How to Put a Private Number Plate on Retention

Putting a private number plate on retention means taking the registration off a vehicle and holding the right to it on a DVLA document, so you can keep it when you sell, scrap or part-exchange the car. This guide explains how retention works, what it costs and the deadline that causes owners to lose registrations every year.

What does putting a number plate on retention mean?

When a private registration comes off a vehicle, the DVLA issues a V778 retention document. The V778 records who holds the right to the registration (the grantee) and, optionally, a nominee who can later have it assigned to their vehicle. While the registration is on retention it is not displayed on any vehicle, but it still belongs to you.

The vehicle is normally given back its original registration, or a new age-appropriate registration, and the DVLA issues a new V5C log book showing that number.

When should you put a plate on retention?

• You are selling, scrapping or part-exchanging a car and want to keep its private registration.
• You are returning a lease car and the registration needs to come off before the vehicle goes back.
• You want to move the registration to a vehicle you have not bought yet.
• You want to sell or give the registration to someone else separately from the car.

If you already have the next vehicle, you can usually move the registration straight across instead. See our guide on how to transfer a private number plate.

Which vehicles can a registration be taken off?

The DVLA sets conditions for the vehicle the registration is coming off. In summary, the vehicle must:

• be registered with the DVLA in the UK;
• be a type that needs an MOT or heavy goods vehicle test;
• be able to move under its own power;
• be available for inspection if the DVLA asks to see it;
• have been taxed or had a SORN in place continuously for the past five years; and
• currently be taxed or have a SORN in place. A vehicle that has been on SORN for more than five years must be taxed and have a valid MOT before the registration can be removed.

Historic vehicles that are normally MOT-exempt still need a current MOT certificate for this. Registrations beginning with Q or QNI cannot be kept.

How do you put a plate on retention?

1. Have the vehicle's V5C log book to hand. If the vehicle is not registered in your name, you must apply by post rather than online.
2. Apply through the DVLA's "Take a private number off a vehicle" service on GOV.UK, or by post.
3. Pay the DVLA fee of £80.
4. Wait for the new V778 retention document and the vehicle's new V5C log book to arrive.

If the vehicle does not need inspecting, an online application is usually processed straight away and you are given a reference number. You can use that reference to put the registration on another vehicle before the paperwork arrives.

Important: do not sell, scrap or hand back the vehicle until the registration has been removed and you have the V778 and the new V5C. If the vehicle leaves your hands while the private registration is still assigned to it, you can lose the right to the registration.

How long does a retention certificate last?

A V778 is valid for 10 years. Renewal is free and gives another 10 years. You can apply up to 28 days before the expiry date by filling in the renewal section of the V778 and posting it to the address on the form. You will get a reminder letter or email when the expiry date is close.

The deadline is strict. The DVLA must receive the renewal on or before the expiry date. If it does not, the right to the registration is lost permanently. Since December 2019 the DVLA no longer accepts late applications to recover expired certificates, and it does not resell registrations whose rights have lapsed.

Check the expiry date printed on your V778 now, and put a reminder in your calendar a month before it.

What if the retention document is lost?

If the V778 is lost but still in date, you can ask the DVLA for a replacement. An expired document cannot be replaced.

Can you get your money back if you no longer want the registration?

If you hold the latest V778 and the registration has not been assigned to a vehicle since you paid the fee, you may be able to surrender it and claim back the £80 fee. Surrender is permanent: once you give up the right, the registration cannot be used by you again. If the registration has a market value, selling it is usually the better option. Our free valuation can tell you what similar registrations have sold for.

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep my private plate if I sell my car privately?

Yes, but put it on retention or transfer it to your next vehicle first. Once the car belongs to someone else, it is too late to take the registration off.

Does retention cost anything every year?

No. You pay £80 to take the registration off the vehicle, and renewing the V778 every 10 years is free.

Can I put a retained plate on someone else's car?

Yes. The grantee can add or change a nominee, and the registration can then be assigned to a vehicle registered to that nominee. See our guide to V750 and V778 certificates.

Can a dateless plate go on retention?

Yes. Dateless registrations can be retained in the same way as any other private registration.