The Complete Guide to South Australia Personalised Number Plates (2026)

South Australia runs one of the most diverse personalised plate programs in the country. Administered by the Department for Infrastructure and Transport through the EzyPlates platform, the system offers everything from affordable personalised plates at $219 to historic numeric plates that change hands for six figures at auction.

Whether you're looking to buy your first set of custom plates, sell a combination you no longer need, or understand what your existing plates might be worth on the secondary market, this guide covers every angle.

How SA plates work

Unlike some states where the road authority handles everything directly, South Australia's plate program runs through EzyPlates (ezyplates.sa.gov.au), which is the official ordering platform operated by the Department for Infrastructure and Transport. You can order online or visit a Service SA Customer Service Centre in person.

Plates are typically ready for collection within 10 working days, or you can have them posted for a $20 flat fee (allow approximately 15 working days for postal delivery). All plates must be allocated to a currently registered vehicle before they can be issued.

Plate styles and pricing

SA offers a wider range of plate styles than most people realise. Here's what's currently available:

Custom plates — The most flexible option. Choose 1–7 characters (letters, or letters and numbers), plus your preferred colour and size. Your combination must include at least one letter. Custom plates are the go-to choice for anyone who wants a specific name, word, or combination. Pricing varies by character length and style — check ezyplates.sa.gov.au/pricing for current rates. Note: combinations using letters that look like numbers (e.g. "I" or "O") are not permitted.

Personalised plates — A more affordable alternative at a flat $219 one-off fee. These require exactly 6 characters, starting with letters followed by at least one number (e.g. HIKER5, DADD10, PHD101). The SA Piping Shrike state badge appears between the letters and numbers, giving them a distinctly South Australian look. The price is the same regardless of colour or size chosen.

Premium plates — Sleek monochromatic designs with sequentially issued combinations (currently from the XA000A series). White background with black characters costs $181; black background with white characters costs $267. Both are one-off fees. Reallocation rights (the ability to move the plate to another vehicle in your name) are an optional $54 extra, purchased at a Service SA centre. Without reallocation rights, the plates cannot be retained if the vehicle changes ownership.

Euro plates — Slim rectangular plates designed to fit European vehicles. A popular upgrade for owners of BMW, Mercedes, Audi, and similar cars.

Japanese plates — One of SA's newest additions, released in February 2024. Available in custom, set series, and special edition formats. Designed to complement Japanese vehicles with a shorter, taller plate format that fits bumpers designed for JDM plates. With over 800,000 registered Japanese-made vehicles in South Australia, this style fills a genuine gap.

R&S Series plates — Retro plates that complement vintage vehicles dating back to the 1960s and 1970s. A niche option for classic car enthusiasts.

Numeric (historic) plates — The rarest and most valuable. Originally issued between 1906 and 1966, these plates are only available through auction run by the Department. Lower-digit plates command significant premiums. They represent a genuine piece of SA motoring history.

Koala State plates — Specially designed to support South Australian wildlife, with $50 from each plate sold going towards a wildlife fund.

Corporate plates — For businesses, clubs, and associations. Includes a set-up fee from $340 (including GST) plus per-set fees from $230, depending on the plate style chosen. EzyPlates staff work with you to develop a plate using your logo and corporate colours.

Colours and sizes

SA offers more colour variety than many states. Custom and personalised plates come in multiple background and character colour combinations, including white, yellow, blue, green, red, pink, maroon, and black options. Not all character colours are available with all backgrounds, so use the EzyPlates builder tool to preview your specific combination.

Size options include standard (371mm × 133mm), slim (371mm × 100mm), and square (300mm × 150mm) formats. Slim plates give a cleaner look on many modern vehicles, while square plates suit vintage and Japanese cars. You can also mix formats — slim front with standard rear, or slim front with square rear — for a balanced appearance.

Buying plates on the secondary market

Not every combination is available through EzyPlates. If someone already holds the combination you want, the secondary market is where you'll find it. This is where platforms like AusPlates come in — sellers list their existing custom and personalised plates, and buyers can browse combinations that aren't available through official channels.

The secondary market is particularly active for short character combinations (1–3 characters) that are no longer issued, numeric plates from the pre-1966 era, Grand Prix plates (the GP series, issued from 1985 onwards with numbers from GP 1 to GP 199), combinations that spell popular names or words, and low-digit plates with investment appeal.

Important warning from EzyPlates: Custom plates being auctioned or sold to members of the public by private sellers do not entitle the agreement holder to long-term rights. Always check with Service SA before buying a plate from a private seller — call 1300 EZYPLATES to confirm the plates are legal to display, that the seller has the rights to sell them, and whether there are any additional charges payable to the department.

Transferring plates in SA

Plate transfers in South Australia go through Service SA. The process differs depending on what you're doing.

Moving plates between your own vehicles: Your custom or personalised plate agreement includes reallocation rights. This means you can retain your plates when you sell or trade in your car and reallocate them to your new vehicle. Before selling or trading in, you need to remove your plates and have a general-issue plate allocated to the vehicle. A Service SA centre can do this for you. A reallocation fee applies.

