If you buy one of those Personalised Plus plates off eBay but don't display it on the car, do you still have to pay the $500 annual fee?
Cheers
Bob

i would ring transport just to be sure

The RTA charge you a yearly holding fee to keep in storage. As well as your yearly fee for the plate of $500 or what ever it may be. As well as a transfer fee when you buy it. Some more info on the link below.

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/myrta/myplates/index.html 

Number plate price list
Number plate pricing varies depending on the extent of customisation. You can have the standard content number plate (where the style and content is set) or you can customise your number plate with your preferred style and/or content.

The RTA accepts American Express, Diners, Mastercard and Visa.

Standard content number plates (Yellow and White)*
Style One off order fee
Yellow $35
White bordered $70
Bike rack - white $33

* Standard content plates are available from motor registries only.

Special number plates
Plate style
Car One off order fee Annual fee
Standard* Annual fee
Personalised Annual fee
Personalised plus
Yellow $30 N/A $60 N/A
White bordered $30 N/A $90 $430
Colour $30 $70 $130 $470
Metallic $30 $100 $160 $500
Euro (white and black) $30 $100 $160 N/A
Black $30 N/A $130 N/A
Custom yellow $30 N/A N/A $400
Sydney Harbour Bridge $30 $49 N/A N/A
Plate style
Motorcycle One off order fee Annual fee
Standard* Annual fee
Personalised Annual fee
Personalised plus
Yellow $30 N/A $40 N/A
Colour $30 $30 $50 $180
Metallic $30 $40 $60 $190
Black $30 $30 $50 $180
Custom yellow $30 N/A N/A $170
Plate style
Trailers One off order fee Annual fee
Standard* Annual fee
Personalised Annual fee
Personalised plus
Yellow $189 N/A N/A N/A
Black $30 N/A $130 N/A
Custom yellow $30 N/A N/A $400

* Standard content plates are available from motor registries only.


Remakes
You can remake your current plates into a different style and keep your existing content. The remake fees are the same as the one off order fee. Please note: the annual style fee may apply.

Replacements
If your plates have been damaged, lost or stolen you can replace them, however, the style and content cannot be changed. The replacement fees are listed below. Any existing annual fees will still apply.

Current plate styles Order fee
Yellow $35
White bordered $30
Colour $30
Metallic $30
Euro (white and black) $30
Black $30
Custom yellow $30
Vitreous enamel $141
Discontinued plate styles One off fee
ARU $50
New England $50
Centenary of Federation $50
Centenary of Federation limited $50

Number plate storage fees
Storage at a motor registry: $50 annual fee (any applicable special plate annual fees still apply while your plates are in storage).

Moving your stored number plate to another registry: $20.

Transfer fees - one off
Car/Truck Motorcycle
Personalised plus $163 $163
6 digit - numeral only $161 N/A
5 digit - numeral only $327 $80
4 digit - numeral only $820 $120
3 digit - numeral only $1,640 $161
2 digit - numeral only $3,281 $327
1 digit - numeral only $8,202 $1,640

wow.. cozins south of the boarder that is such a rip..
up here we buy the plate outright initially and own its IP 4eva with no ongoing fees..
man that a crock big time if you want a nice plate to put on ya ride down there..

What a rip off, $500 per year