Transferring a private plate when buying privately

[Burgerbob]

Hi

hopefully this is in the right section...

I'm looking to buy a car privately. The car has a personalised plate on it now, which the current owner wishes to keep. I intend to put my personalised plate on it, and ideally would like to have my plate on it when I collect it.

This would be better for the insurance as I won't have to pay an admin fee to change the plate. Plus, I'd just like to have my plate on it from day 1.

My question is... How do I actually achieve this? do I have to wait for the DVLA to send a V5 out for each change (i.e. for when the current owner removes their plate, and then for the change in keeper)

Thanks for any advice on how to do this, I'm sure it's fairly routine, I'm just not sure on the steps to take.

[-Cappo-]

The previous owner has to remove their plate, the vehicle then reverts to (usually) its original plate, and then you will have to wait for the new V5 before you can apply your plate. There’s no way to go private plate > private plate (at least there wasn’t last time I tried, I actually spoke to someone at DVLA about it).

[snuffy]

-Cappo- said:

The previous owner has to remove their plate, the vehicle then reverts to (usually) its original plate, and then you will have to wait for the new V5 before you can apply your plate. There s no way to go private plate > private plate (at least there wasn t last time I tried, I actually spoke to someone at DVLA about it).

Yes, I think that is correct.

You will need to new car's new V5 with the original plate on before you can put your plate on.

Last year, I did this when selling my old car (trade in):

Took my plate off the car I was selling, online, which is immediate. That cost me £80. Then I had to update my insurance, which was £5.50. Then I collected the new car, drove it home. Then I could change it to my plate, so I had to update my 1 day old insurance to the new plate, for another £5.50. There's no additional DVLA fee to pay, the initial £80 fee covers both removing it and re-assigning it when you are ready.

[Burgerbob]

Thanks both. So really I need the seller to take off his plate asap so the V5 is available for when I collect it.

[snuffy]

Burgerbob said:

Thanks both. So really I need the seller to take off his plate asap so the V5 is available for when I collect it.

Yes, that's right.

It only takes a few days for the V5 to arrive in the post, about 5 as I recall.