RTA Plate Auction Calendar 2026: Every Date, Every Record, and How to Walk Away With the Plate You Want

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority runs two distinct auction formats for distinctive vehicle plates. Both are managed under the same regulatory framework, governed by the same 5% VAT rules, and processed through the same Customer Happiness Centres. But they serve different buyer profiles and price tiers.

Open hall auctions are live, in-person events held at luxury hotel ballrooms across Dubai. RTA typically schedules three to four per year. The format: 90 plates go under the hammer in a single evening. Bidding happens in real time with paddles in the room and simultaneous online participation. Venues rotate between properties like the Grand Hyatt Dubai (118th and 119th auctions in 2025), the Hilton Al Habtoor City (120th in December 2025), and the InterContinental Festival City (117th in December 2024).

These events feature the full spectrum of codes, from premium double-letter combinations like AA, BB, CC, and DD to single-letter codes spanning H through Z. Configurations range from coveted two-digit combinations that attract seven-figure bids down to five-digit numbers that bring first-time buyers into the room on budgets of AED 5,000 to AED 20,000.

The open hall format creates competitive energy that consistently pushes final prices well above nominal values. At the 118th auction in April 2025, the 90 plates had a combined nominal value of AED 16.565 million. The room pushed the final tally to AED 98.83 million. That is a 496% premium above starting prices. Gulf News reported the result as a milestone, and it was, until the 120th auction shattered it seven months later.

Online auctions run for seven consecutive days through the RTA website. They typically offer approximately 300 plates per event, triple the volume of an open hall session. The selection skews toward three-digit, four-digit, and five-digit plates, though two-digit numbers do appear occasionally.

The deposit requirement is lower: AED 5,000 security cheque versus AED 25,000 for open hall. This makes online auctions the natural entry point for buyers testing the market or targeting mid-range plates in the AED 10,000 to AED 500,000 bracket. The 82nd online auction ran on February 9, 2026, featuring 300 plates across codes H through Z. Dubai Eye 103.8 confirmed the lot details. The seven-day window gives bidders time to research, set budgets, and place strategic bids rather than making split-second decisions in a packed ballroom.

For a complete comparison of the three acquisition routes (auction, private sale, marketplace), read the Auction vs Private Sale vs Marketplace guide.

The table below captures every major open hall auction result across the period that redefined the market. This is the data set that proves the trajectory: revenue more than doubled in two years, and the buyer pool expanded with every event.

Two patterns stand out. First, total revenue grew from AED 51.2 million to AED 109 million, a 113% increase across six events. Each record was broken within months of being set: the 118th set it at AED 98.83 million in April, the 119th nearly matched it at AED 97.95 million in September, and the 120th broke through AED 109 million in December. Second, the highest individual plate sale was BB 88 at AED 14 million (119th), even though the 120th produced higher total revenue. That tells you aggregate market depth is growing, not just the trophy tier. Arabian Business reported the 120th results as record-setting, and the RTA’s official announcement on X confirmed the 118th’s milestone status.

December 27, 2025. Hilton Al Habtoor City. Ninety plates across codes AA, BB, CC, K, N, O, R, T, U, V, W, X, Y, and Z. Behind BB 12 at AED 9.66 million, the next highest results were AA 25 at AED 8.04 million, BB 30 at AED 6.74 million, and CC 100 at AED 4.21 million. That CC 100 figure would become an important benchmark three months later when DD 100 sold for AED 5.1 million at the 2026 Most Noble Number, establishing the charity premium at 21% for three-digit plates on premium double-letter codes.

September 27, 2025. Grand Hyatt Dubai. AED 97.95 million from 90 plates. BB 88 at AED 14 million was the undisputed star, the highest individual plate price at any standard RTA auction in 2025. But the diversity of the top four told a broader story. Y 31 sold for AED 6.27 million. M 78 sold for AED 6 million. BB 777 sold for AED 6 million. Single-letter codes Y and M commanding AED 6+ million signals that demand is expanding beyond the traditional AA/BB/CC premium tier. The right number on any code can break into seven-figure territory when the bidding room is competitive.

April 26, 2025. Grand Hyatt Dubai. AED 98.83 million from 90 plates. Khaleej Times called it an all-time record. The headline sale was CC 22 at AED 8.35 million, followed by BB 20 at AED 7.52 million, BB 19 at AED 6.68 million, AA 707 at AED 3.31 million, and AA 222 at AED 3.3 million. The nominal starting value across all 90 lots was AED 16.565 million. The final realised value of AED 98.83 million represents a 496% premium, meaning bidders collectively paid nearly six times the floor price. That markup ratio itself became a data point: the market was not just paying more, it was paying exponentially more than the RTA’s own conservative valuations.

