Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how The Number Plate Company Group Limited, trading as NumberPlates.org ("NumberPlates.org", "we", "us" or "our"), collects, uses, stores and shares personal information when you visit or use NumberPlates.org, create or use an account, request a valuation, advertise or enquire about a number plate, contact us, or otherwise interact with our services.

We aim to handle personal information in accordance with applicable UK data protection law, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation ("UK GDPR"), the Data Protection Act 2018 and, where relevant, the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 ("PECR"), as amended.

1. Who we are

The data controller is:

The Number Plate Company Group Limited
Trading as NumberPlates.org
Company number: 15232704
Registered in England and Wales

Registered office:
167–169 Great Portland Street
5th Floor
London
England
W1W 5PF

Website: NumberPlates.org
Email: contact@numberplates.org

This policy applies to visitors to NumberPlates.org and people who use our marketplace, valuation, account, enquiry, research and related services.

2. Personal information we collect

The information we collect depends on how you use NumberPlates.org.

Information you provide to us

We may collect information including:

• your full name;
• your email address;
• your telephone number, where provided;
• account details and information associated with your NumberPlates.org account;
• the registration number or number plate you own, are interested in, are selling, valuing or enquiring about;
• your chosen asking price and whether you will consider offers;
• information about how a registration is currently held, for example whether it is assigned to a vehicle or held on a V750 or V778 document;
• information about whether you are interested in a valuation, marketplace listing or direct sale to us;
• information you provide about a registration's history, provenance, previous ownership or vehicle associations;
• the contents of contact, valuation, marketplace and buyer or seller enquiries;
• information entered in optional or free-text fields;
• photographs, historic material, documents or other evidence that you voluntarily provide;
• proof of ownership, entitlement or authority to deal with a registration where we request it;
• photographic identification where this is necessary for verification or completion of a transaction; and
• correspondence between you and NumberPlates.org.

Please avoid including unnecessary personal information about yourself or another person in free-text fields or documents you send to us.

Account and activity information

Where you have an account, we may process information about the account and its use, including:

• account identifiers;
• listings associated with the account;
• listing updates and availability confirmations;
• dates and times of relevant account activity;
• account sign-in history; and
• IP addresses recorded in connection with account sign-ins.

An IP address can constitute personal data under UK data protection law where it identifies, or can be related to, an identifiable individual.

We specifically record IP addresses in connection with account sign-ins. These records are distinct from ordinary web-server logs and may be associated with the relevant account and sign-in event.

Valuation information

When you request a free number plate valuation, we currently ask for information including:

• the registration;
• your email address;
• your full name;
• your telephone number, if you choose to provide it;
• information about where or how the registration is held;
• what you are interested in doing with the registration;
• additional information you choose to provide;
• confirmation relating to ownership and entitlement; and
• the date and time of the submission.

We also record the IP address from which a valuation request is submitted.

This IP-address record is deliberately associated with the valuation submission and is separate from routine hosting or web-server logs.

We record the IP address associated with each valuation request to help prevent fraudulent, abusive or deliberately misleading submissions, detect repeated misuse of the valuation service, and maintain the integrity of our valuation process.

Marketplace and enquiry information

If you advertise a registration through NumberPlates.org, we may process:

• the registration;
• your asking price;
• whether you will consider offers;
• optional information or description you provide about the registration;
• your full legal name;
• your email address;
• information concerning your ownership or authority to sell;
• listing-management and availability information;
• evidence or identification requested as part of verification; and
• communications relating to enquiries and a potential sale.

Your private seller contact details are not displayed publicly as part of the marketplace listing.

People interested in buying a registration can make enquiries through NumberPlates.org. Information included in an enquiry is processed by us and may be forwarded to the relevant seller so that the buyer and seller can communicate, negotiate and, where they choose, agree a transaction directly.

Contact information

When you use our contact form, we may collect:

• full name;
• email address;
• telephone number, where supplied;
• type of enquiry;
• subject; and
• message contents.

