This registration number cannot be retained online
Discussion
So, I've found a new car that I'm interested in, but first I need to sell my car to the likes of WBAC. I've just tried to take the private plate off my car so I can put the original plate on and get a new V5 document, and the DVLA websites says 'This registration number cannot be retained online'.
Apparently I have to fill in a V317 document, which can take 2 to 5 weeks!
I've never had this issue in the past but now it looks like through no fault of my own I have to miss out on this car, and simply wait around for the DVLA to do their thing before I can even think about selling the current car.
Has anyone else had this problem, how long did the process take?
Apparently I have to fill in a V317 document, which can take 2 to 5 weeks!
I've never had this issue in the past but now it looks like through no fault of my own I have to miss out on this car, and simply wait around for the DVLA to do their thing before I can even think about selling the current car.
Has anyone else had this problem, how long did the process take?
Expect it to take 3-6 weeks. It is an annoyance that they allow you to transfer the number onto the car without warning you that there will be a problem to remove it. We have lost 3 registrations to this. Nowadays I start the process to remove the existing plate before applying my plate as a test. Then I know whether I need to remove it 6 weeks ahead of time.
MustangGT said:
Expect it to take 3-6 weeks. It is an annoyance that they allow you to transfer the number onto the car without warning you that there will be a problem to remove it. We have lost 3 registrations to this. Nowadays I start the process to remove the existing plate before applying my plate as a test. Then I know whether I need to remove it 6 weeks ahead of time.
Yeh it's an absolute joke. Had no issues putting the plate on the car 3 year ago. I was in the process of taking the plate off the car and putting a deposit down on a new one, but this has thrown a massive spanner in works. All I want to do it retain my private plate so I can put the original back on the car. Whether there's a gap in the tax history or not shouldn't make any difference at all. I'm going to assume any gap is from when the garage owned the car before me, so absolutely nothing to do with me.
Edited by TheBinarySheep on Saturday 11th April 14:36
I've taken plates off cars several times online with no issues. Last time was September 2025. Has it been untaxed recently or something? There's usually a reason.
The only time I had a delay was in 1994 in the days when there were DVL local offices and before the internet. They wanted to inspect my Morris Minor, probably to check it existed, and wasn't a box of bits.
They probably do random checks in case someone only has the V5c and no actual car. They do have strict rules about tax status, but the one I did last year was a car that had been in the trade and untaxed only a few months earlier.
The only time I had a delay was in 1994 in the days when there were DVL local offices and before the internet. They wanted to inspect my Morris Minor, probably to check it existed, and wasn't a box of bits.
They probably do random checks in case someone only has the V5c and no actual car. They do have strict rules about tax status, but the one I did last year was a car that had been in the trade and untaxed only a few months earlier.
Sounds like DVLA might potentially have a marker on this registration number in their systems… could be a number of reasons like some other folks have pointed out, such as previous tax issues. Could maybe have been associated with a written off car, fraudulent cloning etc?
It might be an idea to call / webchat DVLA to get some clarification about this?
It might be an idea to call / webchat DVLA to get some clarification about this?
RedLightGreenLight said:
Sounds like DVLA might potentially have a marker on this registration number in their systems could be a number of reasons like some other folks have pointed out, such as previous tax issues. Could maybe have been associated with a written off car, fraudulent cloning etc?
It might be an idea to call / webchat DVLA to get some clarification about this?
Must be something simple or surely it would have been highlighted when i put the plate on the car of when i've taxed it every year.It might be an idea to call / webchat DVLA to get some clarification about this?
TheBinarySheep said:
RedLightGreenLight said:
Sounds like DVLA might potentially have a marker on this registration number in their systems could be a number of reasons like some other folks have pointed out, such as previous tax issues. Could maybe have been associated with a written off car, fraudulent cloning etc?
It might be an idea to call / webchat DVLA to get some clarification about this?
Must be something simple or surely it would have been highlighted when i put the plate on the car of when i've taxed it every year.It might be an idea to call / webchat DVLA to get some clarification about this?
As such unfortunately you have to do this the old fashioned way by post.
You might get lucky and it only take the minimum time of a couple of weeks.
Afaik there is no way round this.
I think the taxation history should be reset everytime there is a new registered keeper.
If you buy a used car you have no idea if the car wasn't taxed a few years ago (why would you). It has nothing to do with the current keeper.
Is there a way to find out if a reg number can be retained online without going through the complete transaction? I guess if you get to the payment screen does that mean it would work?
If you buy a used car you have no idea if the car wasn't taxed a few years ago (why would you). It has nothing to do with the current keeper.
Is there a way to find out if a reg number can be retained online without going through the complete transaction? I guess if you get to the payment screen does that mean it would work?
The car has had a lapse in RFL at some point in the last few years... and no matter how much you complain to the DVLA and they can see that you've always had the car taxed/SORN'd will allow them to force their archaic system to remove this flag. It's a real frustration.
Doing it via snail mail was a grim delay when you want you car sold/traded in, but when I did it towards the end of last year, it was turned around quicker than expected.
Doing it via snail mail was a grim delay when you want you car sold/traded in, but when I did it towards the end of last year, it was turned around quicker than expected.
alscar said:
If the car has been Sorn d and / or not taxed at any point in the past 5 years then irrespective of which owner did that DVLA won t allow online retention.
As such unfortunately you have to do this the old fashioned way by post.
You might get lucky and it only take the minimum time of a couple of weeks.
Afaik there is no way round this.
That's not correct. You can take a plate off a car that is SORN, as long as it is less than 5 years since last taxed. The plate I removed from a CLK in 2025, I had only had 2 months. It had previously been 'untaxed' but this is because it was 'in trade.' I was pleasantly surprised it was allowed online. As such unfortunately you have to do this the old fashioned way by post.
You might get lucky and it only take the minimum time of a couple of weeks.
Afaik there is no way round this.
https://www.gov.uk/personalised-vehicle-registrati...
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