Frequently Asked Questions

Buying private number plates

Answers to your questions on buying private number plates.

Buying - General

<p>All your FAQ's about buying a personalised number plate. You have a thousand questions. Find the answers here.</p>

 


can you trace number plate owner

 

Can you trace who owns a number plate I want to buy?

We are often asked if we can trace the owner of a particular registration number. But unfortunately this is not possible. We cannot do this for you as it is protected information.

We understand that you may wish to trace the owner in order to make an offer for the registration number.

Your questions answered on buying number plates.

 

Why can't I trace a number plate?

Individuals' data is protected under the Data Protection Act. Only certain organisations, such as the police and the DVLA have access to that information.

If you think about it... if that was your information, you probably wouldn't everyone to be able to access it.

The private number plates you ordered are registered with the DVLA in the name you give us. This takes about 2-3 working days to be confirmed.

A pink V750 Certificate of Entitlement is then posted to you.

Check your email for updates.

Your circumstances


what happens to existing private number plate

 

My car already has a private number plate on it. What happens to that?

There may already be a private number plate on the vehicle, and you want to put a different one on it. You can either transfer the current private number plate to another vehicle, or apply to have it on a Retention Document (V778). This must be done at the same time – you cannot do it later. If you don’t apply to transfer the registration number at the same time, it will be lost.

 

What does it mean if my V5C Registration Document has "non transferable" next to the car registration number? Can I still put a private number plate on my car?


car not taxed transfer number plate

 

Can I transfer a private number plate to my car if tax has expired?

No. A car must be taxed to transfer a private number plate to it.

Before you buy a private number plate

Why is there a DVLA number plate fee that's added when I buy a private number plate? What is it for? Do I have to pay it upfront, or can I pay it later?

can I buy any personalised number plate for my car?

Can I put any number plate on my car?

I want a personalised number plate. Can I put any registration number on my car? What difference does it make how old my car is? Can I make one up and request it?

How do I pay for my number plate?

Can I part exchange my private number plate to buy another

Can I part exchange my private number plate?

I want to buy a private registration. Can I part exchange for one I already have? Will I be able to pay the difference?


interest free finance private number plate

 

Can I get interest free finance on private registration numbers?

We do not currently offer finance packages on private registration numbers.



how can I pay for my private number plate

 

How can I pay for my private number plate? Will you take a deposit?

Cards: Most debit cards and and credit cards are accepted.

What happens when I buy a private number plate?

If I get a private number plate, what happens to my car insurance? What do I need to do? Will I be charged? Does it increase the cost of my insurance?

My car documents have got the registration number on them. What happens when I buy a personalised number plate? Do I get replacements? How does it work?

If I get a cherished number plate what happens to my car documents and insurance? How does my MoT, tax and V5C Registration Document logbook get changed?

when can i put number plates on my car

Can I put the number plates on my car straightaway?

I've bought a personalised registration. What next? How do I get my plates and when can I swap them over?


Number plate transfer

Number plate transfer from Northern Ireland V750-NI

How do I transfer a private number plate from Northern Ireland

...if my car is in mainland UK? Do I have to do two transfers? Can I put it on retention? 

Can I transfer a personalised number plate to and from a motorbike (or moped)? Are the rules different for motorcycles than cars? How long does it take?


number plate transfer progress update

 

Is it possible to find out how my number plate transfer is going?

Generally not whilst the transfer is in progress.


why do some number plate transfers take longer

 

Why do some number plate transfers take longer than others?

Some transfers can be really straightforward. These are usually done pretty quickly.

How long does it take to transfer a private number plate to my car? In most cases it can be done within a few days of purchase. In some cases it can take longer

Northern Ireland private number plates transfer how it works

I want to transfer a private number plate to my car in Northern Ireland.

Can I do that? How does it work? Read how rules have changed to make this much easier.

Yes. You can now transfer a private number plate from a pink V750 Certificate of Entitlement directly to your car even if you live in Northern Ireland.

How do I transfer it.