We also process information you provide when contacting us directly by email or through other communication channels.

Research, archive and number plate timeline information

NumberPlates.org operates a research database, archive and individual number plate Timelines.

Our research may contain information obtained from sources such as:

• auction results and auction catalogues;
• newspapers, magazines and historic publications;
• number plate dealer advertisements and catalogues;
• publicly available vehicle information;
• previous marketplace listings;
• photographs and vehicle sightings;
• contemporary news reports;
• publicly documented associations;
• sales records and asking prices; and
• registration-specific documents, photographs or evidence supplied to us.

A registration number, vehicle record or historic sales record will not always be personal data. However, information can become personal data where it relates to, identifies or can reasonably be connected with a living individual.

Where our research includes personal data about a living individual, we process that information subject to applicable data protection law.

NumberPlates.org does not have access to private DVLA registered-keeper information, and a vehicle association shown on a Timeline should not be interpreted as identifying the vehicle's registered keeper.

Information collected automatically

When you use the website, technical information may also be processed automatically, including:

• IP address;
• browser type and version;
• device type;
• operating system;
• user-agent information;
• pages or features accessed;
• referring website or URL;
• dates and times of requests;
• approximate location derived from technical information;
• cookie or similar identifiers where applicable;
• information about interactions with the website; and
• server, application and security logs.

Some of this information is processed by our service providers as described below.

3. How we collect personal information

We obtain personal information in several ways.

Directly from you

This includes information you provide when you:

• create or use an account;
• advertise a registration;
• request a valuation;
• make a buyer or seller enquiry;
• contact us;
• update a listing;
• provide ownership or identity evidence;
• provide photographs, documents or provenance information; or
• ask us to correct or add information to a registration Timeline.

Automatically

Certain technical information is generated automatically when you use the website.

In particular, NumberPlates.org may automatically record an IP address when:

• you sign into your NumberPlates.org account; and
• you submit a number plate valuation request.

These specific records may be associated with the relevant account access or valuation submission rather than existing only in general server logs.

Through your use of the website

We may generate records concerning account activity, listing changes, listing availability, enquiries, valuation handling and other activity necessary to operate the service.

From correspondence

If you email us or reply to an email sent by NumberPlates.org, we process the contents of that correspondence and associated email metadata.

From public and research sources

For our Timelines, archive, sales database and other research, we may obtain information from publicly accessible or documented sources such as auction houses, advertisements, publications, public vehicle information, photographs and previous sales or listings.

4. Why we use personal information and our lawful bases

Under the UK GDPR we must have a lawful basis for processing personal data.

Accounts and marketplace services

We use account and seller information to create and administer accounts, manage listings, allow sellers to update or remove listings, send enquiries and listing updates, and provide marketplace services.

Our lawful basis is generally performance of a contract or taking steps at your request before entering into a contract and, where appropriate, our legitimate interests in operating and administering the marketplace.

Authentication and account security

We process account access information, including sign-in dates, times and IP addresses, to maintain appropriate records of account access and to protect accounts and the website against unauthorised access, fraud, misuse, abuse and security incidents.

Our lawful basis is our legitimate interests in maintaining the security, integrity and reliability of our website and user accounts.

We record the IP address associated with account sign-ins to help prevent and detect fraudulent or unauthorised access, identify suspicious login activity, and protect the security of user accounts and NumberPlates.org.

Valuations and cash offers

We use valuation information to assess registrations, respond to valuation requests, provide estimated values, decide whether we may wish to make a direct cash offer and communicate with the person who made the request.

Depending on the circumstances, our lawful basis may be:

• taking steps at your request before entering into a contract, particularly where you have asked about selling a registration to us; or
• our legitimate interests in providing and administering our valuation service, responding to requests and maintaining appropriate business records.

IP addresses attached to valuation requests

NumberPlates.org records the IP address associated with a valuation submission.

