Keeping a Private Number Plate After a Death

When someone who held the right to a private registration dies, the registration does not disappear. Their executors, or the person who inherits under the will, can keep it, move it to another vehicle, transfer it to someone else or give it up. This guide explains the DVLA process and the mistakes that can cause a registration to be lost.

What can happen to the registration?

The executors, administrators or beneficiary can:

• keep the registration on the vehicle it is already on;
• take it off the vehicle and hold it on retention;
• put it on another vehicle;
• transfer it into someone else's name, for example a family member, or sell it; or
• give up the right to the registration and, in some cases, claim a refund of the £80 fee.

What documents do the DVLA need?

You will need:

• the death certificate (an original or a certified copy); and
• at least one of: a certified copy of probate, a copy of the will, or a letter from a solicitor confirming who the executors or next of kin are.

If the registration is on a vehicle

Use form V317 to transfer or retain the registration, with a covering letter signed by all the executors. The DVLA fee is £80. The vehicle must meet the usual conditions: it must be taxed or on SORN, have an MOT where needed, and be available for inspection if asked.

Important: do not sell, scrap or give away the vehicle until the private registration has been removed or transferred. If the vehicle leaves the estate with the registration still on it, the registration goes with it.

If the registration is on a V750 or V778

If the registration was held on a V750 certificate of entitlement or V778 retention document, send that document with the supporting documents above to the DVLA Cherished Transfers team, Swansea SA99 1BW. The executors must sign the V750 or V778 (or complete section 6 if it has no signature section) and include a covering letter signed by all of them saying whether they want to keep the registration or give it to someone else, such as a beneficiary. If the certificate cannot be found, send the supporting documents with a covering letter signed by all the executors explaining what you want to do.

Check the expiry date on the certificate straight away. Certificates last 10 years and must be renewed before they expire, even while an estate is being administered. If the certificate expires, the right to the registration is lost permanently.

Is the registration worth anything?

Possibly a great deal. Some registrations are worth more than the vehicle they are on. Before an estate gives a registration up or sells the car with it, it is worth finding out what similar registrations have sold for. You can search past sales in our Sales Explorer, look up the registration's Timeline, or request a free valuation.

Frequently asked questions

Do we have to wait for probate?

Not always. The DVLA accepts a copy of the will or a solicitor's letter as an alternative to probate, alongside the death certificate.

Can the registration be put straight onto a family member's car?

Yes. The registration can be transferred to a vehicle registered to the new keeper, as long as that vehicle meets the DVLA's conditions, including the age rule.

What if the car has already been sold?

Contact the DVLA as soon as possible. Once the vehicle belongs to someone else, the estate is unlikely to be able to recover the registration.