Buying a personal plate before the V5 has come back?

[TroubledSoul]

Obviously you can't put it on the car before the V5 comes back, but is there any barrier to buying the plate? It would be a birthday present for the Mrs. Something a bit silly I suppose but it's harmless fun.

I'm just keen to know if there's any reason (be nice!) not to before the DVLA have returned the V5 in her name?

[essIII]

Without the physical V5 you might have difficulty finding somewhere that will make the plate up for you.

[S1_RS]

If you mean can you buy a personal plate and keep it on retention until the car/V5 has arrived then yes you can, you dont have to give details of the car it's going on when you buy it, only details they require are yours plus any nominee you may have, in this case your wife.

[rgw2012]

I don't believe there's any reason why you can't do this but you will need the certificate the DVLA provide to allow you to buy the plates from a supplier (unless you buy them from some show plates type site online)

[S1_RS]

I've actually done exactly this recently, bought MA66 GOT for my missus, (it's her nickname...) obviously it cant go on a car yet as the 66 doesnt start until Sept, so its on retention with her as the nominee.

[Magic919]

Any plate you buy from DVLA starts out with the reg on a piece of paper. You have years to allocate it to a vehicle.

[TroubledSoul]

Awesome, thanks guys.

[f1nn]

Yes, I done this a few weeks ago.

Purchased a plate, received the paperwork a few days later, toddled off to Halfords with the paperwork and the relevant ID and had the plates made up no problems.

Due to an internal issue with the DVLA, it was almost 7 weeks later, loads of grief, several phone calls, etc until the V5 arrived in my name for the newly purchased car I purchased the plate for arrived allowing me to transfer the plate, but that's another story and all sorted now.