Private plate question

[Diablos-666]

I've seen a private number plate for sale but it is the old prefix (black & white) if I buy the plate can I legally put it on the current prefix (white and yellow)

The style of the plate is 3 letters then 3 numbers, not sure if that makes a difference.

Hope the above makes sense.

[elanfan]

Providing the plate is older than the car you can fit it

[Babu 01]

My last 2 cars, 1994 & 1998 registrations, have come with 6 character reg marks so should be fine.

[sleep envy]

you can make a car look older but not look younger

hth

[Diablos-666]

Thanks guys.

So does that mean you could buy a pre 1973 car that had the old black and White no plate and then put that plate on a newer car if you wanted?

[Fox-]

Diablos-666 said:

Thanks guys.

So does that mean you could buy a pre 1973 car that had the old black and White no plate and then put that plate on a newer car if you wanted?

Yes but not using black and white plates. You cannot have black and white plates on a post 1973 car.

[JR]

Fox- said:

Diablos-666 said:

Thanks guys.

So does that mean you could buy a pre 1973 car that had the old black and White no plate and then put that plate on a newer car if you wanted?

Yes but not using black and white plates. You cannot have black and white plates on a post 1973 car.

This, except it's post 1972 IIRC, as per D666.

[BuzzLightyear]

Errr! No doesn't really make sense to me.
The prefix is the first letter (or letters) on number plates in the current or previous format, ie AB 51CDE or Y111 AAA, the AB and theY would be the prefixes, respectively.
The format of the plate you quote therefore doesn't have a prefix, pre-dating the introduction of such systems so the rules on these don't apply.
However, if you mean can you transfer the number currently on the old black and White plate to the current black lettering on White (front) and yellow (rear) plates, the answer is yes. In fact, if your car was first registered after 1972 or 73 iirc, you must have the current plates, irrespective of the age of the plate itself.
HTH

ETA Beaten to it, more or less!

[Fox-]

Look, its obvious.

If you have ABC 111C fitted to your old Jag, you can have black and white plates.

If you transfer ABC 111C to your new Jag, you must have white and yellow plates.

Thats really all there is to it.

[Diablos-666]

Fox- said:

Look, its obvious.

If you have ABC 111C fitted to your old Jag, you can have black and white plates.

If you transfer ABC 111C to your new Jag, you must have white and yellow plates.

Thats really all there is to it.

Crystal clear, thank you.

Now for another question.

Having never bought private plates before, I don't really know the process.

I want to buy a pair from a private seller. Once I've paid the money should I receive a letter/certificate and then I can go and get them made?

Would I need to send anything off to the dvla or does the seller do this?

Sorry for the noob questions.

[Chodosh Corvette]

It depends on how the reg is held.

If the reg is on a retention certificate V778, then he simply needs to sign it over to you - (you will also have to sign). From memory, I took my V778, along with the log book, tax and MOT to the local DVLA office and they processed both the reg transfer + the application to my car at the same time. It took a few weeks for the new docs to arrive, but this was a relatively painless process.

If the reg is on a car, this becomes more complicated. I once had a problem where the two log books didnt match (plate was on my dads car, transferring to mine) - the donor vehicle and the plate holder vehicle should be in the same name, which will not be the case in your scenario.

I suspect it could still be done, but would have to defer to someone more knowledgeable than myself.....

[dessimpson]

I've bought a couple of Northern Irish plates from a guy on ebay.
The way he does it is this:- You send him your V5 and a cheque for 80 pounds made payable to DVLA and he sends the paperwork away. You get the docs through from DVLA about 3-4 weeks later with a new tax disk. You then put the new plates on the car.

If the plate is already on retention then I don't think you have to pay the 80 pounds. You just have to pay to transfer the plate onto the new car which is a bit cheaper.

[Bungleaio]

Nope if the plate is already on retention then there is no cost to transfer the registration to the next vehicle.

Not all plates are transferable though so don't buy a car hoping to transfer the reg off it then sell the car. I can't remember the exact rules but if the registration is the original one that was assigned to a car at random by the dvla when the car was new then I don't think the reg can be moved.

Also to transfer a reg off a car then I believe it must have a valid MOT but I could be wrong on this.

Also worth mentioning is that the reg you currently have on the car goes into for want of a better phrase hibernation until the new reg is transferred back off.

Private plates are quite simple when you get your head around the process.

[Diablos-666]

The plate I'm after is not on a car and is on retention.

If I pay the money the guy signs it over to me (I assume he posts it out to me) I then go to a DVLA place and get it transferred to my car.

[Bungleaio]

That's right or you can sent it to the dvla and they will post it back to you.