The lawful basis for this processing is our legitimate interests, subject to the processing being necessary and proportionate for the purposes for which the records are actually maintained.

We record IP addresses associated with account sign-ins and valuation requests to help prevent and detect fraudulent or abusive activity, identify suspicious or unauthorised use of our services, and protect the security and integrity of NumberPlates.org.

We do not treat these deliberately recorded IP addresses as if they were merely anonymous analytics information.

Enquiries and buyer/seller communications

We use enquiry and correspondence information to answer questions, route marketplace enquiries, facilitate communication between interested buyers and sellers, and provide assistance concerning registrations.

Our lawful basis is generally:

• taking steps at your request before entering into a contract;
• performance of a contract, where relevant; or
• our legitimate interests in responding to enquiries and operating our marketplace.

Where you submit an enquiry about a private seller's registration, information contained in that enquiry may be passed to that seller so they can respond to you.

Ownership and identity verification

We may use proof of ownership, registration-entitlement documents and photographic identification to verify that a person is entitled or authorised to advertise, sell or transfer a registration and to reduce fraudulent or unauthorised activity.

Depending on the circumstances, this processing is based on:

• performance of a contract or steps requested before entering into one;
• our legitimate interests in fraud prevention, protecting users and maintaining the integrity of the marketplace; and
• a legal obligation, where a particular record or verification is required by law.

We do not rely on a legal-obligation basis unless a relevant legal requirement actually applies.

Research, Timelines, sales information and the archive

We process registration-specific research to operate NumberPlates.org as a number plate research and market-information service, preserve historical material, document provenance, improve the accuracy of registration histories and provide useful information to buyers, sellers, collectors and researchers.

Where this information constitutes personal data relating to a living individual, our lawful basis is generally our legitimate interests in maintaining an accurate and useful historical and market record, subject to balancing those interests against the individual's rights and interests.

We take into account the nature of the information, its source, whether it is already publicly available, its age, its relevance to the registration and the reasonable impact of publication.

You can contact us if you believe that personal information appearing in a Timeline, archive record or other research content is inaccurate or should not be processed.

Website operation, security and troubleshooting

We process technical and server information to:

• deliver website requests;
• maintain availability and performance;
• diagnose faults;
• protect the website and its users;
• detect or investigate suspicious activity;
• prevent misuse and abuse; and
• maintain technical and security records where necessary.

Our lawful basis is our legitimate interests in operating a secure and reliable online service.

Analytics and website improvement

We use analytics information to understand how NumberPlates.org is used, identify popular or underperforming content, diagnose user journeys and improve the website.

The applicable UK GDPR lawful basis and PECR requirements depend on the particular technology and configuration used. See Cookies and analytics below.

Legal and regulatory purposes

We may process information where necessary to comply with legal, tax, accounting, regulatory or court requirements or to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

The lawful basis may be a legal obligation or our legitimate interests, depending on the circumstances.

5. Public marketplace information

When a seller's registration is approved for sale, information intended to form part of the advertisement is made public. This can include the registration, asking price, whether offers are considered and relevant listing information supplied for potential buyers.

Private seller contact details are not intended to be displayed publicly.

NumberPlates.org is built around permanent registration-specific Timelines. Information concerning previous marketplace activity may therefore form part of the registration's historical or market record where appropriate.

Seller account information, email addresses, verification documents and other non-public information are treated separately from public registration-history data.

6. Cookies, analytics and similar technologies

NumberPlates.org uses analytics and may use cookies or other storage and access technologies.

Some technologies are necessary to provide website functionality, authentication or security. Others are used for analytics.

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use NumberPlates.org.

Depending on its configuration, Google Analytics may process information including:

• a randomly generated client identifier;
• page URLs and pages viewed;
• referral information;
• browser and device information;
• operating system;
• website interactions;
• session and usage information; and
• approximate geographic information.

Google Analytics ordinarily uses a first-party _ga cookie to distinguish browsers when Analytics storage is enabled.

