Well, I really struggled to get this into the right section of the site. Hopefully, I'm about right. I am not getting the answers from DVLA, so thought I would ask here.

I have purchased a new registration plate for my car, and have the V750 Certificate of Entitlement. I understand that I can get some plates made up from producing this document and some ID at Halfrauds. But need to get the form processed at a DVLA office.

Question - My car already has a private plate on it that was allocated to the car by the previous owner (Hi Nigel if your reading ). That number is N19 VRS if anyones interested. I originally read somewhere, that normally, your old reg num will be held by DVLA until you need to sell the car, and you want to swap the plates back over. However, one of the leaflets that came with the V750 states "If the vehicle receiving the mark already has a cherished mark, it will be lost if it is not also transferred or retained" I don't really want to fork out money each year to retain this plate as I may keep the car for many years. And if they retain the previous plate anyway, what about the plate previous to the N19 VRS one. Can't they keep that one on hold (still) and let me sell the VRS plate?

I am getting somewhat confused, and just need somebody to explain all my options based on my scenario.

Any ideas??

Cheers

Gary

If you want to keep the plate that is on your car,it will cost £80 ( I think ) to put it on retention, otherwise it will be lost.

This will take for ever.

When the paperwork arrives back with a 'new' plate for your car, you will have to apply for your plate to be put on your car.

This will take forever.

Wish yourself a merry christmas.

Took me 4 weeks. Not a happy bunny.

If you want to keep the plate that is on your car,it will cost £80 ( I think ) to put it on retention, otherwise it will be lost.

This will take for ever.

When the paperwork arrives back with a 'new' plate for your car, you will have to apply for your plate to be put on your car.

This will take forever.

Wish yourself a merry christmas.

£105 to put it on retention, £80 + £25 transfere fee and it's only valid for one year which you must remember to renew other wise you will lose the right to the plate. THEY WILL NOT REMIND YOU

Postman Been Graham..........??

As mentioned by mr grumpy, if you want to keep N19 VRS, you will need to put the plate on retention for £80 otherwise the DVLA will add it back to the pool. When you sell the car later the car, if you wish to keep your new plate the car will be issued with a normal registration and not N19 VRS.

So far.

Purchase of plate £x

Purchased last November on retention certificate.

Car stolen, so transfer put on hold.

Application to change £25, 3 weeks ago in rainy Leeds in person.

Retention form in my name received today, meaning another trip to Leeds tomorrow, to re-apply. This will take approx 3 weeks to come through.

5 months in total.

Or at least 6 weeks, in real time.Plus 2 trips to Leeds.

What a ball-ache.

Well worth the wait though Graham........

Well worth the wait though Graham........

Ah but,

If your car is stolen and not recovered, as my last one was...

You lose the plate.

How is that fair?

Ah but,

If your car is stolen and not recovered, as my last one was...

You lose the plate.

How is that fair?

Didn't know that, surly the plate must be put onto a replacement car or on retention if your paid up...................I am suprised..

Didn't know that, surly the plate must be put onto a replacement car or on retention if your paid up...................I am suprised..

They go back into the dvla 'bank' to be re-sold at a later date.

Apparently it's to prevent you being stopped with a recognisable plate that the police think is stolen.

Once all of the databases have been cleared, it is reissued, but this can take far longer than an insurance payout.

So they keep it, and re-sell it.

Buggers.

I've recently emailed the DVLA about a suffix style plate (eg ABC 123A) that I fancy. This style of plate is not available from their website - they are all sold at auction

They confimed it has never been issued, and will be considered for a future auction - but this will take 12-18 months :eek:

And if they retain the previous plate anyway, what about the plate previous to the N19 VRS one. Can't they keep that one on hold (still) and let me sell the VRS plate?

Put the VRS plate on retention for

Yep, to take the existing plate off, you need to put this on retention. This will cost £105. They will take your V5, MOT and reissue them with a new tax disk. When this paperwork comes through you can put the original plate back on. The plate you have on retention you can now sell/transfer (again, a fee of £25), but you should get more than the £105 for it, I guess its worth between £250 and £500.

Then you need to do the process again to put your new plates on. Take your V750 to your DVLA office with your V5 and MOT. Your V750 may say that the first transfer fee has been paid, especially if you purchased from the DVLA - again, if not another £80. They take the documents, and when new ones arrive you can put your plates on.

DVLA are on top of these at the moment, if you live near your local office it could be as little as 2 days if you want to collect the paperwork...

I've just been through all this, its not that bad really. Just don't go to the local office near the turn of the month - it will be stupidly busy with people trying to tax their uninsured cars etc...

EDIT - remember to factor in telling the insurance company about the plate changes - its important, but yet again, another £15 or so per amendment in my experience!!!