Dubai’s Priciest Number Plates: The Record‑Breaking Sales That Stopped Traffic

Dubai’s love affair with exclusive number plates is legendary, with collectors willing to pay supercar money—sometimes more—for the privilege of a handful of digits and a single letter.



Aside from the prestige of owning a plate that turns heads at every traffic light, these multimillion‑dirham bids often fund high‑profile charitable drives, turning conspicuous consumption into headline‑grabbing philanthropy.



Below is a rundown of the five most expensive Dubai plates sold to date and the stories behind their eye‑watering price tags.



1. P 7 – AED 55 million (April 2023)



In April 2023 the “Most Noble Numbers” charity auction at the Four Seasons Jumeirah produced a new world record when plate P 7 went under the hammer for a staggering AED 55 million . The bidding started at AED 15 million and rocketed past AED 30 million within seconds before an anonymous paddle holder sealed the deal at AED 55 million. Proceeds supported the “1 Billion Meals Endowment,” a Ramadan campaign aimed at funding long‑term food‑aid projects.



Why “P 7”? Single‑digit numbers already command premium prices, but seven is considered both lucky and symbolic—think seven emirates, seven continents, even the mystique of the number in popular culture. Add in the rarity of a single‑digit plate paired with a low‑series letter, and you have a recipe for record‑shattering bids.



2. AA 9 – AED 38 million (May 2021)



Two years earlier, plate AA 9 briefly held the Dubai record. Sold for AED 38 million at another “Most Noble Numbers” event, it helped raise nearly AED 50 million for the “100 Million Meals” campaign. As a single‑digit plate with the coveted double‑letter AA series, AA 9 ticked every box for collectors seeking maximum rarity in the Dubai system.



3. AA 8 – AED 35 million (April 2022)



The following Ramadan, the same charity drive produced another blockbuster sale: AA 8 fetched AED 35 million , matching the third‑highest price ever paid for a Dubai tag. Reports later suggested the anonymous winning bidder was also behind the P 7 purchase, making this ultra‑exclusive collector the owner of two of the city’s top four plates. As with AA 9, the double‑letter prefix combined with a single‑digit number ensured fierce bidding from eager philanthropists and plate investors alike.



4. DD 5 – AED 35 million (March 2025)



Newest to the list is DD 5 , hammered down for AED 35 million at the Armani Hotel in Burj Khalifa during the 2025 “Most Noble Numbers” auction. The winner, Binghatti Holding chairman Muhammad Binghatti, raised his paddle to claim the night’s star lot after an intense flurry of bids that even saw a 13‑year‑old enthusiast briefly in the running. The sale contributed to an AED 83.6 million total for the “Fathers’ Endowment” campaign, proving that demand for distinctive plates—and the charity model driving these sales—remains undimmed.



5. D 5 – AED 33 million (October 2016)



Before charity auctions became the norm, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) hosted a headline auction in 2016 where Indian businessman Balvinder Sahni spent AED 33 million on plate D 5 . At the time it was the second‑highest figure ever paid for a Dubai plate and catapulted Sahni into the global spotlight—he had already paid AED 25 million for plate O 9 the previous year. D 5’s price tag highlighted a growing appetite among Dubai’s ultra‑rich for numerical exclusivity long before the current charity‑auction era began.







Why Dubai Plates Command Such Prices




Scarcity & Status Dubai plates use a combination of one letter and up to five digits. A plate with a single digit—or all matching digits—paired with a low‑series letter is exceedingly rare. In a market where supercars are commonplace, exclusivity has migrated to the plate itself.



Charity Auctions Since 2021, nearly every record‑setting sale has taken place under the “Most Noble Numbers” banner, funneling hundreds of millions of dirhams toward food‑aid and healthcare initiatives. Bidders gain prestige while supporting high‑impact philanthropy, a win‑win formula that encourages even higher bids.



Investment Potential Like fine art, top‑tier plates often appreciate. Limited supply, strong demand, and global media coverage bolster resale value, enticing collectors who view a plate as both a vanity purchase and a tangible asset. This is the main reason most investors never sell their Dubai number plates .



Cultural Significance of Numbers Numerology plays a role: 7 is seen as lucky; 9 symbolizes longevity in some cultures; 5 is prized in the region for its connection to Islamic tradition. When these digits align with low‑series letters, the desirability multiplies.








Looking Ahead



With Dubai’s millionaire population forecast to rise and charity auctions firmly embedded in the city’s social calendar, the next record may not be far off. Observers speculate that a single‑digit plate in the coveted “A” series—or perhaps the elusive “Dubai 1” if it ever surfaces—could break the AED 60 million barrier. For now, P 7’s AED 55 million price tag reigns supreme , embodying the perfect fusion of prestige, philanthropy, and the city’s limitless taste for the extraordinary.
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