Stolen car/ private plate

[garycab]

So cars been stolen with your private plate on, police have closed the case and plate is put on the ANPR system etc, can you get that plate back or is it lost forever or until the car (if) is found ?

[InitialDave]

garycab said:

So cars been stolen with your private plate on, police have closed the case and plate is put on the ANPR system etc, can you get that plate back or is it lost forever or until the car (if) is found ?

If you have had an insurance payout, would it not now belong to the insurance company along with the car (if found)?

If not and you still "own" the car/have the V5, why not just transfer it?

[Sir Bagalot]

Provided you follow the correct procedure you will not lose the rights to the personalised registration number. If your vehicle was stolen, the DVLA will accept an application to have the registration mark reassigned to your replacement vehicle on condition that the theft was reported to the police and that the DVLA have recorded the vehicle as not recovered for at least twelve months. Further, the vehicle must have been taxed (or be tax exempt) and have had a valid MOT at the time of the theft.

Additionally, you will also need to supply the DVLA with a letter from your insurers confirming that they do not object to the registration mark being reassigned for the simple reason that if the vehicle is recovered after the claim is settled, your insurers assume the legal rights to the vehicle and therefore its current registration mark.

TIP: It's probably a good idea draw the attention of your insurers to the fact that your vehicle has been assigned a cherished registration. You must ensure that they are conscious of your intention to retain your registration mark in the event that your vehicle is stolen (or for that matter “written off” or scrapped). Just to clarify, once a claim has been settled, the insurers can sell on the vehicle for salvage so if your cherished registration had not been retained, you could loose all rights to it.