How To Keep Personalised Number Plates When Selling A Car
If you’ve chosen a personalised number plate, then you’ve probably become quite attached to it and don’t want to give it up when you’re selling your car. Custom vehicle registrations are a part of our identity and may even have sentimental value if they were gifted!
Thankfully, you can keep your personalised number plate when selling a car, either putting it on a new vehicle or holding them as keepsakes.
Apply to keep your number plate
You can apply to keep your number plate through filling out this GOV form online. You need to do this before you sell your car, as you’ll need the registration documents. The DVLA may also decide to inspect your car, so make sure you allow yourself plenty of time for this opportunity.
What do I need to know before applying?
There are some requirements to take the number plate off your car. As long as your vehicle meets these criteria, you’ll have no problems keeping your number plate when selling your car.
- Your vehicle must be DVLA registered in the UK
- You must have valid tax or a valid SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification)
- The car must’ve either been taxed or had a SORN covering the previous 5 years
- Your car must be MOT-able
How can I use the retention certificate?
Once your application has been approved, you’ll be issued a V778 ‘retention certificate’. This will allow you to either apply to put your number plates on a new car right away, or you can keep them and use them at any point in the next 10 years.
How much does it cost to keep my number plates?
You’ll have to pay £80 to take personalised number plates off your vehicle. However, it’s free to put your plates onto a new vehicle.
If you want to keep your plates as a memento, you will need to renew your application after 10 years, but this will be free of charge.
Inform your insurance company
Even if you’re keeping your personalised number plates, you will need to let your insurance company know. If you’re putting your custom number plates onto your new vehicle, you need to let your insurer know the make and model of your new car. This will ensure your coverage isn’t compromised!
Selling your private number plate
If you decide to sell your personalised number plate separately from your car, you will still need to first apply to take the plate off your old car.
Using the same form as mentioned above, you can either retain the number plate until you find a buyer, or you can transfer it straight away by assigning someone else as the transferee.
Making your number plate into a keepsake
If you’ve decided to retire your personalised number plates from the road, but still want to keep them (e.g. as decoration in your home or office), there are numerous ways to upgrade them.
There are some exciting options for number plates if you no longer need them to be road legal. ‘Show plates’ with neon colours or 3D Krystal number plates will make your personalised registration into a lasting memento.