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The plate design varies for each Emirate. The plate code, meaning the first symbol from the left, is usually a letter with the exception of Abu Dhabi and Sharjah having numbers for these codes. Dubai\u2019s special plates are typically the ones worth the most<\/a>, but Abu Dhabi holds the record<\/a> for the most expensive one ever sold at 52.2 million dirhams.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Many people think this phenomenon is an integral part of the Emirati culture. Shakhbout Al Kaabi, an Emirati filmmaker made a documentary about the car plate culture in Dubai. He told<\/a> Gulf News that it has, in essence, become something uniquely Emirati.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s something that unites our family\u201d said Hamad Saleh, an Emirati citizen whose family shares the same plate number, 9106, on all their five cars. His is H 9106, with the \u2018H\u2019, of course, signifying his initial. \u00a0\u201cEvery time someone sees one of our plates on the street, they know it\u2019s a member of our family.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Yara Riad, an Egyptian-Tunisian student at American University in Dubai, is another fan of personalised plate numbers. She thinks her plate number, Q 44401, is a reflection of her. It includes her birthday, an option RTA encourages people to go for, and the Q was suggested by her dad. \u201cHe said it\u2019s because I\u2019m his queen,\u201d she gushes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Still, some people consider<\/a> this as a symbol of wealth. They are even so valuable that car plate theft is a pressing criminal issue in the UAE. There have been 799 cases reported in the past three years, according to The National<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In addition, a lot of people see it as an investment. For example, local man Said Al Khoury owns<\/a> 7,000 special plate numbers and is the owner of the most expensive plate ever bought that was previously mentioned. He trades these plates as he understands the market has a high demand for them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Some disagree with these ideals, however. \u201cI see the potential of investment, but I don\u2019t think they\u2019re worth all the hype. Personally, I wouldn\u2019t waste my money or time on special plate numbers,\u201d said Sidharth Hemanth, an Indian national who has resided in the UAE since 1999.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Nevertheless, not all special plates are bought. Many are given as gifts from sheikhs as a sign of UAE\u2019s trademark generosity. \u201cMy camel won in a race and as a prize, Sheikh Hamdan gifted me my car plate number, which is O56,\u201d said Rashid Ateej, an Emirati finance student at the Canadian University in Dubai. \u201cThis car plate is so special to me because of its sentimental value,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Also, not all of them are bought off of purchasing websites or through connections. RTA hosts many auctions where people bid on very high profile plates and a lot of the times the money goes to charity. The 52.2 million dirhams spent on the most expensive car plate were all used to build a hospital specialised in treating accident victims.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Moreover, car plate numbers aren\u2019t just about customization anymore, they\u2019re becoming part of the digital revolution as well. Dubai aims to be one of the first cities to mass-introduce digital plate numbers<\/a>, also known as smart license plates. They will immediately report to the authorities if the car gets into a crash and some are even considering it a whole new market for advertising.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The special car plate number craze is a phenomenon exclusive to the UAE; a country that\u2019s famed for its love for cars and aesthetics. It\u2019s only natural its residents want to present themselves in the most individual way.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Car Plate vs. Car?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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