Car owners can now use their names as number plates

Starting from January 1, 2026, it will be possible to register a car plate in Uzbekistan with a personalized name. This is stipulated in a resolution adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers on September 4 of this year.

According to the decision, from January 1, 2026, the state unitary enterprise “Uzavtomotobelgi” will be authorized to issue “unique” license plates consisting of up to six letters and/or numbers. These plates will be sold through open electronic auctions, based on public demand and preferences.

Such “unique” plates must not duplicate existing license plates, nor may they contain meanings that contradict the law or ethical norms.

For example, it will now be possible to see cars on the streets with license plates reading “SARVAR”, “AZIZA”, “ODIL”, or “BUKHARA”.

Personalized or unique license plates first appeared in the United States in the early 1900s. In 1903, the state of Massachusetts became the first to introduce official license plates. Later, during the 1930s and 1940s, some states began allowing car owners to obtain number combinations of their own choice. From the 1960s onward, this practice was formalized in the U.S. and widely spread under the system known as “vanity plates”.

In Europe, the United Kingdom is considered one of the leading countries in this field. Since 1989, the British government has been selling special license plates through auctions.

In Kazakhstan, special license plates have been available for purchase at open auctions since 2014.