Separate from RTA’s regular auction calendar, the Most Noble Number is an annual charity event held during Ramadan at the Armani Hotel Dubai inside Burj Khalifa. It is jointly organised by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), Emirates Auction, RTA, e& UAE, and du. Unlike standard RTA auctions that feature 90 plates, the Most Noble Number is a curated selection of 25 to 30 ultra-premium lots: RTA vehicle plates alongside special mobile numbers from the telecom carriers. The charity component means prices routinely exceed secondary market values because bidders are motivated by both prestige and philanthropy. The LicensePlate.ae team attends this event annually.

The 2026 result demands its own explanation. The AED 1.136 billion total breaks down into two components. First, auction bids: nine DD plates raised AED 81.5 million, ten du numbers raised AED 8 million, and ten e& numbers raised AED 1.905 million, for a combined bid total of AED 91.405 million. Second, philanthropic pledges: seven international foundations (Aga Khan, Gates, Edelgive, Piramel, Tata Trusts, Aliko Dangote, and Dalio Philanthropies) committed AED 1.044 billion during a Suhoor event held on the sidelines. This dual-track model transformed the Most Noble Number from a high-profile plate event into a globally coordinated humanitarian funding platform. The full story, lot-by-lot results, and foundation pledge breakdown are in the complete 2026 Most Noble Number report. The individual story of DD 6 at AED 37 million covers the bidding, the all-time leaderboard, and the market implications.

You must hold an active traffic file in Dubai. This requires a valid Emirates ID, a UAE driving licence (or proof of vehicle ownership under your traffic file), and a registered traffic profile through the RTA system. Expats with valid residency visas qualify on the same terms as UAE nationals. Company representatives bidding on behalf of a business entity need a trade licence and authorisation letter. If you do not yet have a Dubai traffic file, it can be opened at any Customer Happiness Centre for AED 200.

Registration typically opens seven days before the auction date. Three channels: the RTA website (rta.ae), the Dubai Drive mobile app via UAE Pass, or in person at Customer Happiness Centres in Umm Ramool, Al Barsha, and Deira. You need a refundable security cheque of AED 25,000 payable to RTA plus a non-refundable AED 120 registration fee (credit card accepted online, cash at centres). Seating at the venue is limited and prioritised for pre-registered participants. On-site registration is available from 2:00 PM on auction day, but arriving without pre-registration risks being turned away at capacity.

Same channels, same seven-day lead time. The deposit drops to AED 5,000. Once registered, you receive bidding access through the RTA auction portal. Bids can be placed and updated at any point during the seven-day window. The lower barrier makes online auctions the natural starting point for first-time participants.

You have 10 working days from auction close to settle. For amounts up to AED 50,000, cash is accepted at authorised RTA centres. Above AED 50,000, you need a manager’s cheque or credit card payment through the RTA website or Customer Happiness Centres. All plate sales carry mandatory 5% VAT on the winning bid amount. Your security cheque is returned if you do not win. It is cashed if you fail to settle within the payment window, and you may face restrictions on future auction participation.

Worked example: you win a plate for AED 200,000 at an open hall auction. You pay AED 200,000 (bid) + AED 10,000 (5% VAT) + AED 100 (ownership certificate) + AED 20 (knowledge fee) = AED 210,120 total. The AED 120 registration fee was already paid upfront. Your AED 25,000 deposit cheque is returned. For the full fee structure including transfer costs, replacement plates, and every other RTA charge, read the Costs and Fees guide.

The ballroom atmosphere at an open hall auction is engineered to create urgency. Chandeliers, suited auctioneers, competitors with paddles raised. The easiest way to overpay is to walk in without a firm maximum. Before the event, research the plate you want using the LicensePlate.ae plate calculator and the recent auction results in this guide. Set your ceiling and do not move it once bidding starts. The plate will still be available on the secondary market in 60 days if someone outbids you.

RTA publishes the full lot list when registration opens. Identify every plate that interests you and rank them by priority. Your first choice may attract aggressive competition. Your second and third choices might deliver equal or better value at lower final prices. At the 120th auction, CC 100 sold for AED 4.21 million, less than half the price of BB 12, yet both are premium double-letter combinations with strong secondary market appeal. The buyer who walked away with CC 100 got a better deal relative to market value.

