Number Plate Transfers: A Guide

Getting started with number plate transfer

So you need to transfer your number plate from one car to another. You might have found some number plates for sale and wish to use one on your car, or you might have bought a new car and wish to move your existing private number plate along with you. It could be that you have a private number plate and wish to move it either to or from a retention document. Regardless of why, the steps to transferring a number plate can be complex if you’re not sure what to do. So to help you understand what happens, here’s a step by step guide on how to transfer your private number plate. Transferring number plate from one car to another Transferring a private number plate from one car to another is simple. The steps below explain how you can do it.

  1. You’ll firstly need a form called a V317 which you can download from here. Print it and fill it out completely.
  2. Once the form is filled out, gather the other necessary forms. These forms are as follows: the original V5 Vehicle Registration Certificate for both vehicles.
  3. Take all of these to the DVLA office and hand in the forms. It might take a couple of weeks for the process to be completed on their end, but they should give you all the information regarding that.

After you’ve moved the private number plate from one car to the other, the original car will need a replacement registration number. The DVLA handle this; they’ll issue you a new one once the transfer is approved as well as new documents to cover it. You must remember that you’ll still have to have the replacement plates made for the car once they’ve been issued. It’s also worth remembering that moving a number plate from one car to another car costs a total of £80. Transferring your number plate from your vehicle to a retention document If you’re selling your vehicle that has a private number plate and you want to keep it but have nothing to transfer the plate too, you can move it to a retention document. Through this, you’ll still own the registration plate and you can put it on another vehicle at a later point.

  1. Doing this is almost exactly the same as moving the plate from one car to another. You’ll need the same V137 form that should be filled out completely.
  2. Again, you’ll also need the original V5 Vehicle Registration Certificate, a photocopy of the tax disc and the original MOT certificate, but obviously you’d only need one copy of each unlike when moving from vehicle to vehicle.
  3. Once all of this is done, take it to the DVLA office and hand it in. It’ll take a few weeks for them to sort it out, just like if you’re transferring it from another car.

You can then use the form you’ll receive (Retention Document V778) to put the plate on another vehicle later on. It will cost £105 to move the plate to the retention document.

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