Are there age restrictions

We want to bring you lots of useful stuff about personalised number plates. This page is still being put together.

We are working on this page to fill it with answers to your questions. In the meantime please contact us if you have a specific question.

Unless you apply to retain your old registration number (DVLA fees apply), the registration number on your vehicle will become 'void'. It's not always necessary to retain your private number plate. If it's a standard one you can let it go. The DVLA will reassign another when you later move your private number plates to your next vehicle.

The DVLA will assign the private number plates to your vehicle, and supply you with replacement documents. They will write to you to confirm.

It takes around 1-3 weeks for the DVLA to process your application.

Under the DVLA Cherished Number Plate Transfer Scheme, the DVLA allows you to transfer a personal number plate from one vehicle to another.

So what's the transfer process for private number plates?

Transferring car registration numbers is pretty straightforward. We've outlined the main steps here:

How to transfer a personalised number plate

Yes.

If you have bought another vehicle, and you still own your current vehicle, you can transfer your private registration directly from one vehicle to another.

The DVLA allows you to transfer a private registration number from one vehicle to another. This is the DVLA Cherished Transfer Scheme.

The simple answer is….. yes.

If you are selling your vehicle, you can hold on to the registration number even if you don’t have another vehicle to assign it to straightaway. You can then either…

Number plate costs


what are extra costs when buying a private number plate

 

When I buy a private number plate are there extra hidden costs?

No. There are no surprises.

What happens after I buy?

 


what happens to car documents when change number plate

What happens to my car documents when my number plate is changed?

Your V5C Registration Document (also known as the log book) has the existing registration number printed on it. When the car has been re-registered under your new private number plate by the DVLA, you will receive replacement V5C Registration Document.

You will not receive a replacement MoT Certificate, but the DVLA's systems are updated automatically. So just take your vehicle for MoT as usual.

Tax discs no longer issued after 1st Ocotber 2014.

When I change my car in the future, what happens to my personalised number plate? Can I transfer it to my new car? How long does that take? How do I do that?

When I get a personalised number plate, what happens to the registration number already on my car? How can I get it back when I sell my car? Questions answered

Why do I have to send my vehicle documents to transfer a private number plate? What happens to them? Will I get replacements when the registration is changed?

documents needed to transfer private number plate

What car documents do I need to transfer a personalised number plate?

What if I don't have my V5C Registration Document? Find out what you need and how to apply.

I paid a deposit on a private number plate. How and when do I pay the balance? What happens after I've paid?

If you decide to put the registration number onto a vehicle registered in to someone who is not named on the Certificate, you will need to ask us to change the nominee. Fees apply.

If you won't be ready to transfer the registration number to a vehicle before the Certificate expires, you will need to ask us to extend it for you. Fees apply.

You can extend as often as you need to.

When you sell your vehicle later on, you may wish to keep your private number plate. You will need to apply to the DVLA to either transfer the private registration number direct to another vehicle, or retain the number onto a V778 Retention Document. DVLA fees apply.

When the DVLA processes your application, they will provide a standard (age related) registration number to replace your private number plates. This usually the original registration number that was on the car before. But this is not guaranteed.

You must transfer the registration number to a vehicle in the Nominee name (on the Certificate) before the expiry date on the Certificate.

Take (or send) the following to the DVLA. Address is on the V750 Certificate of Entitlement:

  • V750 Certificate of Entitlement (complete the Assignment section)
  • Full V5C Registration Document for the vehicle*

*If you have just purchased the vehicle and don't yet have a V5 Registration Document, the DVLA may accept the green New Keeper Supplement slip accompanied by a DVLA V62 form.

No! You must re-register your car with the DVLA. Your vehicle documents will then be replaced, showing the new registration number. Only when this has been confirmed by the DVLA can you put the number plates on the car and start using them.

Full instructions on how to do this are on the back of the V750 Certificate of Entitlement.

If you've asked us to supply your new private number plates on a Certificate, please read this before contacting us with further questions.

