In the UAE, the rising demand for exclusive number plates has turned them into valuable assets. Many wealthy individuals are willing to pay millions to own a unique plate.
A Dubai businessman recently spent Dh35 million to buy the DD 5 plate at a charity auction. However, this is not the most expensive number plate ever sold. In 2023, another buyer paid Dh55 million for the P7 plate. Before that, in 2008, an Abu Dhabi businessman bought the number 1 plate for Dh52.5 million.
Naim Eyvazov, CEO of Evana Homes, believes the UAE is unique in this market. “In this country, a good plate number is like gold,” he said. He has lived in the US and traveled across Europe but has never seen a market like this. “The rising demand for exclusive number plates makes it a smart place to invest,” he added.
Naim and his mother, Eva Huri, often attend number plate auctions. “You don’t need a degree to enter this market,” Eva said. “If you find a valuable plate, you can sell it for a profit.”
With many billionaires in the UAE, it is no surprise that number plates have become a symbol of luxury. “They are the best accessory for a car,” Naim said. “People drive more than they walk here, so a great number plate gets instant attention.”
Even young collectors are getting involved. Thirteen-year-old Abdulkader Walid Asaad has followed his father’s passion for number plates. Recently, they bought the DD 24 plate for Dh6.3 million. “A number plate gives identity and status,” he said. “It makes a car more special.”
For Indian businessman Amjad Sithara, owning an exclusive number plate was once just a dream. When he arrived in Dubai in 2008, he focused on work. Then he saw a photo of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s car with the number 1 plate. “I knew I wanted a plate like that one day,” he said.
In 2010, he bought a Mercedes G-Class but could only afford a four-digit plate. “I paid Dh5,000 for it,” he said. “Now, it is worth Dh25,000. That was a great investment.” Over the years, he has collected several plates from the same series.
Last month, he made his biggest purchase yet—a three-digit plate, R859, for Dh450,000. “For my new Rolls Royce, I wanted something special,” he explained. “I see it as a long-term investment.”
Although he has not yet secured a number 1 plate in Dubai, he fulfilled his dream in India. “I bought the same Mercedes G-Class there and got a number 1 plate,” he said. “That dream kept me motivated to achieve success.”
The rising demand for exclusive number plates continues to grow in the UAE. These plates represent more than just numbers; they are luxury items, status symbols, and strong investments.
