Most Expensive Number Plate in the UAE: All-Time Records in Dubai and Abu Dhabi (2007–2026)

If you’ve ever seen a one-digit plate glide through Downtown Dubai or a rare Abu Dhabi code plate parked outside a luxury hotel, you already understand the core reality of the UAE plate market: the best plates are not “registration numbers.” They are trophy assets.

This article answers the exact question people search for:

You’ll get:

- A ranked list of the biggest publicly reported sales in UAE history

- A timeline of how the market evolved from the early Abu Dhabi record years to Dubai’s modern mega-auctions

- A data-grounded investment perspective (what is real, what is hype, what actually drives price)

The all-time UAE record (publicly reported) is Dubai plate P7, sold for AED 55,000,000 at Dubai’s “Most Noble Number / Most Noble Numbers”  charity auction in April 2023.

Before that, the historic benchmark was Abu Dhabi plate 1, sold for AED 52,200,000 in 2008 (widely reported as a Guinness-record sale at the time).

The UAE all-time leaderboard: biggest publicly reported sales

Important note: the UAE has private, off-market deals that are not fully transparent. The list below focuses on major auctions and widely reported public results (the only clean “market prints” you can cite with confidence).

Sold at the Most Noble Numbers charity auction in Dubai.

The iconic Abu Dhabi record sale that set the early global benchmark.

Sold at Dubai’s Most Noble Numbers charity auction supporting major humanitarian campaigns.

Another Most Noble Numbers record sale; one of the highest reported prices globally for a vehicle plate.

Top result from the 2025 Most Noble Number charity auction; multiple DD-series plates also cleared eight figures.

A landmark RTA auction result that helped define Dubai’s “trophy plate” era.

Reported by Emirates Auction and major press as a standout Abu Dhabi charity-auction result.

This matters historically because it shows how early Abu Dhabi established eight-figure price anchors before the 2008 plate “1” explosion.

Frequently cited as a major Dubai trophy purchase and often linked to the same top-collector era as D5. Different sources report 24.5 vs 25; treat it as “around AED 25m.”

This is important because it is not a single-digit headline. It proves multi-million demand in “prestige double-digit series” at a standard RTA auction.

Also notable (because they show depth, not just one outlier)

2023 Most Noble Number auction included multiple plates in the AED 1.9m–8.4m range (example: AA22 at AED 8.4m).

2025 Most Noble Number auction included DD12 at AED 12.8m and DD77 at AED 12.6m, showing repeated eight-figure clearing prices in one evening.

2025 RTA 120th auction: AA25 at AED 8.04m and BB30 at AED 6.74m were also confirmed in official releases.

Phase 1 (2007–2008): Abu Dhabi sets the global benchmark 

Abu Dhabi’s early auctions established the first “price anchors” that made the UAE plate market world famous. In 2007, plate 5 sold for AED 25.2m. In 2008, plate 1 sold for AED 52.2m, more than doubling that prior benchmark and becoming the historic reference point for high-end plate markets worldwide.

Phase 2 (2015–2016): Dubai becomes a repeatable mega-auction market 

By 2015–2016, Dubai’s RTA auctions demonstrated that “trophy plate pricing” could repeat in Dubai, not only as a one-time Abu Dhabi phenomenon. Notably, D5 reached AED 33m in 2016, and O9 was widely reported around AED 25m in 2015.

Phase 3 (2021–2023): Charity auctions drive global headlines and new records 

Dubai’s Most Noble Numbers auctions created a powerful “trophy + purpose” mechanic. AA9 hit AED 38m in 2021, AA8 hit AED 35m in 2022, and then P7 reset the all-time high at AED 55m in 2023.

Phase 4 (2025–2026): Depth and liquidity expand beyond one-digit headlines 

Two data points matter here:

The 2025 Most Noble Number auction: DD5 at AED 35m plus multiple other DD-series plates in eight figures.

This is exactly what sophisticated buyers look for: not just one “crazy sale,” but repeated, documented liquidity across multiple auctions and multiple plate classes.

Think of price as a product of five forces.

True scarcity at the top

Single-digit plates and the most coveted letter-series combinations have structural scarcity. Unlike watches or cars, you cannot manufacture more.

Visibility and identity value

A trophy plate is a public identity asset. In the UAE, it is one of the few status symbols visible every day, everywhere.

Auction mechanics create winner’s premium

The UAE’s highest prices often occur at highly public auctions. Competition, public attention, and “must-win” psychology can push prices beyond what a private negotiation would produce.

