Dubai to auction off more rare car number plates

Special plates on offer next week include O260 and V1102

Rare plate numbers will be up for grabs. Photo: RTA

Dubai motorists can get in the driving seat to secure premium number plates up for grabs at an online auction next week.

The emirate's Roads and Transport Authority is putting 350 vehicle plates with three to five digits under the hammer.

The coveted numbers are for private cars bearing the codes of H, I, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y and Z.

The “special numbers” expected to be the most sought-after are O260 and V1102.

People can register for the auction from Monday, July 25, with the bidding expected to start at 8am on Monday, August 1, and continuing for five days.

The sale of licence plates in the auction is subject to 5 per cent VAT. Each bidder is required to have a traffic file opened in Dubai, must deposit a security cheque of Dh5,000 payable to the RTA and pay a non-refundable fee of Dh120.

Payment can be made at the authority's Customers Happiness Centres at Umm Al Ramool, Al Barsha and Deira or by credit card at www.rta.ae or via the Dubai Drive app.

Latest lucrative auction

The Most Noble Numbers charity auction saw the most expensive vehicle plate number, number 2 from code 2, sold for Dh23.3 million. Victor Besa / The National

Wednesday’s auction also saw Chinese real estate agent Hong Yang, 30, bid Dh1.7 million for plate number 999, code 2. Victor Besa / The National

The auction's most expensive vehicle plate number, number 2 from code 2. Victor Besa / The National

A total of Dh101 million was raised at the auction. Victor Besa / The National

The auction was held at Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Visitors take pictures of plate number 2 from code 2. Victor Besa / The National

Other must-have licence numbers were also auctioned. Victor Besa / The National

Double-digit plate number 20 with code 2 got a winning bid of Dh4.25 million. Victor Besa / The National

A total of Dh101 million was raised at the One Billion Meals initiative. Victor Besa / The National

Proceeds from the auction will go to a nationwide campaign to combat world hunger. Victor Besa / The National

Paddle 101 won a number of mobile number auctions during the evening. Victor Besa / The National

Rare number plates and phone numbers regularly fetch substantial sums in the UAE.

In April, Abu Dhabi's exclusive “2" car number plate sold for Dh23.3 million ($6.3m) at a charity auction for a global free meals campaign.

A total of Dh111m was raised for rare licence plates, as well as exclusive mobile phone numbers.

Proceeds from the Most Noble Numbers event went to the One Billion Meals initiative to provide food for people in need in 50 countries during Ramadan and beyond.

The RTA sold 100 plates and raised Dh36.55m at a previous auction in December last year.

Plate Z 31 was sold for Dh2,820,000 and V10000 for Dh920,000 while W500 and O66666 each fetched Dh840,000.