How To Transfer A Private Number Plate

A private number plate can normally be moved from one eligible vehicle to another through the DVLA. If you have another vehicle ready, you can take the registration off your current vehicle and assign it to the new one. If you are not ready to use it yet, you can put the registration on retention instead.

Taking a private registration off a vehicle costs £80. If the application can be completed online without an inspection, the registration is removed immediately and can usually be assigned to another eligible vehicle straight away. Assigning a registration using a valid V750, V778 or online reference is free.

How transferring a private number plate works

There are three different processes that are often all described as a "number plate transfer":

• Moving your private plate from one vehicle to another – remove it from the old vehicle, then assign it to the new one.
• Selling your current vehicle but not ready to use the plate elsewhere – put the registration on retention.
• Registration is already held on a V750 or V778 – assign it to the vehicle.

Transferring a registration from one vehicle to another normally involves removing it from the donor vehicle and then assigning it to the receiving vehicle.

Retaining a registration means removing it from a vehicle and keeping the right to use it later.

Assigning a registration means putting an unassigned registration onto an eligible vehicle.

You can complete most straightforward transfers online. Alternatively, you can apply by post using form V317 – Application to keep a vehicle registration number and put it on another vehicle. The V317 form provides separate options for transferring the registration to another vehicle or retaining it on a certificate.

Can I transfer a private plate straight from one car to another?

Yes. If both vehicles are eligible, you can normally transfer a private registration directly from one vehicle to another online.

The process has two stages:

1. Take the private registration off the donor vehicle.
2. Assign it to the receiving vehicle.

If the first application is approved online without an inspection, you receive a reference number immediately. That reference can then be used to assign the registration to the new vehicle without waiting for a physical V778 retention document to arrive.

The DVLA fee is £80 for removing the registration. There is no additional DVLA fee for assigning it to the receiving vehicle.

How to transfer a private number plate online

For most straightforward transfers, completing the process online is the easiest option.

What you need

Before starting, have:

• the V5C log book for the vehicle currently displaying the private registration;
• the V5C for the vehicle receiving the registration;
• a debit or credit card for the £80 removal fee; and
• the details of the private registration you are transferring.

Both vehicles must also meet the eligibility requirements explained later in this guide.

If you have only just bought the receiving vehicle, wait until the replacement V5C has been issued in your name before trying to assign the registration.

Step 1 – Take the private registration off the old vehicle

Use the official DVLA service to take a private number off a vehicle.

Enter the required details from the V5C and pay the £80 fee.

If no inspection is required, the registration is removed immediately. You will be given a reference number which can be used to assign the registration to another vehicle.

The donor vehicle's original registration will usually be reassigned automatically.

Do not discard the confirmation or reference number until the transfer is complete.

Step 2 – Assign the registration to the new vehicle

Next, use the official DVLA service to assign a private number to a vehicle.

You will normally need:

• the receiving vehicle's V5C;
• the reference number from the removal application, or details from the V750 or V778; and
• the private registration being assigned.

There is no DVLA fee for the assignment itself.

If no inspection is required, the new registration is normally assigned immediately.

Once the assignment has been confirmed, fit the correct physical number plates before driving the vehicle and update your insurer.

How to put a private number plate on retention

Putting a registration on retention allows you to remove it from a vehicle without immediately assigning it to another one.

This is usually the best option if you are:

• selling your current car;
• part-exchanging it;
• waiting for a new vehicle;
• storing the registration for future use; or
• planning to sell the registration separately.

The retention application costs £80 and can normally be completed through the DVLA private registration retention service.

Once the registration has been removed, you receive a V778 Retention Document giving you the right to assign the registration again while the certificate remains valid.

A V778 is valid for ten years and can currently be renewed free of charge.

If you cannot use the online service, you can apply by post using form V317.

Do not sell the car too early

If you want to keep the private registration, do not hand the donor vehicle over until the retention process has been completed and you have received both:

• the V778 retention document; and
• the replacement V5C showing the registration now allocated to the vehicle.

Selling or transferring the vehicle too early can result in the private registration passing with the vehicle to its new registered keeper.

How to assign a retained private number plate

If your registration is already unassigned, you can normally put it onto an eligible vehicle using:

• a V750 Certificate of Entitlement;
• a V778 Retention Document; or
• an eligible reference number issued when the registration was removed online.

