THE DVLA has earned nearly £1.2billion by selling 2,613,830 private number plates in five years.

The huge windfall is up by nearly a third on the £347million in 2015-2019.

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Plate prices start at £250 but the most desirable fetch up to £500,000 at DVLA auctions.

Collector Neal Bircher, 61, of Uxbridge, West London, says the surge is down, in part, to Covid when many wanted new hobbies and investments.

The dad of two, who owns hundreds, said: “The increased supply has increased visibility and increased demand.

“As well as the £80 transfer fee to that the DVLA set in 1983 to transfer plates and that was a lot at the time but they’ve kept it the same since.

“The retention certificates so that you don’t have to have it on the vehicle has made it easier to collect too.

“Finally, I think it’s down to Covid.

“A lot of people picked up new things and new investments.

“That increased the general desire for individuality.”

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