Private Plate Retention

[DaveH23]

This is for my Partner and what she has been told by the salesman doesn't sit right with me so want to check the process.

The private Plate was used on her previous car for the first time, when she swapped the previous car went back and there was a period of time where she never had a car.

Once the previous car went back the plate was put on retention and the dealer applied it to her current car as soon as it came in.

We were given no details as to the age related plate of her current car and in our eyes has never had one.

New car is due to be picked up next week and current car with private Plate is going back the same day. She has been told to put her plate on retention and can continue to drive it until the swap next week but I don't think this is right.

The DVLA website suggests that if the retention application is successful then the current car is automatically updated with the age related plate (A plate we know nothing of and have never seen).

How do we retain the plate so it can be applied to the new car next week and still continue to drive the current car until then.

Hope the above makes sense, and thanks in advance.

[Mr Squarekins]

I *think* that when you go online and put the plate on retention, it gives you the originsl number so you can get plates made, Print the receipt.

New logbook with the original number then arrives in a few days.

Don't forget to tell insurer.

[DaveH23]

Mr Squarekins said:

I *think* that when you go online and put the plate on retention, it gives you the originsl number so you can get plates made, Print the receipt.

New logbook with the original number then arrives in a few days.

Don't forget to tell insurer.

That makes sense.

Can anyone else confirm, don't want to go through the process without being concrete as still need to use the car daily.

[Cylon2007]

Mr Squarekins said:

I *think* that when you go online and put the plate on retention, it gives you the originsl number so you can get plates made, Print the receipt.

New logbook with the original number then arrives in a few days.

Don't forget to tell insurer.

This is how it works.

[T6 vanman]

Changed my PP last month,

Went online
https://www.gov.uk/personalised-vehicle-registrati...

Payed the £80 and followed the directs .... It gives you a print out with the old cars original registration so you can have plates made & a reference number for your PP

Then either the garage or you can put the plate onto the new car via
https://www.gov.uk/personalised-vehicle-registrati...

Pretty sure that's what I did

[SteveR1979]

T6 vanman said:

Changed my PP last month,

Went online
https://www.gov.uk/personalised-vehicle-registrati...

Payed the £80 and followed the directs .... It gives you a print out with the old cars original registration so you can have plates made & a reference number for your PP

Then either the garage or you can put the plate onto the new car via
https://www.gov.uk/personalised-vehicle-registrati...

Pretty sure that's what I did

Yep

This

[sixor8]

There was a time of yore (when DVLA regional offices existed) that you could transfer a plate from one car straight to another, but even then you'd have needed both V5c documents.

Yes, you will need to apply to retain it first because there used to be an additional fee of £25 to do this which was scrapped. If the car had the private plate from new an no previous reg, it will be assigned a year appropriate reg plate. Bear in mind the original V5c will no longer apply and you'll have to wait for the replacement. Car dealers can get twitchy about this and they may retain a deposit until you deliver it if you plan to part ex it before the V5c arrives.

[texaxile]

DaveH23 said:

This is for my Partner and what she has been told by the salesman doesn't sit right with me so want to check the process.

The private Plate was used on her previous car for the first time, when she swapped the previous car went back and there was a period of time where she never had a car.

Once the previous car went back the plate was put on retention and the dealer applied it to her current car as soon as it came in.

We were given no details as to the age related plate of her current car and in our eyes has never had one.

New car is due to be picked up next week and current car with private Plate is going back the same day. She has been told to put her plate on retention and can continue to drive it until the swap next week but I don't think this is right.

The DVLA website suggests that if the retention application is successful then the current car is automatically updated with the age related plate (A plate we know nothing of and have never seen).

How do we retain the plate so it can be applied to the new car next week and still continue to drive the current car until then.

Hope the above makes sense, and thanks in advance.

What I've put in bold, I think you are correct, it doesn't sound right. At least, not drive the car on the "retained" reg number if that's what you mean.

I may well be wrong ,but when I transferred my pp off retention onto the vehicle (online) I had to put the new reg on straight away and inform the insurance, so there was no "grace" period as such for driving on my old reg. The transfer was immediate.

However, yes, the original number is assigned to the vehicle once you finish the process, so you'll be able to nip out to halfords or local motor factors , get some plates done and inform the insurance.

askMID took a week to update, MOT and Tax 24 hours (online)

I apologise if I'm wrong on the above, but that was my impression.

[alscar]

The reason the dealer is telling your Partner to put the existing plate on retention well in advance of pick up of the new car is so that the V5 showing the replacement original plate for the car going back arrives back in time for pick up.
This isn’t unusual but also depends on your relationship with the dealer etc.
The last 6 or so cars we have bought have all needed a retained plate then transfer and in one case a swop of the existing plate.
In every case a few days pre I retained the plate on line and received instantly a certificate valid for 3 days to get the original plate made up.
Then a few days later then received by post a V5 for this plus a retained plate certificate.
When I receive this I just forward to the dealer by email.
I have never physically got the plates made up and just driven to the dealer and picked up the new car.
Each time I have informed Insurers of the change over.
Only do the retention on line.
But I would speak to the dealer to avoid any issues on the day - I’ve heard of some dealers requesting a deposit pending the V5.

[Dashnine]

Don't really know why the dealers asking you to take the private plate off the old car, I've twice bought a previously registered car from a dealer and driven to the dealer in the old car with the private reg on, and driven away in the new (to us) car with the same private reg (a very surreal experience), the dealers have always sorted the number swap out.

This was 2012 and 2015, unless things have changed since.

[alscar]

Dashnine said:

Don't really know why the dealers asking you to take the private plate off the old car, I've twice bought a previously registered car from a dealer and driven to the dealer in the old car with the private reg on, and driven away in the new (to us) car with the same private reg (a very surreal experience), the dealers have always sorted the number swap out.

This was 2012 and 2015, unless things have changed since.

I think they changed in 2015.

[s94wht]

If you want to be extra safe, drive to where you're going to get the plates made up, then go online on your phone and do the swap.

[DaveH23]

OP here, in the way of an update, she drove to the dealer, done the retention onsite with them and waited for them to make up the age related plate then updated insurance online before coming home.

[alscar]

Glad it all worked out.

[s94wht]

DaveH23 said:

OP here, in the way of an update, she drove to the dealer, done the retention onsite with them and waited for them to make up the age related plate then updated insurance online before coming home.

Well done to her, sounds like it all went very smoothly.