Charity auctions add a second motivation layer

The Most Noble Numbers / Most Noble Number auctions explicitly tie proceeds to major humanitarian campaigns, increasing willingness to pay and creating headline-scale bidding moments.

Market participants are global, not local-only

Dubai and Abu Dhabi attract high-net-worth residents, collectors, and global buyers. The buyer pool is unusually deep for trophy assets, which supports premium prices over time.

Do plates “only go up” since 2008?

A precise, defensible answer (and the one you should use in marketing)

It is not accurate to claim every year sets a new record. But it is accurate to say:

The UAE established eight-figure trophy pricing early (AED 52.2m in 2008).

The all-time record increased further in 2023 (AED 55m for P7).

Recent years show repeated multi-million clearing prices (including official RTA auction results in 2025).

So the strongest, factual investment narrative is:

The top segment has maintained extreme value and established higher record highs over time, while the premium segment continues to show liquidity through repeated auction results.

Dubai vs Abu Dhabi: does one market “matter more” for records?

Historically, Abu Dhabi wrote the first chapter (2007–2008).

In the modern era, Dubai dominates global headlines with repeated “Most Noble” auctions and the current all-time record (P7 at AED 55m).

For buyers, the “better” market depends on what you want:

If you want the most globally recognizable record story: Dubai’s P7, AA9, AA8 are the modern narrative anchors.

If you want the original trophy benchmark: Abu Dhabi’s “1” is the classic reference sale that shaped the market’s legitimacy.

Two people can own “similar-looking” plates and still have radically different market value. Price depends on:

Emirate and plate code/series

Digit rarity (single, double, triple digit)

Pattern quality (repeats, palindromes, culturally meaningful combinations)

Comparable sales and current active listings

Plates can be a strong alternative collectible asset, but only in the right segment and with correct expectations.

Strengths

Scarcity: top plates cannot be recreated.

Proven price anchors: eight-figure pricing is not new; it is documented over decades.

Ongoing liquidity in premium tiers: multi-million auction results continue to print in recent years.

Risks

Liquidity is uneven: “trophy” plates can take time to exit unless priced correctly.

Charity-auction premiums: record prices can include philanthropic “overpay” dynamics.

Transfer process matters: investors must treat transfer compliance and verification as non-negotiable.

Trophy tier (A): one-digit, ultra-rare series, best patterns. Best for long-term holding and status value.

Premium tier (B): strong two-digit and clean three-digit patterns. Often more liquid than trophy tier.

Retail collectible (C): nice patterns in 4–6 digits. More substitutable, pricing is more sensitive.

The trophy tier remains in “tens of millions AED,” with new record highs appearing occasionally during major charity auctions or marquee releases. The market has already shown it can break old records (2008 to 2023).

If UAE wealth inflows, collector culture, and headline auctions continue scaling, another new all-time high beyond AED 55m is plausible.

If liquidity tightens, mid-tier plates may stagnate while true trophy plates remain relatively resilient due to scarcity and identity value.

The most expensive UAE number plate ever sold (publicly reported) is Dubai P7 for AED 55,000,000.

The historic benchmark that made the UAE famous was Abu Dhabi plate 1 for AED 52,200,000 in 2008.

And the most important market signal today is not only the top record, but the repeated multi-million results across multiple auctions in 2025.

If you want to know what your plate could realistically sell for today, use our valuation tool first, then compare the estimate with active listings and recent auction prints (internal link to calculator + listings).

Dubai plate P7, sold for AED 55 million in April 2023 at a Dubai charity auction.

Abu Dhabi plate 1, sold for AED 52.2 million in 2008 (widely reported as a Guinness-record sale at the time).

Key public results include AA9 (AED 38m, 2021), AA8 (AED 35m, 2022), and DD5 (AED 35m, 2025).

At the RTA 120th auction in December 2025, BB12 sold for AED 9.66 million (officially reported).

Not every plate and not every year. But the trophy segment has established strong long-term price anchors (AED 52.2m in 2008) and achieved a new all-time record (AED 55m in 2023), while premium segments continue to show multi-million liquidity in recent auctions.

They combine collector competition with philanthropic motivation, media exposure, and public “must-win” bidding dynamics, which can push final prices above typical private-market negotiations.

It can be, especially for trophy and premium tiers with genuine scarcity and strong patterns. But it remains a collectible market: liquidity varies, spreads exist, and safe transfer/verification matters as much as the number itself.

Use a valuation calculator, then validate with real comparables: recent auctions, active listings, and pattern-based rarity. (Internal link suggestion: calculator + Dubai/Abu Dhabi listings.)