Assignment is free and can normally be completed using the DVLA private registration assignment service.

A V750 is issued when you buy a brand-new, unassigned private registration from the DVLA.

A V778 is issued when an existing registration has been removed from a vehicle and retained.

The registration can usually be assigned online if the vehicle and certificate details meet the required conditions.

If the receiving vehicle already has another private registration that you want to keep, remove that registration first before assigning the replacement.

Requirements for transferring a private number plate

A vehicle involved in a private registration transfer must meet certain conditions.

It must:

• be registered with the DVLA in the UK;
• be able to move under its own power;
• be of a type that requires an MOT or HGV test;
• be available for inspection if requested;
• have been taxed or continuously covered by SORN during the previous five years; and
• currently be taxed or have a SORN in place.

Does the car need an MOT?

Not every transfer can be reduced to the simple rule that "both cars need a valid MOT".

The vehicle must be of a type that requires an MOT or HGV test, and additional MOT requirements apply in some circumstances.

For example:

• a vehicle that has been continuously SORN for more than five years must be taxed and have a current MOT;
• a historic vehicle needs a current MOT for the private-registration process even where it would normally be MOT-exempt.

What registrations cannot be transferred?

Some registrations cannot be transferred or retained.

Non-transferable registrations

Check the V5C. If the registration is shown as non-transferable, it cannot be transferred to another vehicle or put on retention.

Q and QNI registrations

Registrations beginning with Q or QNI cannot be transferred and must remain with the vehicle.

A private registration also cannot be assigned to a vehicle registered under a Q mark.

Registrations that make a vehicle look newer

An age-related registration cannot be assigned if it would make the receiving vehicle appear newer than it really is.

Can a private registration make my car look newer?

No.

You cannot use an age-related registration to make a vehicle appear newer than its actual age.

For example, an 07 registration cannot be assigned to a vehicle first registered in 2003 because it would make the vehicle appear newer. You can find this restriction in the official eligibility rules for assigning a private registration.

The same principle applies to other age-related registration formats.

Dateless registrations do not carry an age identifier, so this particular restriction does not prevent them from being used on older eligible vehicles.

What happens to my car's original registration?

When a private registration is removed, the vehicle's previous registration is usually reassigned automatically.

For example, if a car originally carried AB12 CDE before a private plate was fitted, it will often return to AB12 CDE when the private registration is removed.

However, restoration of the exact previous registration should not be treated as an absolute guarantee. Use the replacement registration shown on the updated V5C.

It is worth keeping the vehicle's previous physical plates in case they are needed again.

How much does it cost to transfer a private number plate?

A straightforward vehicle-to-vehicle transfer normally costs £80 in DVLA fees.

• Take a private registration off a vehicle – £80.
• Put a registration on retention – £80.
• Transfer from one vehicle to another online – £80 at the removal stage.
• Assign a valid V750 or V778 to a vehicle – free.
• Assign using an eligible online reference – free.
• Renew an unassigned V750 or V778 – free.

The £80 charge applies when the registration is removed from the donor vehicle.

You do not pay another £80 simply to assign the same registration to the receiving vehicle.

The cost of having the physical number plates made is separate and depends on the supplier.

How long does a private number plate transfer take?

A straightforward online transfer can be completed immediately.

If no inspection is required:

1. the registration can be removed from the donor vehicle immediately;
2. the resulting reference can then be used immediately; and
3. the registration can normally be assigned to the receiving vehicle straight away.

The paperwork takes longer to arrive.

After removing a private registration, the replacement V5C can take around 4 to 6 weeks to arrive.

After assigning a private registration, the replacement V5C for the receiving vehicle is usually received within around 4 weeks.

Postal applications can take longer, particularly where documents need checking or the vehicle is selected for inspection.

The important distinction is that the registration change itself may take effect immediately even though the replacement V5C arrives later.

Should I remove my private plate before selling my car?

Yes. If you want to keep the private registration, remove it before disposing of the vehicle.

This applies whether you are:

• selling privately;
• part-exchanging the car;
• selling it to a dealer;
• using an online car-buying service; or
• handing the vehicle over following an insurance claim.

Do not rely on an agreement with the buyer that the registration "isn't included". Complete the retention process properly before the vehicle changes hands.

Wait until you have both the V778 and the replacement V5C before completing the sale or handover.