For users in the UK, Google states that Google Analytics uses the visitor's IP address during collection, including to derive coarse geographic information, but does not log or store the raw IP address.

This Google processing is separate from the IP addresses that NumberPlates.org itself deliberately records against account sign-ins and valuation submissions.

Ahrefs Web Analytics

We also use Ahrefs Web Analytics for website analytics and SEO-related measurement.

Ahrefs Web Analytics is designed to operate without cookies or persistent cross-site identifiers. According to Ahrefs, information processed may include:

• page URL;
• referrer;
• user-agent information;
• browser, operating-system and device information;
• language information;
• page views and certain website interactions; and
• approximate country and city derived using the visitor's IP address.

Ahrefs states that raw IP addresses are discarded rather than stored. It may combine an IP address with user-agent information using a temporary daily salted hash for the purpose of estimating unique visitors, with the salt changing daily.

This processing is also separate from NumberPlates.org's own stored sign-in and valuation IP records.

PECR and analytics choices

UK law does not treat every analytics implementation in exactly the same way.

Certain storage or access used solely to produce aggregate statistical information for improving a website may qualify for the statutory statistical purposes exception under PECR. That exception has conditions, including providing clear information and a simple, free means for users to object.

Where an analytics implementation does not satisfy that exception, we must obtain consent before using non-essential storage or access technologies that require consent.

We do not use the deliberately stored sign-in and valuation IP addresses as analytics cookies or treat them as part of Google Analytics or Ahrefs analytics data.

7. Email communications

We use Resend.com to transmit and route transactional or service-related emails generated by NumberPlates.org.

These can include, for example:

• account and service emails;
• valuation-related correspondence;
• marketplace enquiries;
• listing updates;
• listing availability or reconfirmation messages; and
• other messages necessary to provide services requested through the website.

Information sent through Resend may include the recipient's email address, message contents and related transmission or delivery information.

Emails and enquiries may subsequently be received, stored or accessed through Google services such as Gmail or Google Workspace and/or LiveMail email services.

Those providers necessarily process information contained in emails and associated metadata in order to provide email storage, transmission, filtering, security and access.

8. Hosting and technical infrastructure

NumberPlates.org is hosted using Fasthosts server infrastructure.

In providing hosting and network services, Fasthosts and the server environment may process technical information such as:

• IP addresses;
• request dates and times;
• requested URLs;
• browser and user-agent information;
• network and security information;
• error information; and
• server and access logs.

These ordinary infrastructure logs are distinct from the specific IP-address records intentionally stored by NumberPlates.org against account sign-ins and valuation submissions.

Public website assets are also currently served through Supabase infrastructure.

9. Who we share personal information with

We do not sell personal information as a commodity.

We may share personal information where necessary with carefully selected organisations that help us provide and operate NumberPlates.org, including:

• Fasthosts – website/server hosting and associated infrastructure;
• Google – Google Analytics and, where used, Gmail or Google Workspace email services;
• Ahrefs – website analytics and related measurement;
• Resend (Plus Five Five, Inc.) – sending and routing website-generated email;
• LiveMail/Fasthosts email services – where used to receive, store or access email;
• Supabase – database hosting, account authentication and storage of website assets such as archive images; and
• professional advisers, regulators, courts, law-enforcement authorities or other parties where disclosure is required by law or reasonably necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal rights.

When a prospective buyer submits an enquiry concerning a private seller's registration, relevant enquiry information may also be provided to that seller so that they can respond and communicate with the buyer.

Where we use a service provider to process personal information on our behalf, we seek to use appropriate contractual and security arrangements in accordance with applicable data protection law.

10. How long we keep information

We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, taking into account our operational requirements and any legal, accounting, security, fraud-prevention or dispute-resolution requirements.

Different types of information may therefore be retained for different periods.

