Reserving a vehicle registration number
You can only apply to reserve a vehicle registration number plate on or after the 1st November of the year before you intend to bring the vehicle into use. In other words, you can only apply to reserve a vehicle registration number plate on or after 1 November 2006 to use this plate in 2007.
The number you reserve must be in the normal format and must correspond with the licensing authority area where you normally reside and the year in which the vehicle is to be first brought into use, i.e., 07-D-77 may only be reserved by someone living in Dublin for a vehicle intended to be brought into use in the year 2007.
The registered owner of the vehicle on which the plates are to be displayed must be the person in whose name the number was reserved. You cannot transfer a reserved number. All registration numbers are available for reservation with the exception of the first number of each year issued in the following cities - Cork, Dublin, Limerick and Waterford. These registration plates are then 07-C-1, 07-D-1, 07-L-1 and 07-W-1. These plates are reserved for the Mayor/Lord Mayor of each of these cities and are not available for reservation by anyone else.
A reserved registration number can only be assigned to a vehicle when it has been reached in the normal sequence. It may not be displayed on a vehicle before it has been formally assigned by the Revenue Commissioners following the presentation and acceptance of a completed declaration for registration.
Applications will be processed on receipt of the first post on the fourth working day of November; this is to allow time for postal applications to be received. No priority will be given to applications received before this date. An available number may be provisionally reserved by sending a completed application form by fax on the fourth working day of November to the Central Vehicle Office once the initial selection process has been completed. Provisional reservations will be conditional on the fee being received within three working days. If not received within this time, the number will again be made available for reservation by someone else.