Buying a brand-new car

A supplying dealer can usually arrange for your private registration to be assigned as part of the vehicle's registration process.

Give the dealer your V750 or V778 before the vehicle is registered and tell them that you want the private registration assigned.

Buying a used car

If you have just bought a used vehicle, wait until the V5C has been issued in your name before assigning your private registration.

Once the new V5C arrives, the assignment can normally be completed online using the DVLA assignment service.

Do I need to tell my insurer?

Yes.

Whenever a vehicle's registration changes, update the registration details held by your insurer.

You should also update any other services or accounts that identify the vehicle by registration, including:

• ULEZ;
• Congestion Charge;
• Dart Charge;
• Clean Air Zone accounts;
• parking accounts;
• parking permits;
• toll accounts; and
• workplace or residential access systems.

Leaving an old registration attached to an automatic payment account can result in charges or penalties being linked incorrectly.

When can I fit the new number plates?

Fit the new physical number plates only after the registration has been successfully assigned to the vehicle.

Once the assignment has been confirmed, the vehicle must display the new registration before it is driven.

Likewise, once a private registration has been removed from the donor vehicle, fit the registration allocated to that vehicle before driving it again.

Having a V750, V778 or set of acrylic plates does not by itself mean the registration is legally assigned to the vehicle.

Physical number plates must meet the UK rules for displaying number plates and should be made by a registered number plate supplier.

Can I transfer a private plate that belongs to someone else?

Yes, although "ownership" can be misleading when discussing registration numbers.

A registration number is allocated to a vehicle rather than owned as conventional physical property. Different people can instead hold particular rights relating to the registration.

When a registration is held on a certificate:

• the grantee is the person entitled to have it assigned;
• a nominee can be named so the registration can be assigned to their vehicle; and
• being named as the nominee does not itself give that person the right to control the unassigned registration.

Once the registration is assigned to a vehicle, the registered keeper of that vehicle gains the relevant right to apply to transfer or retain it in the future.

This is also why the V5C should not be described as proof that somebody "owns" a registration.

Can I sell or give someone a number plate on retention?

Yes.

A registration held on a V750 or V778 can be sold or given to another person and then assigned to their eligible vehicle.

The grantee can arrange for the recipient to be added as a nominee where necessary and then complete the assignment.

Once the registration has been assigned to the recipient's vehicle, the registered keeper of that vehicle gains the relevant rights relating to the registration.

Keep certificate details private

Do not publicly post a photograph or scan of a V750 or V778.

The information printed on the certificate can potentially be used to assign the registration, so certificate details should be treated as sensitive.

If you are thinking of selling a registration rather than transferring it to another vehicle, you can also obtain a free number plate valuation before deciding whether to sell privately, accept a cash offer or advertise it on commission.

How long can I keep a registration on a V750 or V778?

An unassigned V750 or V778 is valid for ten years.

If you still have not assigned the registration when the certificate approaches its expiry date, you can renew a V750 or V778 through the DVLA. Renewal is currently free and can be requested up to 28 days before expiry.

Make sure it is renewed on time – if the certificate expires without a valid renewal application, the right to use the registration can be permanently lost.

Direct transfer vs retention

Direct transfer

• Best for – moving the registration straight to another vehicle.
• Removal fee – £80.
• Receiving vehicle needed immediately – yes.
• First step – remove the registration from the donor.
• Next step – assign it to the receiving vehicle.
• Later assignment fee – free.
• Certificate needed before assignment – not necessarily if using the immediate online reference.

Retention

• Best for – keeping the registration for later.
• Removal fee – £80.
• Receiving vehicle needed immediately – no.
• First step – remove the registration from the donor.
• Next step – keep it on a V778.
• Later assignment fee – free.
• Certificate – V778 is normally used.
• How long it can remain unassigned – normally 10 years before renewal is required.

For most motorists, the choice is simple:

If the next car is ready, transfer the plate. If it is not, retain the plate.

Common mistakes to avoid

Selling the donor vehicle before retaining the plate

If the vehicle changes hands while your private registration is still assigned to it, you may lose control of the registration.

Fitting the new plates too early

Do not display the registration on the receiving vehicle until the assignment has been confirmed.

Trying to make a vehicle look newer

An age-related registration cannot be used on an older vehicle if it would make the vehicle appear newer than it really is.

Forgetting to update the insurer

The insurer's records should match the registration currently displayed on the vehicle.

