Offers aren't considered on plates priced under £1,000
- Standard and 4D plate styles only — no 3D/gel
Services
Buy Number Plates
Search 70M+ registrations — own stock, commission plates and DVLA unissued stock — or build one with the Make Your Own tool. Gift vouchers from £25 to £1,000.
Sell Your Plate
Free expert valuation within 24 hours (plus an instant estimate tool), free listing, or an immediate buy-in offer on suitable plates.
Number Plate Manufacturing
Standard and 4D acrylic plates to BS AU 145e — printed in 60 seconds at the Wolverhampton office, or delivered free UK-wide.
Transfer Service
Optional 'Full Transfer Service' where CarReg handles the DVLA paperwork, including transfers between your own vehicles.
Finance
Novuna Personal Finance on plates over £500 (10% deposit, 24/36 months or buy-now-pay-later); Klarna Pay in 3 on £150–£500 cherished plates.
DVLA Auction Bidding
CarReg bids at DVLA auctions on your behalf — £30 + VAT booking fee, success fee only if your bid wins.
Our Verdict
CarReg is one of the most established names in the industry, and its Trustpilot record — 4.9/5 from over 10,000 reviews — is level with the very best. The family-run setup means you deal with the same person throughout your transaction.
Three things set it apart from most rivals: it manufactures and supplies its own road-legal plates, so you can get plates and registration from one supplier; it offers finance, which many larger dealers still don't; and it will bid at DVLA auctions on your behalf.
The caveats are that transfer to your vehicle is an optional extra, there are no refunds once you've paid, and there's no haggling on plates under £1,000. For most buyers, none of these is a deal-breaker.
Best for: Buyers who want a long-established, highly-rated dealer that can also supply the physical plates, offer finance and bid at DVLA auctions for them.
Key Information
| Trading as | CarReg / CarReg UK (Classic Enterprises (UK) Ltd, Co. No. 04195356) |
| Website | carreg.co.uk |
| Founded | 1988 (current company incorporated 2001) |
| Head office | Coven, Wolverhampton |
| Local offices | 9 — London, Windsor, Bath, Bournemouth, Swansea, Manchester, Loughborough, Belfast, Edinburgh (collection by appointment) |
| DVLA registered | Yes — reseller + plate supplier (RNPS 27154) |
| DVLA auctions | Yes — bidding service |
| Trade bodies | MIRAD, CNG (verified); CarReg also lists RNC and FSB |
| Finance | Novuna (over £500); Klarna Pay in 3 (£150–£500) |
| Trustpilot | 4.9/5 (10,200+ reviews) |
Information verified August 2026. Subject to change.
Compare with Other Suppliers
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