Northern Irish plates are commonly referred to as Irish plates within the personalised and private number plate industry. They have nothing to do with Southern Irish plates. In fact, Northern Irish plates are different in style than both mainland UK plates and Southern Ireland plates.

The format of Northern Irish plates is typically 2 or 3 letters followed by up to 4 digits. They can be used on cars, taxis or buses.

Here are five reasons why you should consider getting a Northern Irish plate

1. The letter ‘I’

The fifth most popular letter in the English language, the letter ‘I’ is a popular substitute for the letter 1. It isn’t available as an option in general UK personalised number plates and is therefore much in demand. As the letter ‘I’ is available on Northern Irish plates, it is ideal for plates with names. Names that are perfect for Northern Irish plates include GIL for Gillian, BIL for Bill or William and other words, perhaps for a business, such as BIG.

2. The letter ‘Z’

The letter associated with both sleeping and snoring is another reason why a Northern Irish plate should be considered. There are many nicknames that end in ‘Z’. Some include Baz for Barry, Gazzer for Garry, Daz for Darren. Northern Irish plates make great gifts for those with nicknames ending in Z.

3. Northern Irish plates are dateless

Northern Irish plates are dateless which means that they do not have an age identifier. This means a few things for the buyer of a Northern Irish plate. Firstly, your plate can be kept and transferred onto your existing England, Scotland and Wales registered car. Secondly, the value of the plate will rise in time.

4. Northern Irish plates are cheaper

Generally speaking, an Irish Number plate are cheaper than mainland GB plates. They represent great value for personalised plates. If you’re looking to buy on a budget, then your first step must be to consider a Northern Irish plate.

The highest amount paid for a Northern Ireland number plate was just over £100,000 for the registration BIG 1 while the highest amount for a UK plate was nearly £500,000 for F1.

5.  Northern Irish plates are easy to buy

It’s a simple process to buy and transfer a Northern Irish plate to UK mainland registered cars. Once you use a reputable company, they will require your vehicle’s documents such as V5C and MOT certificate. All you do thereafter is wait for your new tax disc to be delivered and then you can fix your new personalised plates onto your car.

Northern Irish plates are ideal as a gift, a reward to yourself or to promote your business. They sell quickly as they are much in demand but are definitely a must when selecting your personalised number plate.