diff --git a/python/core/auto_generated/numericformats/qgsnumericformat.sip.in b/python/core/auto_generated/numericformats/qgsnumericformat.sip.in
index be3f89f5e8f..e3315d79f4e 100644
--- a/python/core/auto_generated/numericformats/qgsnumericformat.sip.in
+++ b/python/core/auto_generated/numericformats/qgsnumericformat.sip.in
@@ -157,7 +157,6 @@ Sets the ``interpretation`` of the numbers being converted.
 .. versionadded:: 3.26
 %End
 
-
 };
 
 %ModuleHeaderCode
@@ -273,6 +272,8 @@ Writes the format to an XML ``element``.
     bool operator==( const QgsNumericFormat &other ) const;
     bool operator!=( const QgsNumericFormat &other ) const;
 
+  protected:
+
 };
 
 /************************************************************************
diff --git a/src/core/numericformats/qgsbearingnumericformat.cpp b/src/core/numericformats/qgsbearingnumericformat.cpp
index c336f48e74d..fcae60b651a 100644
--- a/src/core/numericformats/qgsbearingnumericformat.cpp
+++ b/src/core/numericformats/qgsbearingnumericformat.cpp
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ QString QgsBearingNumericFormat::visibleName() const
 
 int QgsBearingNumericFormat::sortKey()
 {
-  return QgsNumericFormat::sortKey(); // clazy:exclude=skipped-base-method
+  return DEFAULT_SORT_KEY;
 }
 
 double QgsBearingNumericFormat::suggestSampleValue() const
diff --git a/src/core/numericformats/qgscoordinatenumericformat.cpp b/src/core/numericformats/qgscoordinatenumericformat.cpp
index e461dfee0bd..495bd8979fc 100644
--- a/src/core/numericformats/qgscoordinatenumericformat.cpp
+++ b/src/core/numericformats/qgscoordinatenumericformat.cpp
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ QString QgsGeographicCoordinateNumericFormat::visibleName() const
 
 int QgsGeographicCoordinateNumericFormat::sortKey()
 {
-  return QgsNumericFormat::sortKey(); // clazy:exclude=skipped-base-method
+  return DEFAULT_SORT_KEY;
 }
 
 double QgsGeographicCoordinateNumericFormat::suggestSampleValue() const
diff --git a/src/core/numericformats/qgscurrencynumericformat.cpp b/src/core/numericformats/qgscurrencynumericformat.cpp
index 3a5793fbd6c..2c59bb0abe5 100644
--- a/src/core/numericformats/qgscurrencynumericformat.cpp
+++ b/src/core/numericformats/qgscurrencynumericformat.cpp
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ QString QgsCurrencyNumericFormat::visibleName() const
 
 int QgsCurrencyNumericFormat::sortKey()
 {
-  return QgsNumericFormat::sortKey(); // clazy:exclude=skipped-base-method
+  return DEFAULT_SORT_KEY;
 }
 
 double QgsCurrencyNumericFormat::suggestSampleValue() const
diff --git a/src/core/numericformats/qgsnumericformat.cpp b/src/core/numericformats/qgsnumericformat.cpp
index 1f15473ecbb..13a9d2dc17b 100644
--- a/src/core/numericformats/qgsnumericformat.cpp
+++ b/src/core/numericformats/qgsnumericformat.cpp
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ QgsNumericFormatContext::QgsNumericFormatContext()
 
 int QgsNumericFormat::sortKey()
 {
-  return 100;
+  return DEFAULT_SORT_KEY;
 }
 
 double QgsNumericFormat::suggestSampleValue() const
@@ -72,4 +72,3 @@ bool QgsNumericFormat::operator!=( const QgsNumericFormat &other ) const
 {
   return !operator==( other );
 }
-
diff --git a/src/core/numericformats/qgsnumericformat.h b/src/core/numericformats/qgsnumericformat.h
index 36b0e68fe3a..fe48228e302 100644
--- a/src/core/numericformats/qgsnumericformat.h
+++ b/src/core/numericformats/qgsnumericformat.h
@@ -222,7 +222,6 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsNumericFormatContext
       mInterpretation = interpretation;
     }
 
-
   private:
     QChar mThousandsSep;
     QChar mDecimalSep;
@@ -350,6 +349,9 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsNumericFormat
     bool operator==( const QgsNumericFormat &other ) const;
     bool operator!=( const QgsNumericFormat &other ) const;
 
+  protected:
+
+    static constexpr int DEFAULT_SORT_KEY = 100;
 };
 
 #endif // QGSNUMERICFORMAT_H
diff --git a/src/core/numericformats/qgspercentagenumericformat.cpp b/src/core/numericformats/qgspercentagenumericformat.cpp
index 2f51e453fb6..43ce1df5f87 100644
--- a/src/core/numericformats/qgspercentagenumericformat.cpp
+++ b/src/core/numericformats/qgspercentagenumericformat.cpp
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ QString QgsPercentageNumericFormat::visibleName() const
 
 int QgsPercentageNumericFormat::sortKey()
 {
-  return QgsNumericFormat::sortKey(); // clazy:exclude=skipped-base-method
+  return DEFAULT_SORT_KEY;
 }
 
 double QgsPercentageNumericFormat::suggestSampleValue() const
diff --git a/src/core/numericformats/qgsscientificnumericformat.cpp b/src/core/numericformats/qgsscientificnumericformat.cpp
index 1c192c86448..9e1435398a2 100644
--- a/src/core/numericformats/qgsscientificnumericformat.cpp
+++ b/src/core/numericformats/qgsscientificnumericformat.cpp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ QString QgsScientificNumericFormat::visibleName() const
 
 int QgsScientificNumericFormat::sortKey()
 {
-  return QgsNumericFormat::sortKey(); // clazy:exclude=skipped-base-method
+  return DEFAULT_SORT_KEY;
 }
 
 QString QgsScientificNumericFormat::formatDouble( double value, const QgsNumericFormatContext &context ) const