A new driver gift: their first reg on their keys
L plates off. First keys on. A number plate keyring is a small metal copy of their first car's reg, made to order with a few words, a map or a voice message on the back. From £19.
What goes on the back
The front is their plate: the reg in the plate font, with a side flag if they want one. The back is where you come in. Four ideas suit a new driver well:
- A short note in a font you choose, such as "Drive safe, love Mum x".
- A parent's voice. Record up to 30 seconds in the browser, or upload a voice note you saved, and they play it with their phone camera.
- A map of home, or of the road from home to wherever they learned, with the date.
- The yellow rear plate, so the fob has a front and a back like the car itself.
Your handwriting and photos work too. A note in your own hand reads as you, and a photo of them with the car marks the day. A voice or map back costs a little more than words or a plate: see the prices further down.
More on how the sound plays is on the voice message keyring page.
Words to put on the back
Short lines read best on a fob this size. A few to start from:
- "Drive safe, love Mum x"
- "Text me when you get there"
- "Mirror, signal, manoeuvre"
- "Proud of you. Dad"
- "Your turn to drive"
- "First car, first keys"
Pick a font in the builder and turn the fob over in 3D to see how the line sits before you decide.
For a 17th or 18th birthday
In the UK you can start learning to drive at 17. If they already have a car by their 17th or 18th birthday, a keyring with its reg is a birthday present that goes straight onto the keys. Put their age or the date on the back, next to a line from you, or record the birthday message itself.
More ideas for a new driver
P plates, a phone mount, extra lessons or money towards insurance: our article on gifts for a new driver goes through the useful ones and the ones they keep.
Chrome, gold or black
The fob is cast metal, 67.1 x 14.3 x 5.5 mm. Chrome is the base price. Gold and black each add £3: black for a dark first car, gold if they would like the keys to stand out on the hall table. The builder shows each one in 3D before you pick.
You need their reg
Each fob is made with the real reg, so you need it before you build. If the car is bought, ask them, or read it off the plate next time you walk past. If they are still choosing, wait until the car is theirs.
Private, cherished and older plates all work, as long as the reg has seven characters or fewer.
Buying for a grown-up with a brand new car instead? The new car gift page is written for that.
How it works
- Type their reg. The fob turns in 3D as you build it.
- Pick the metal (chrome, gold or black) and what goes on the back.
- Once orders open, we make each fob to order and post it in its gift box.
One fob is £19, any two are £35. With a voice message or a map on the back: £25 for one, £39 for two. Gold or black metal adds £3. Postage is £2.99 for one fob, free for 2 or more.
Orders are not open yet. Build it now, and leave your email in the basket: we write when the shop opens.
Questions
What do you get someone who just started driving?
Either something useful for the first months, such as a phone mount or an emergency kit, or something they keep. A keyring with their first reg is the second kind: it goes on the keys they use every day.
Can I put their private plate on it?
Yes. A private, cherished or older reg works, up to seven characters.
Is it a legal number plate?
No. It is a 67.1 mm keyring and can't be used on a car (more).
How do they play the voice message?
They point their phone camera at the code printed on the back, and your message opens.
How much is it?
£19 for one fob with words or the rear plate on the back, £25 with a voice message or a map.
Does it come in a gift box?
Yes, each fob comes in its own box, ready to hand over.
More gift ideas
- Car lovers Their reg in chrome, gold or black.
- Dad His reg, white on the front and yellow on the back.
- Boyfriend His reg, and your voice on the back.
- New car The new reg, for the new keys.
- Christmas A stocking filler with their own reg.
- Voice message keyring Up to 30 seconds of your voice, on the back.