How to transfer your private number plate to your new vehicle

Ford Fiesta

Ford Fiesta These days there are vehicles everywhere with private number plates, it has become a way to show a bit of personality to your car, or show how much cash you have. However, when it’s time to get rid of your vehicle, chances are that you will want to keep the number plate if the vehicle is sold or scrapped.

It is possible to transfer your number plate onto a new vehicle or retain it for 10 years until you get a new one, this way you don’t have to worry about losing your personalised plate.

Can I place my plate on a new vehicle?

If you have a car prepared to place the number plate on then there are certain standards that must be adhered to. First of all, you will have to fill out a V317 form from the DVLA, this can either be filled out online or printed out and posted back to the DVLA.

Both the vehicle that the number plate is on and the one it is being transferred to must be registered with the DVLA, otherwise the transfer cannot go through. As well as this, you must have the V5C registration document that informs the DVLA that you are the registered owner of the vehicle or that you will be on the new vehicle. The vehicle you own must have road tax or have been declared SORN and it has to be able to be driven for inspection if necessary. That means the vehicle has to have passed its MOT and be in a driveable state on the roads. It is essential to note that you must not be trying to make your vehicle look younger with the personalised plate, you are not able to put year-specific number plates on a car older than the year of the plate.

Once you know the vehicles are prepared for the transfer, you simply need to fill out the V317 with the make, model, registration and VIN number of the car the plate is being removed from. You also need to add your contact details in-case the DVLA need to contact you regarding any issues and finally, fill out the details of the vehicle the plate is being transferred too. Don’t forget the V5C documents of both vehicles too.

What if I want to retain the plate?

If you want to get rid of the vehicle but keep the plate until your find a new car then you do have the option to retain the number plate. You will still be required to fill out the V317 form, however it will be a different section. You have to fill out the details of the person retaining the number plate, as well as information about the previous vehicle it was on. If you do not fill this part out, the registered keeper of the vehicle will automatically be sent the V778 retention form which is needed when you want to place the plate on another
vehicle at a later date.

If you’re looking to retain the plate to eventually sell on, you can use sites such as NewReg.co.uk to get the best quote on a price for your number plate.

How long will it take?

Once you have completed and submitted your application and paid £80 for the transfer, it usually takes approximately 2 weeks for the transfer to be completed. After this, you will receive a new V5C for the vehicle the plate has been taken off and the car’s previous registration will be attached to it, or a new one that matches the vehicles age. You will also receive the V5C for the vehicle you have put the plate on if you decided to have it transferred.

Now you’re ready to begin the process of transferring your number plate, or keeping hold of it until a new vehicle comes along special enough to place the plate onto.

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