 

Acrylic number plates

<p>Knowledge base on all articles about acrylic number plates. Quality, the law, how to get plates made up. Be in the know.</p>


number plate holes for fixing

 

Will the number plates arrive with holes in, for fixing to my car?

No. Unfortunately not.

I've bought a private registration number. When do I get the number plates for the car? What do I need to do? When can I swap the plates over? Can I change the spacing?


do I have to buy number plates from you

 

Do I have to buy number plates from you?

No.

You can buy your number plates wherever you wish.

can I change spacing and letters on number plate

Can I change the spaces between the letters on my number plate?

I've got a private number plate. Can I make it look more like what I want? What is legal on number plates?


when can I put number plate on car

 

When can I put my new number plates on my car?

You can only put the number plates on the car once it has been re-registered and you have received official DVLA confirmation. 

 

Buying terms and conditions

<p>What are the terms for buying a personalised number plate from us? Is my money safe? What 's the Code of Conduct?</p>

Selling private number plates

Your questions answered about selling private number plates.

Can I sell my number plate?

My car is not old enough to need an MoT. I have a private number plate on it. Can I sell it? Can I transfer it? Yes you can. Follow our guide on what you need to do. 

Can I sell the car registration number if I have the V5C logbook but the car no longer exists or is not driveable? Is it worth anything?

It says non-transferable next to the registration number on my V5C log book. Why does that mean? Can I still sell the number plate? Can I make it transferable?

scrap car sell private number plate

 

Planning to scrap your car?

Got a personalised number plate and thinking of selling it? Don't scrap the vehicle until the registration number is on retention.

car tax or mot expired sell number plate

 

My car tax has run out. My MoT has expired. Can I sell my private number plate?

What documents do I need? What should I do? Your questions answered.

How to sell my private number plate


how to advertise a private number plate

 

How do I advertise my private number plate?

There are lots of options for selling private number plates. You can advertise with us and we'll start marketing it for your straightaway.

swap number plate

Will you swap my private number plate?

I want to sell my personalised number plate. Can I sell it instantly, or swap it for another number plate? How much will I get in part exchange for mine?


how to sell number plate

 

What are my options for selling my private number plate?

We offer 3 options for selling private number plates.

Number plate value

After my private number plate is sold

<p>What happens after my private number plate is sold? Do I buy a new one? How does it work? How long does it take. Questions answered.</p>

General questions on private number plates

My private number plate certificate has expired. Can I get it back? What happens to it? Have I lost my registration number?

What is car cloning?

Vehicle cloning is when someone puts your car registration number on theirs, and passes their car as if it's yours. Usually, they will go so far as to pick a car that's the same model and colour as yours.

They are basically stealing the identity of your car to hide the real identity for one which may be stolen. That will then make it look completely legal.

What is a V5C Registration Document?

What does one look like?

How do I get one?

What happens if I never received one?

What happens if mine gets lost?

If I have the Regsitration Document but I don't have the car, can I still sell the number plate?

You may find that the number plates have been stolen from your vehicle.

Why would someone steal my number plates?

What should I do?

report to the police, get a crime number - why report? Cloning

How do I get number plates made up?

Can I get my number plates anywhere? No - go to a RNPS

What do I need to take for number plates

private number plate when car write-off

My car is a write-off. What happens to my private number plate?

 

Check this guide and act quickly before you lose the registration number.

 

No one likes to think about the possibility of having an motor accident. But we all know they happen. And sometimes the damage to the vehicle is not economical to repair. So the car is declared as written off.

If you have an accident, your car insurance company may decide to write off your car. That means that your insurer has decided your vehicle is beyond economical repair. The car insurance company then agrees a pay-out with you. Once that’s settled, your insurance company now owns the vehicle. And the company can dispose of the vehicle as they wish – either by selling it as salvage or having it scrapped.

If your car is sold on, the new purchaser could repair it and put it back on the road.....

What do I do about my personalised number plate when my car is stolen?

What forms do I need

Who do I write to

How much will it cost me?

How long does it take?
 

100% Money Back Guarantee on private number plates
Great customer Service
The Plate Market reviews
Secure shopping with SagePay