Rules and information about private cherished number plates
More than ever now, drivers are personalising their vehicles by buying a cherished registration number.
Easily purchased from the DVLA and many other places, from as little as £99. Initially putting the new plate on your car is normally handled by the people you buy the registration plate from. But what happens when you want to transfer it to another car?
Below is our guide to getting your cherished number off your current car and onto your next one.
Can I transfer a number plate from any vehicle?
Firstly, the vehicle you want to take the plate off must be taxed and have a current MOT and it’s got to be available for inspection by the DVLA. It may be possible to get a plate off an untaxed car that does not have an MOT, but it will be subject to certain conditions that the DVLA might apply and its not a given that it will be granted.
Only vehicles that require MOT tests by law can become donor vehicles. Non-testable vehicles such as tractors, electrically propelled vehicles etc, will not be able to become a donor, so if it’s a nice plate you have seen and it’s on a ‘fork lift truck’ forget it.
Only the registered keeper of the donor vehicle can apply for the transfer and if that’s you, below is what you have to do. If your car is leased, the lease company will be the registered keeper and as such it will have to be them that make the application.
What vehicles can I transfer my number plate to?
You can not transfer a registration number that is newer than the vehicle you wish to put it on. You can only transfer an older plate or plate of the same age of the recipient vehicle. In simple terms, you can’t put a registration number that was first issued in say 2018 onto a car which was originally registered in 2016 (but you can the other way around).
What documents do I need to fill in and how much does it cost to transfer a number plate?
You will need to get a V317 cherished transfer application form. It has a tear-off sheet containing notes for guidance in question and answer form. You should read these carefully and keep them for future reference.
An application form can be obtained from your local licence office, or if you have access to the internet, you can download the form from and get more information from the Direct Gov website by clicking on the link below.
You will need the V5 registration documents for both vehicles and a current MOT Test Certificate for each vehicle that requires one.
Completed forms and supporting documents should then be taken or sent to the DVLA local office.
Along with the current fee for the transfer which is £80
Do both cars need to be taxed?
The DVLA will require tax discs from both cars so they can reissue them with new registration numbers. The disc issued for the recipient vehicle, will now show the cherished mark and the disc issued for the donor vehicle will have a new registration number issued appropriate to its year of registration.
If you need to tax either vehicle this can be done at the same time and you will need to complete a V10 Licence Application Form or the V11 Licence Reminder Form you may have been sent. You will need to produce a valid certificate of insurance or cover note for each vehicle you wish to tax, along with the relevant fees.
I’ve got my new number plates, is there anythig I need to know?
Once you have both tax discs back, it is your responsibility to fit the correct registration plates to each vehicle and although in the case of the recipient vehicle, it might be possible to just swap the plates from the donor vehicle, the donor vehicle will need new plates.
It is illegal to use either vehicle with number plates that do not match the registration number shown on the tax disc.
If your vehicle is a Bussey Vehicle Leasing vehicle, please contact our operations staff, who will if you wish complete the documentation process for you.
An administration fee of £25 will be invoiced to you by BVL when a cherished transfer or retention application is processed on behalf of a customer.
Retention of Cherished Mark
Can I keep my private plate if I don’t have a new car to put it on?
Can I keep my private plate if I don’t have a new car to put it on?
If you own a cherished registration number and you decide to change your car but have no immediate vehicle to transfer it onto, it is possible to use a retention certificate to retain your plate until you need it.
The ‘Retention Certificate’ allows a registration number to be removed from the vehicle to which it is assigned to and held on the Retention Document for 12 months whilst you decide on another vehicle that you wish the cherished number to be placed on.
As with transferring a cherished mark, the donor vehicle should be taxed and hold current MOT test certificate where appropriate. DVLA will consider applications where the donor vehicle is not taxed or does not have valid MOT certificate, but it seems to be at their discretion how they handle the application.
You need to obtain a form V778/1 which you need to complete and return to the DVLA, along with all of the necessary documents, which will usually include, Form V5 (log book), MOT Test Certificate and vehicle insurance certificate or cover note and the relevant fee.
The current fee is £105, which represents the £25 retention fee and an £80 assignment fee.
It’s possible that the DVLA may wish to inspect the vehicle and ask that you deliver it to their local office for inspection. The donor vehicle will then be issued with a new registration number appropriate to its age and a revised tax disc and the MOT will be amended to show the new registration number, but it’s your responsibility to ensure new number plates are fitted to show the new (replacement) number.
Once you have the certificate, you have 12 months in which to place the cherished mark onto another vehicle.
If you do not have a suitable donor vehicle before the expiration of the 12 month retention certificate, you are able to extend the period of retention and the annual fee for that is £25 (at the moment).
This application could AND SHOULD be made 28 days before the original retention certificate expires. The completed application using form V778 should for safety sake, either be hand delivered to the DVLA or posted using registered or recorded delivery.
VERY IMPORTANT
IF AN APPLICATION FOR EXTENSION OF THE RETENTION PERIOD IS NOT RECEIVED BY THE DVLA BEFORE EXPIRY OF THE ORIGINAL 12 MONTH RETENTION PERIOD – YOU WILL LOSE THE ENTITLEMENT TO THE NUMBER
If your vehicle is a Bussey Vehicle Leasing vehicle, please contact our operations staff, who will if you wish, complete the documentation process for you.
An administration fee of £25 will be invoiced to you by BVL when a cherished transfer or retention application is processed on behalf of a customer.