Early lots at open hall auctions often attract inflated bids because the room is fresh and competitive energy peaks in the first thirty minutes. Experienced bidders track this pattern across events: mid-auction lots sometimes close at lower multiples of nominal value because attention has drifted and the initial adrenaline has subsided. This is not a guaranteed edge, but monitoring where in the lot sequence your target plate sits can inform your timing.

With a seven-day bidding window, the optimal strategy is to monitor activity for the first five days and place your serious bid in the final 24 to 48 hours. Early bidding drives prices up prematurely and signals demand to competing bidders. Late entry lets you assess real interest before committing capital.

Not every plate needs to be won at auction. The secondary market on LicensePlate.ae often has comparable plates available at prices that reflect what a private seller is willing to accept, which may be lower than what auction fever produces. Browse 60,000+ listings across all seven emirates before deciding whether to wait for the next auction or buy now at a negotiated price.

Plates purchased at auction rarely appear on the resale market within the first month. Winners typically hold for personal use or strategic positioning. When similar plates do surface on the secondary market within 60 to 90 days, they tend to carry a 10% to 20% premium above the original auction price. This premium reflects the convenience of immediate availability versus waiting for the next auction and competing against a roomful of bidders.

Every auction sale becomes a reference point for the entire market. When BB 12 sold for AED 9.66 million in December 2025, every two-digit BB plate in the secondary market adjusted upward. Sellers of BB 15 or BB 22 now point to that result to justify their asking prices. Buyers use the same data to push back on inflated listings for plates that lack the same numerical appeal. This is why tracking auction results matters even if you never plan to bid at one. The data gives you negotiating leverage whether you are buying through the marketplace, selling your own plate, or simply checking your plate’s value. For safe transactions, follow the verification checklist before entering any deal.

For the complete Dubai plate price guide with digit-by-digit and code-by-code pricing, see the dedicated article that uses these auction results as pricing anchors across the full spectrum.

RTA does not publish a full annual calendar in advance. Auction dates are announced four to six weeks before each event. Based on the cadence established in 2024 and 2025, the following schedule reflects both completed events, confirmed dates, and projected timing.

The December open auction has consistently produced the highest annual revenue. The 117th (December 2024) raised AED 81.2 million. The 120th (December 2025) raised AED 109 million. If you are planning one auction bid per year, the December event offers the widest selection and the strongest competitive atmosphere. For the latest confirmed dates, follow @rta_dubai on X where registration openings and results are announced within hours of confirmation.

Every auction creates winners and runners-up. The winners walk away with plates. The runners-up face a choice: wait four months for the next open hall event, or find what they want on the secondary market today.

LicensePlate.ae lists over 60,000 plates across all seven emirates. Filter by Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, or Umm Al Quwain, and narrow by code, digit count, and price range. Every listing connects you with verified sellers. For sellers, auction results are your pricing compass. If a plate similar to yours just sold at auction, that figure becomes the anchor for your asking price. List your plate for free and let the market come to you. For VIP mobile numbers, visit MobileNumber.ae.

The 121st open hall auction is expected in April 2026 based on historical scheduling patterns. RTA announces confirmed dates four to six weeks in advance through its website, the Dubai Drive app, and @rta_dubai on X.

Open hall: AED 25,000 refundable security cheque + AED 120 non-refundable fee. Online: AED 5,000 refundable cheque + AED 120 fee. Winning bids carry 5% VAT plus AED 100 (ownership certificate) and AED 20 (knowledge fee).

Yes. Any UAE resident with a valid Emirates ID and active Dubai traffic file can participate. No nationality restriction. Company representatives need a trade licence and authorisation letter.

Open hall: 90 plates. Online: approximately 300 plates. Most Noble Number: 25 to 30 ultra-premium lots (plates + mobile numbers).

Open hall auctions typically feature 12 to 14 codes spanning AA, BB, CC, and single-letter codes from H through Z. The Most Noble Number features DD code plates exclusively for the RTA lot segment.

BB 88 at AED 14 million at the 119th open auction (September 2025). At charity auctions: P 7 at AED 55 million (Most Noble Number 2023, Guinness World Record).

Secondary market prices typically carry a 10–20% premium above comparable auction results, reflecting immediate availability. Charity auction prices run 25–50% above standard auction equivalents.

Yes. RTA enables simultaneous online participation. You still need to complete registration and submit the security deposit in advance.

Your security cheque is cashed by RTA, the plate is forfeited, and you may face restrictions on future auction participation. Payment must be completed within 10 working days.