The 117th open auction for exclusive vehicle number plates in Dubai achieved total revenues of AED81.178 million ($22.10 million), marking the highest proceeds in the history of Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) auctions since their inception.
The auction, held on Saturday at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City Hotel, saw plate BB55 achieve the highest bid, selling for AED6.3 million. Following closely, plate AA21 sold for AED6.16 million, BB100 sold for AED5 million, and BB11111 sold for AED 4.21 million.
In this auction, the RTA offered 90 premium number plates featuring two, three, four and five digits, spanning the codes AA, BB, K, O, T, U, V, W, X, Y and Z.
In October, Dubai’s RTA also held an open auction for exclusive vehicle number plates where it secured a staggering AED69.137 million. The auction was a success, with plate number AA17 commanding the highest bid at AED8.02 million. Other notable sales included plate number Y1000 for AED4.55 million, V96 for AED4.1 million and AA333 for AED3.01 million.
Traditionally, the lower the number on a vehicle plate is, the higher its price gets. High net-worth individuals seek lower number plates in Dubai since they signal wealth and a high social status. These individuals are also drawn to the authority’s auctions as these distinctive numbers often symbolize significant life events, personal affiliations or aspirational goals.
RTA’s public and electronic auctions of premium number plates adhere to a rigorous strategy underpinned by meticulous planning, ensuring neutrality, transparency and equitable access for those seeking these unique identifiers. These auctions are of great importance to the RTA as they also meet the aspirations and desires of a large segment of the public so the authority seeks to organize them according to the needs of the market.
