You cannot purchase plates like that in NSW. Transferring ownership of a standard or personalised plate in that manner involves selling them attached to a car, with the associated percentage-value transfer fees.
ie, if you wanted my FEC00L plates (and I wanted to sell them), you would have to:
1. Purchase the car from me, even if only nominally. Transfer it into your name. Cost roughly $100 (transfer + stamp duty)
2. Transfer the plates to another car you already own. Cost: about $20
3. Get a standard set of plates back on my car. Cost: $33
4. Sell the car back to me. You pay transfer fee again, roughly $100.
So there's $250 already, not including however much we agree for the plates themselves, ie $500? $1000? That's quite a few years' worth of fees compared to buying a plate of your own choosing.
The only exceptions to this are transferring of rego of a deceased estate, and transfer of plates amongst close family members, both of which require supporting documentation to the RTA.
Hope that helps.
RET
PS: I know who has FE-1956, and it ain't for sale
