V750 and V778 Certificates Explained

When you own the right to a private registration that is not on a vehicle, the DVLA records it on one of two documents: a V750 certificate of entitlement or a V778 retention document. This guide explains the difference, who the grantee and nominee are, and how to keep the certificate valid and safe.

What is the difference between a V750 and a V778?

	V750 certificate of entitlement	V778 retention document
When it is issued	When a registration is bought (from the DVLA or through a dealer) and has never been assigned to a vehicle	When a private registration is taken off a vehicle and kept
Valid for	10 years	10 years
Renewal	Free, up to 28 days before expiry	Free, up to 28 days before expiry
Used to	Assign the registration to a vehicle, change the nominee, renew, or surrender the registration

In practice both documents do the same job: they prove you hold the right to use the registration and let you put it on a vehicle when you are ready.

Who are the grantee and the nominee?

The grantee (called the purchaser on a V750) is the person who holds the right to the registration. The grantee controls the certificate: they can renew it, change the nominee, sell the registration or surrender it.

The nominee is the person the registration can be assigned to. The vehicle it goes on must be registered in the nominee's name, so the name on the certificate must match the registered keeper on the vehicle's V5C log book exactly.

The grantee and nominee can be the same person. Naming someone else as nominee is how a registration is bought as a gift, or put on a vehicle registered to a spouse, family member or business.

How do you add or change a nominee?

The grantee can add a nominee, or change an existing one, at any point up to and including the moment the registration is assigned to a vehicle. This is done by completing the nominee section of the V750 or V778 and sending it to DVLA Personalised Registrations, or through the DVLA account used to buy the registration. The DVLA removed the fee for adding or changing a nominee in 2015.

If you bought the registration through a dealer, check whether the dealer needs to authorise or submit the change for you, and whether it charges an administration fee.

How do you renew a certificate?

Both documents last 10 years. Renewal is free and lasts another 10 years. Apply no earlier than 28 days before the expiry date. A V750 can be renewed online through the DVLA personalised registration account used to buy it; either document can be renewed by completing the renewal section and posting it to the address shown. The DVLA sends a reminder letter or email when the expiry date is close.

The DVLA must receive your renewal on or before the expiry date. If it does not, the right to the registration is lost permanently and it will not be reissued to you or anyone else.

How do you keep a certificate safe?

• Never post a photo or scan of it online. The DVLA warns that someone else could use the details to assign the registration to their own vehicle.
• Store it with other important documents and note the expiry date somewhere you will see it.
• Keep the reference number and a record of the expiry date separately, in case the document is lost.
• If the document is lost but still valid, ask the DVLA for a replacement straight away.

How do you use a certificate to put the plate on a car?

You need the V750 or V778 and the V5C for the vehicle, which must be registered to the nominee. Assignment online is free and is usually immediate if the vehicle does not need inspecting. The vehicle must meet the DVLA's conditions, including the rule that a registration cannot make a vehicle look newer than it is. See which vehicles a private plate can go on and our guide on how to transfer a private number plate.

Can you give a registration up for a refund?

If the registration has not been assigned to a vehicle since you paid the fee, and you hold the latest V750 or V778, you may be able to surrender it and claim back the £80 fee. Surrender is permanent. If the registration could be worth more than that, consider a free valuation before giving it up.

Frequently asked questions

Is a V750 worth more than a V778?

No. The value of a registration depends on the registration itself, not the type of document it is held on.

Can a business be the nominee?

Yes, if the vehicle the registration will go on is registered to that business.

What happens to the certificate once the plate is on a car?

It is used up. The registration then appears on the vehicle's V5C, and if you later take it off again you will receive a new V778.