Find Your Plate

Buyers expect trust.

• To become a Verified Seller, we require sellers to register with Escrow.com. The Verified Seller badge tells you the sellers have completed a Know Your Customer (KYC) identity check and they are who they say they are.
• We use our best efforts to verify the ownership of the rights before plates are listed. Some ownership checks are real time, and others make take up to 24 hours. Look for the Verified Plate badge on the seller profile.

Buyer verification is a one-step process, and it happens once you are serious about a purchase. Once you agree to buy a plate (either by selecting Buy Now or having an offer accepted), you’ll be prompted to complete your identity check before payment. 

What you’ll be asked to do: 

1. Create or link your Escrow.com account
2. Upload a valid driver’s licence or passport
3. Complete a quick biometric matcH

That’s it. The process takes less than two minutes and only needs to be done once. It’s secure, encrypted, and ensures both parties are protected before money or plates change hands.

Tip: It matters! Verification is used to prevent fraud, confirm legitimacy, and give both sides confidence before a transaction proceeds.

Finding a plate on Marketplates is designed to be simple and on your terms. You don’t need an account to browse and you can search using many filters. Chose Buy Now or Make an Offer button on any listing.

• Buy Now: Locks in the plate at the listed price
• Make an Offer: Start a private negotiation. The seller can accept, counter or decline.

If the seller accepts, you will be asked to create an Escrow.com account and complete an verify your identity. Marketplates uses Escrow.com as the trusted third party to hold funds until both buyer and seller are satisfied. By using Escrow.com’s service, you gain an added layer of security and peace of mind during the number-plate transfer process.

Tip: If you’re serious about buying, don’t lowball. A well-considered offer is more likely to get a response and shows the seller you’re ready to deal.

When you buy number plates, you’re not purchasing just the metal plates - you’re securing the exclusive right to display that registration number. States and territories issue the right to display the specific combination of characters through the registry. 

You can keep the plates in reserve, attach them to your vehicle, or transfer the display rights to someone else. Some rights are even sold without the plates.

Tip: Plates are always the property of the state or country where they’re registered. What you’re really buying/selling/ transferring is the ‘Right to Display’ that unique combination of characters.

Marketplates charges a modest Buyer's Fee of 4% of the agreed price (minimum fee of $50 charge). This is an additional charge on top of the agreed price and will be charged by escrow.com when you establish the account.

The Buyer's fee is capped at a maximum fee of $7,500 for high-value sales - we will not charge you more. 

NB. PayPal and Credit card payments via escrow.com are subject to an additional Payment Processing Fee of 3.05% and subject to Escrow.com approval. More details here.

nb, if the transaction is cancelled after the funds have been approved by Escrow.com, or if the plates are rejected by the Buyer, the Buyer is responsible for 100% of the Escrow Fee and return shipping fees. Escrow.com deducts the Escrow Fee when returning the original payment to the Buyer.

Marketplates.com has partnered with escrow.com to help customers buy and sell plates. At this stage, escrow.com is the only payment platform.

Once your offer has been approved and you have created your Escrow.com account, created your transaction, and the Seller has accepted the transaction, you’ll be able to select your payment method.

Buyers can pay with the following methods:  Transfers, PayPal, Credit/Debit Card. For more details on escrow.com payment options visit here.

nb. PayPal and Credit card payments are subject to an additional Payment Processing Fee of 3.05% and are subject to Escrow.com approval (maximum allowable amount of 5,000.00 USD/AUD/EUR/GBP).

Most plates are verified with record checks. Verified sellers also display trust badges. If you’re browsing second-hand listings elsewhere, here’s how to spot a fake.

• No official documentation
• If the seller can’t show proof of release, transfer rights, or ownership, walk away.
• Authentic plates follow strict rules, including typeface, size and spacing. Oddities usually mean reprints or replicas.
• Too-good-to-be-true pricing e.g. a VIC 3-digit plate for $1,500? Unlikely. Know the market and use caution.
• No registration or hold record. If a plate is in active use or on hold, it will show up in the state’s registration system. If it doesn’t, that’s a red flag.

If you have concerns about the authenticity of the paltes on Marketplates.com, contact us.