The majority of people will not give a second thought to a licence plate number that is typically randomly generated and comes free with their car.
But others would pay millions to acquire special or personalised licence plates and regard them as a statement of individuality or an investment.
Here’s a round-up of the world’s 10 most expensive licence plates, many of which changed hands in the UAE.
1. F1 - Dh167.94m ($45m)
In 2008, car designer Afzal Kahn bought this plate, which was registered in 1904 by Essex County Council in England, for £440,000 ($573,640). He has turned down several multi-million-dollar offers for the plate and is not looking to sell it, “unless there is an absolutely incredible offer”, his website says. It is listed on the number plate supplier website Regtransfers for $45.72 million.
2. MM - Dh89.2m ($18.1m)
Attempting to make its way into the record books as the most expensive sold is the California plate MM, which is on sale for 5,888 ether - currently estimated at Dh89.2m ($18.1m).
This two-character plate is rare not only because it is one of only 35 two-letter plates, but also because the two are the same.
It comes with the added bonus of buying its matching NFT.
3. New York - Dh73.4m ($20m)
The only street-legal 'New York' plate in existence has been with the same family since the 1970s. The unnamed seller posted the plate and the Volvo V70 vehicle attached to which it is attached for sale on luxury classifieds website duPont Registry with a $20m price tag.
4. 1 - Dh52.2m ($14.2m)
In 2008, Abu Dhabi businessman Saeed Khouri paid 50 times the opening Dh1m bid at a charity auction in the emirate. At the time, he said the plate would be for personal use.
5. AA9 - Dh38m ($10.3m)
The AA9 number plate was one of four that were auctioned at the Most Noble Numbers sale in May last year.
The charity auction by Dubai emirate's Roads and Transports Authority was selling rare number plates and mobile numbers to raise money for the 100 Million Meals campaign.
The AA9 plate was sold for Dh38m after some fierce bidding, while three other plates – U31, T38 and E51 – raised Dh6.85m.
6. AA8 - Dh35m ($9.5m)
The AA8 number plate, a new entry to the list, was sold for Dh35m at the Most Noble Numbers auction on Saturday to raise funds for the One Billion Meals campaign.
7. D5 - Dh33m ($8.9m)
In 2016, Dubai-based Indian businessman Balvinder Sahni paid Dh33m for plate D5 at an RTA auction for one of his Rolls-Royce cars.
8. 5 - Dh25.2m ($6.8m)
Emirati businessman Talal Ali Khouri bought the No 5 plate for Dh25.2m at an auction in Abu Dhabi in 2007. He also bought the No 7 plate at the same auction for Dh11m. News agency Wam reported at the time that both plates were worth almost 10 times the value of the luxury cars they were placed on.
9. O9 - Dh24.5m ($6.8m)
In 2015, Balvinder Sahni successfully bid Dh24.5m for plate O9, and subsequently gave it to a charity that was building a children’s hospital, he told The National in an interview.
10. 7 - Dh13.4m ($3.9m)
In 2016, an unnamed Emirati businessman bought plate No 7 as he wanted to celebrate the seven emirates – and because it is a lucky number.
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Elvis
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Match info
Karnataka Tuskers 110-3
J Charles 35, M Pretorius 1-19, Z Khan 0-16
Deccan Gladiators 111-5 in 8.3 overs
K Pollard 45*, S Zadran 2-18
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
57%20Seconds
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Brief scores:
Manchester City 2
Gundogan 27', De Bruyne 85'
Crystal Palace 3
Schlupp 33', Townsend 35', Milivojevic 51' (pen)
Man of the Match: Andros Townsend (Crystal Palace)
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
In Search of Mary Shelley: The Girl Who Wrote Frankenstein
By Fiona Sampson
Profile
MATCH INFO
Liverpool 0
Stoke City 0
Man of the Match: Erik Pieters (Stoke)
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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