Selling numeric plates to someone else: Numeric plates issued with Class Specific Rights can be transferred to a new owner. The purchaser inherits the same rights as the previous owner after paying a transfer fee of 10% of the plate value to the SA Government. Before buying, ensure the seller actually has Class Specific Rights — you can verify this by checking their Agreement Schedule or contacting the department.

Key things to know about SA plate rights:

Class Specific Rights (the most flexible) allow the plate to be transferred between your own vehicles, reserved when not in use, and sold to a third party. These are standard for numeric plates sold at auction.

Restricted Rights (no longer issued for new applications) allow a numeric plate to remain with a vehicle regardless of registration continuity, but the rights are lost if the vehicle changes ownership.

If a personalised, custom, or premium plate is not allocated to a vehicle within 5 years — or the vehicle's registration lapses for 5 years — a further fee is payable to retain the number. If the fee isn't paid, the combination becomes available for re-issue (except premium plates, which are not re-issued).

What are SA plates worth?

Plate values in South Australia follow similar patterns to other states, but with some SA-specific factors.

High-value indicators include single and double-digit numeric plates (pre-1966), which are consistently the most valuable. Grand Prix plates — especially low numbers — also command strong premiums. Short custom combinations (1–3 characters) and plates spelling common names or popular words tend to hold value well.

The SA market is smaller than Victoria or NSW, which means less liquidity but also less competition when buying. Numeric plates have shown strong capital growth over the decades, and once the 10% transfer fee is paid, there are no ongoing costs — unlike some investment asset classes. That said, most personalised and custom plates are best treated as a passion purchase rather than a pure investment.

For a free estimate of what your SA plates might be worth, try the AusPlates AI valuation tool at ausplates.app/valuation.

Selling your SA plates

If you own personalised or custom plates you no longer want, listing them on a marketplace gives you access to buyers across Australia. On AusPlates, listing is completely free with no commission — and plates listed before 30 April 2026 are free for life as part of our founding member offer (normally $9.99/year).

To list your SA plates, visit ausplates.app/create, enter your plate combination, state, colour scheme, and asking price, add a description and any relevant details about the plate's history, and publish. Your listing is visible to buyers Australia-wide immediately.

Quick reference

Official platform: ezyplates.sa.gov.au Phone: 1300 EZYPLATES (1300 399 752) Email: DIT.PlateEnquiries@sa.gov.au In person: Any Service SA Customer Service Centre Processing time: ~10 working days (collection) or ~15 working days (postal) Postal fee: $20 flat

FAQ

How much do personalised plates cost in South Australia? Personalised plates are a flat $219 one-off fee regardless of colour or size. Custom plates (1–7 characters, more flexible) vary by character length — check ezyplates.sa.gov.au/pricing for current rates. Premium plates are $181 (white) or $267 (black), also one-off.

Can I sell my SA custom plates to someone else? It depends on your plate type and agreement. Custom and personalised plate agreements include reallocation rights (between your own vehicles), but selling to a third party is more complex and rights may be limited. Numeric plates with Class Specific Rights can be sold, with a 10% transfer fee payable. Always check with Service SA before buying or selling privately.

How long do SA plates take to arrive? Approximately 10 working days for collection from a Service SA centre, or around 15 working days if posted ($20 postage fee).

Are SA number plates a good investment? Historic numeric plates (issued 1906–1966) have shown strong appreciation over the decades. However, most personalised and custom plates are not reliable investments. Short combinations and culturally significant numbers tend to hold value best. Treat plates as a passion purchase first and a potential investment second.

Sources consulted for this article

• ezyplates.sa.gov.au (official SA plate ordering platform) — pricing, plate styles, character rules, processing times, reallocation rights, private sale warnings

• sa.gov.au/topics/driving-and-transport/registration/number-plates (SA Government) — ordering process, collection/postal timeframes

• ezyplates.sa.gov.au/plate-styles/numeric-number-plates — Class Specific Rights, Restricted Rights, 10% transfer fee for numeric plates

• ezyplates.sa.gov.au/plate-styles/premium-number-plates — premium pricing, $54 reallocation rights, XA000A series format

• ezyplates.sa.gov.au/plate-styles/corporate-number-plates — corporate set-up and per-set fees

• ezyplates.sa.gov.au/faqs — reallocation rights included with custom/personalised agreements, 10-day processing, plate warranty

• account.ezyreg.sa.gov.au/account/plate-order.htm — 5-year allocation rule, agreement terms and conditions

• numericplatessa.com.au — GP plate history (1985, GP 1–199), numeric plate market context

• dit.sa.gov.au — Japanese plates release (February 2024), 800,000 registered Japanese vehicles in SA

• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_registration_plates_of_South_Australia — personalised plates introduced 1979, numeric plate history (1906–1966), plate format details