Can I get my old private number plate back?

I have lost my private number plate Government holding (retention) certificate. How can I get access to my personalised registration mark?

This will depend on whether the certificate is still in date/valid.

A V750 Certificate of Entitlement (pink coloured paper) or V778 Retention Document (green coloured paper) is valid for 10 years from the date of purchase or retention.

If the certificate is still valid but lost then you can call the DVLA on 0300 790 6802 to request a duplicate copy. The DVLA will ask you questions to prove that you are the rightful owner but presently there is no charge for this service. If you purchased the V750 Certificate of Entitlement through a dealer then you may need to contact them to confirm if it is still valid and if so to request a new one.

In both cases you will be asked to agree that if the lost certificate is found, then you will destroy it.

My Private Plate Certificate has expired. How do I renew it?

Certificates are initially valid for 10 years. If your certificate has expired you will not be able to renew your rights to use the registration mark. The DVLA will not accept applications to renew after the expiry date. For more information on this please click here.

I have sold my car but did not retain my personalised registration mark. How do I get it back?

If you sell your vehicle with your cherished number plate still assigned to it on the ~V5C registration certificate then the new keeper will own the vehicle and the rights to the registration number. You will need to get in touch with the person who you sold the vehicle to and ask them if they are willing to retain the registration for you, if you pay the government fees. If they agree to help you they will need to send the V5 Registration Certificate to the DVLA by post along with a completed V317 form and an £80 cheque or postal order made payable to ‘DVLA Swansea’. However, if they retain the registration online, the certificate will be produced in their details and not yours.

I have sold my car and agreed with the new keeper to return my private number plate to me but they have not done this. How do I get it back?

If you sell your vehicle with your private number plate still assigned to the vehicle then the new keeper will own the rights to the registration number. If they agreed to return the personalised registration mark to you but haven’t followed through on their promise, then unfortunately there isn’t much you can do, as they now legally own the rights to your registration. However if you (sensibly) got them to agree to this in writing, then you should be able to enforce your agreement in a civil court action.

My car was scrapped or written off. What do I need to do to keep my private number plate?

To keep your personalised registration you would have needed to apply to retain it with the DVLA before your vehicle was destroyed or before your insurance company paid you for it to write it off. If you didn’t retain the registration mark first, then unfortunately, you will have lost the rights to your registration mark.

If you are considering getting your vehicle scrapped or if it is likely to be written off you will need to retain the private registration mark as soon as possible. You can either do this online, or you can submit a V317 form along with a covering letter and a cheque for £80.00 payable to the DVLA.

You can download one from DVLA’s website (please follow the link below)

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-to-transfer-or-retain-a-vehicle-registration-number

The information given in this article is intended for guidance purposes only. For official information, including anything specific to your case, you can contact DVLA directly by calling 0300 790 6802.

You can also follow the advice given on the government website:

https://www.gov.uk/scrapped-and-written-off-vehicles/how-to-scrap-vehicle

My car was stolen. What do I need to do to keep my private plate?

If your vehicle was stolen and it had a personalised registration number assigned to it, you can normally recover it by applying to DVLA to retain the registration mark. Before you can apply, you must be able to confirm the following:

You have informed the police about the theft. You can do this by dialling 101 and asking to be put through to your local police department. You will need to have your vehicle details to hand and will be given a Crime Reference Number. The theft has been reported to the DVLA. The police should inform the DVLA on your behalf. The vehicle must have had a valid MOT and up to date tax at the time of theft.

Your application will depend on the recovery of your vehicle.

If your vehicle has been recovered and either you or your insurer decides to sell or destroy it, you will need to apply to retain your personalised registration number before the vehicle is disposed of. To complete this process, you will need to submit a V317 form, a covering letter to explain the circumstances and a cheque for £80.00 payable to ‘DVLA’. You can download a V317 form from DVLA’s website (link below):

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-to-transfer-or-retain-a-vehicle-registration-number

Once the retention process is complete, you will need to send your V5C log book to your insurance company, and retain the yellow V5C/3 slip for your own records.

If your vehicle has not been recovered and you wish to claim your registration back, it must be on the DVLA’s records as stolen for at least 12 months, but no longer than 3 years. If your application to retain the registration mark is successful, you will receive a V778 Retention Certificate from DVLA for assignment to a vehicle at a later date (the certificate will be valid for 10 years).

You can also follow the advice given on the government website:

https://www.gov.uk/what-to-do-if-your-vehicle-has-been-stolen

We hope that this article will help you. If you want more information or have other questions, you can find your answers by visiting our FAQ page.

Visit Plates4Less where we love to help people Find, Buy and Sell private plates.

The information given in this article is intended for guidance purposes only. For official information, including anything specific to your case, you can contact DVLA directly by calling 0300 790 6802.