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In this article we cover everything you need to know about selling a car with private plates, including retention, removal and transfer.
19 August 2024Love them or hate them, personalised licence plates are a common sight on UK roads. Private plates give drivers a way to express themselves through clever word play or extremely specific in-jokes related or, often, unrelated to their car.
But considering how most private plates only hold meaning to a very specific few - not to mention the cost of some of them - it's no wonder that most people want to keep a hold of their plates when they upgrade or trade in their car.
The good news is that it is pretty easy to remove private plates and we're going to talk you through exactly how to do it. This is our step-by-step guide to selling a car with a private plate. It is very important to follow these steps - missing out any of them might result in you losing your right to your private plates.
This might seem a bit obvious, but it's best to go over the basics to make sure we're all on the same page.
Licence plates are a series of letters and numbers that are used to identify specific cars. The licence plate configuration depends on where the car is registered and gives details like how old the car is and which country it is from.
In the UK, we have been using the current licence plate form since 2001. This type of plate is made up of seven letters and numbers: the first two letters denote where the car was first registered, the two numbers inform the car's age, and the last three letters are random.
Private plates, personalised plates or vanity plates, as they are also known as, are also used to identify specific cars. However, they use the numbers and letters to spell something meaningful to the driver and don't offer any information about the car itself.
While private plates are more 'free form' than typical licence plates, there are still some rules they have to follow, such as being easily legible (so no reflective surfaces) and of the correct font. On top of this, private plates must not be used to 'lie' about your car's age by pretending your private plate is a regular registration number. This means that, in order to get your ideal private plate, you may need to get a little creative.
Private plates can hold a lot of sentimental value and can cost a lot of money at point of purchase; therefore, many drivers look to retain their private number plate when it comes the time to sell.
You can put your private plate on retention online or via post. It takes around 10 minutes if you apply online. Once you apply online and your application is successful, your plate is disassociated from your car.
You can't sell a car while waiting for a number plate transfer. In this case, you'll need to wait for your retention certificate (V778) and V5C to arrive via post from the DVLA. This can take up to six weeks. During this time, you won't be able to prove the ownership of the plates without this documentation.
What if I'm in a hurry to sell my car? If this is the case you'll want to get this admin done as quickly as possible. Also, before starting the retention process, it's best to check that your car is eligible for a plate transfer. There is a list of criteria outlined by gov.uk which includes things like:
Taking a private plate off a car and putting it in retention when selling it is relatively easy if all the above is in place. Here is how you do it:
Once you have completed this, your car's original licence number will be automatically reassigned to it, you don't need to complete any further forms before reapplying the original licence plates to the car before selling it. It's also important to remember that, if your private plate is on retention, you'll need to renew your V778 document every 10 years.
There are several different methods for attaching licence plates, including screws, pop rivets, tape, and more. We would recommend visiting your nearest Arnold Clark dealership, where one of our technicians will be happy to help you with removing or attaching a private plate. This is the easiest and safest way to ensure they are removed and attached correctly.
If you need to replace your physical number plate you will have to go through a registered supplier. We are officially recognised by the DVLA as a number plate supplier, so all of our number plates are road legal. You can order number plates from Arnold Clark Autoparts.
After selling a car, you may already have another one lined up for your private plate. If that is the case, you can apply to have it assigned to another vehicle at the same time as requesting to remove it.
Finally, once you've completed all retention admin and exchanged the licence plates that need changing, there are some organisations you must update about the change. Make sure to inform:
The process for selling a car with private plates is exactly the same as if they were normal plates. Private plates are legal and identify individual cars, so there is no reason you can't sell your private plates along with the car.
This can be handy, as you'll save yourself some admin hassle by avoiding registering your plates and removing them and so on.
Not only that, but if you find the right private buyer, your personalised plates might boost the value of your car - though of course the opposite is true as well. On the other hand, if you decide to sell your car to a dealership like us, it won't affect the selling price at all.
We've got over 20,000 in stock across the UK.
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