In particular:

• Account information is retained for as long as necessary to operate the account and for an appropriate period afterwards.
• Account sign-in records and sign-in IP addresses are retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for their documented security, access-record or fraud-prevention purpose.
• Valuation submissions are retained for as long as necessary to provide and administer the valuation, handle any resulting sale or listing and maintain appropriate business records.
• IP addresses associated with valuation requests are retained only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which those specific records are maintained.
• Marketplace account and enquiry information is retained for as long as needed to administer listings, enquiries and associated transactions or disputes.
• Correspondence is retained for as long as reasonably necessary to deal with the enquiry and any related business, legal or dispute-resolution requirements.
• Identity, ownership and entitlement evidence should not be retained for longer than needed for the verification, transaction, dispute or legal purpose for which it was obtained.
• Public registration research, sales records and Timeline information may be retained on a longer-term basis because the purpose of the archive and Timelines is to maintain an historical record of individual registrations. Personal contact details and verification material do not need to be retained for the same period merely because registration-history data is retained.

When information is no longer required, we may delete it, securely dispose of it or anonymise it so that it no longer identifies an individual.

11. Security

We use technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, loss or misuse.

Depending on the information and system involved, these measures may include:

• encrypted HTTPS connections;
• access controls;
• account authentication;
• restricted access to administrative systems and email accounts;
• server and network security measures;
• logging and monitoring of relevant account or security activity;
• verification of marketplace listings where appropriate; and
• use of reputable hosting and technology providers.

Account sign-in information, including IP-address records, may form part of measures used to identify or investigate suspicious access, abuse or security incidents where this reflects the purposes for which those records are maintained.

No website, email service or method of electronic storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure, and we do not make such a guarantee.

12. Your data protection rights

Depending on the circumstances, UK data protection law gives you rights in relation to your personal information.

These may include the right to:

• access personal information we hold about you;
• rectify inaccurate or incomplete information;
• request erasure of your personal information in certain circumstances;
• request restriction of processing in certain circumstances;
• object to processing based on legitimate interests;
• receive certain information in a portable format under the right to data portability, where applicable;
• withdraw consent at any time where our processing is based on consent; and
• complain about how your personal information has been handled.

These rights are not absolute and may be subject to conditions or exemptions under data protection law.

Where an IP address held in connection with an account sign-in or valuation request constitutes personal data relating to you, your data protection rights may also apply to that record. We may need sufficient information from you to locate the relevant record and verify that it relates to you.

If you wish to exercise a data protection right or raise a privacy concern, contact: contact@numberplates.org

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's independent supervisory authority for data protection.

We would welcome the opportunity to address any concern directly before or while you contact the ICO.

13. Information about other people

If you provide us with information about another person, for example in a description, provenance submission, historical document or correspondence, you should ensure that you have a lawful reason to provide it and that the information is relevant to what you are asking us to do.

We may choose not to publish or retain information about another person where it is unnecessary, excessively intrusive, unverifiable or inappropriate for the relevant purpose.

14. Children

NumberPlates.org is a number plate marketplace and research service and is not specifically designed or directed towards children.

We do not intentionally ask children to provide personal information through services intended for adults. If you believe that a child has provided personal information to us in circumstances where it should not have been collected, please contact us.

15. Third-party websites and services

NumberPlates.org contains links to third-party websites, including external information sources, auction houses, social-media services and other websites.

Those organisations operate under their own privacy practices and policies. This Privacy Policy does not govern how an independent third party processes information after you leave NumberPlates.org.

16. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time, including when our services, technology providers, legal obligations or data-processing practices change.

The latest version will be published on NumberPlates.org and the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy will be changed accordingly.

Where a change materially affects how we use personal information, we will take additional steps to bring it to users' attention where appropriate.

17. Contact us

Questions about this Privacy Policy, requests concerning your personal information or complaints about our handling of personal information can be sent to:

The Number Plate Company Group Limited
Trading as NumberPlates.org

167–169 Great Portland Street
5th Floor
London
England
W1W 5PF

Email: contact@numberplates.org
Company number: 15232704