Forgetting automatic charging accounts

Update toll, ULEZ, Congestion Charge, parking and similar accounts after the registration changes.

Assuming the V5C proves ownership of the registration

The V5C records the registered keeper of the vehicle. It does not prove conventional legal ownership of a registration number.

Confusing the grantee and nominee

A nominee does not acquire control of an unassigned registration simply by being named on the certificate.

Letting a V750 or V778 expire

Unassigned certificates are normally valid for ten years. Renewal is currently free, but complete it before the certificate expires.

Assuming the exact previous registration will definitely return

The previous registration is usually restored, but use whichever registration is actually allocated on the replacement V5C.

Disposing of a written-off vehicle too quickly

A registration may still be transferable from a written-off vehicle in certain circumstances, but the vehicle may need to remain available for inspection.

If an insurer controls the salvage, raise the registration issue immediately before the vehicle is disposed of.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer a private number plate online?

Yes. Most straightforward private number plate transfers can be completed online. Remove the registration from the donor vehicle first, then use the resulting reference to assign it to the receiving vehicle. If no inspection is required, both stages can normally take effect immediately.

Can I transfer a private plate straight from one car to another?

Yes. You can normally remove the registration from the first vehicle and immediately assign it to another eligible vehicle using the online reference. You do not usually need to wait for the physical V778 to arrive.

How much does it cost to transfer a private number plate?

A straightforward vehicle-to-vehicle transfer normally costs £80 in DVLA fees. The £80 is charged when the registration is removed from the donor vehicle. Assigning it to the receiving vehicle is free.

How long does a private plate transfer take?

An uncomplicated online transfer can take effect immediately if no vehicle inspection is required. Replacement V5Cs arrive later and can take several weeks.

Can I transfer a registration without a V5C?

The normal online process requires the relevant details from the V5C. Some postal applications can be completed using alternative documents in specific circumstances, such as the new keeper slip together with a V62. If the normal online requirements cannot be met, the application may need to be made by post.

Can I transfer a registration from a car with no MOT?

Potentially. A current MOT is not expressed as a universal requirement for every transfer. However, specific MOT rules apply in certain circumstances, including vehicles that have been continuously SORN for more than five years and historic vehicles used in the private-registration process.

Can I transfer a private plate from a SORN vehicle?

Yes, provided the vehicle meets the relevant eligibility requirements. It must generally have been continuously taxed or covered by SORN for the previous five years and currently have tax or a SORN in place.

Can I transfer a private plate from a car I have just bought?

Yes, but if you have just bought a used vehicle, wait for the replacement V5C to be issued in your name before assigning the private registration.

Can I put a private plate on a leased car?

Usually, provided the leasing company agrees.

The key issue is who appears as the vehicle's registered keeper. If the leasing company is the registered keeper, its cooperation will normally be needed both when assigning the private registration and when removing it at the end of the lease.

Can I put a private plate on a financed car?

Usually, if you are the registered keeper and the finance agreement permits it.

Check your finance agreement before making the change and remember to remove the private registration before returning or disposing of the vehicle if you want to keep it.

Should I retain my private registration before selling my car?

Yes. If you want to keep the registration, put it on retention before the vehicle changes hands. Wait until the V778 and replacement V5C have been issued before completing the sale or handover.

Can I transfer a private registration to someone else?

Yes. A registration held on a V750 or V778 can be assigned to another person's eligible vehicle using the appropriate grantee and nominee details.

What happens to my old number plate?

When a private registration is removed, the vehicle's previous registration is usually reassigned. Fit the registration shown on the replacement documentation before driving the vehicle.

Can I transfer a plate from a written-off vehicle?

Sometimes. A registration can still be transferable or retainable following a write-off if the relevant conditions are met and the vehicle remains available for inspection where required. Deal with the registration before the insurer disposes of the salvage. It is not possible to retain a registration off a scrapped vehicle.

Can I transfer a private plate to a motorcycle?

Yes, provided the motorcycle and registration meet the normal eligibility and age requirements. Once assigned, the physical registration plate must comply with the number plate rules that apply to motorcycles.

Can I transfer a Northern Irish registration?

Many Northern Irish registrations can be transferred in the same way as other transferable UK registrations.

However, registrations beginning QNI cannot be transferred. A registration shown as non-transferable on the V5C also cannot be transferred or retained.