Private plate transfer process / timescales

[JulianHJ]

A relative is buying a car from a dealer on Saturday, and selling their old car to We Buy Any Car as soon as they can afterwards. The old car has a personal plate they want to transfer.

Am I right in thinking that when they get the V5 for the new car they can I make the transfer online that day?

Can they immediately sell the old car at this point, or is there a process for assigning the original/age-related plate before it can be sold on?

I’ve tried to find the answer from the DVLA website, but I’m not certain about it.

[s94wht]

If the plate is on retention, you can assign it to the new car immediately.

If it's on a car at the moment, they'll have to put it on retention. This also happens immediately - so make sure they have plates to put on it.

In virtually all cases, the car will go back to its original plate.

Remember that insurance needs updating as well.

If you need new plates made up, that's the bit where you'll have to wait - as you'll need either the new V5 or the retention document to turn up.

[CoolC]

The car I bought in the summer was on a private plate. It took 5 or 6 days for the V5 with the original number to come through so that we could complete the purchase.

We agreed a price on the Saturday, and by the following Friday the V5 had come through.

[JulianHJ]

Lovely, just the info I needed, thank you.

[alscar]

JulianHJ said:

A relative is buying a car from a dealer on Saturday, and selling their old car to We Buy Any Car as soon as they can afterwards. The old car has a personal plate they want to transfer.

Am I right in thinking that when they get the V5 for the new car they can I make the transfer online that day?

Can they immediately sell the old car at this point, or is there a process for assigning the original/age-related plate before it can be sold on?

I ve tried to find the answer from the DVLA website, but I m not certain about it.

If the old cars plate is retained online confirmation and a certificate for its replacement is issued instantly and said certificate is valid for 3 days to get new plates made up.
Dealer may be able to then put the retained plate onto the new car depending on timing.

[smokey mow]

Once the transfer is completed online it will still be a couple of weeks wait before you receive a copy of the replacement V5C through the post (possibly longer with Christmas post) so you may not be able to sell the car until that has been received.

[AB]

s94wht said:

If you need new plates made up, that's the bit where you'll have to wait - as you'll need either the new V5 or the retention document to turn up.

No, you'll get what you need electronically to do that.

[s94wht]

AB said:

No, you'll get what you need electronically to do that.

I stand corrected

[Alex_225]

The only time it can be a pain is if the DVLA have reason to stop you doing it online. I had this recently with a Saab I had a buyer for but needed the private plate off. Tried online and ended up speaking to someone, as if a car has been SORN or with a trader for a period of time they need you to send off the V5. Took about ten days from me sending it off for the V5 to come through.

Under normal circumstances you can put plate on retention immediately and the new V5 comes through within a week.