How to transfer a number plate
Last updated February 10, 2023
Have you ever wanted to transfer a number plate from your vehicle to another one? It's a fairly simple process once you know what steps to take.
In this guide, we will explain how to transfer a number plate from one car to another. We’ll cover the paperwork you’ll need and the steps to follow for a successful number plate transfer.
Whether you want to transfer to another car, retain your existing number plate – or sell a car with a personalised number plate, this article will tell you everything you need to know.
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Can you transfer a number plate?
There are plenty of reasons why you might want to retain your number plate when you sell your car or purchase a new vehicle, such as wanting to hold onto a personalised reg number.
Almost anyone can transfer their current number plate from one vehicle to another. There are just a few exceptions, with some number plates specifically marked as non-transferable for reasons related to the vehicle’s age or history.
Number plates which start with ‘Q’ or’ NIQ’ are non-transferable, as these registrations are assigned by the DVLA when a vehicle’s date of origin is unclear.
What are the different types of number plate transfers?
There are three common types of number plate transfers: vehicle to vehicle, V778/V750 to vehicle and, finally, vehicle to V778.
A vehicle-to-vehicle transfer is self-explanatory - covering the transfer of a private number plate from one vehicle to another. A V778/V750 transfer allows you to transfer a private plate from its certificate to a vehicle – and a vehicle-to-V778 transfer covers this process in reverse (i.e. the transfer of a number plate from a vehicle to a retention document).
How do you transfer a number plate from one car to another?
The process to follow depends on whether your transfer is vehicle-to-vehicle, V778/V750 to vehicle - or vehicle-to-V778.
Transfer to another car
Use the following steps to transfer a number plate online from one vehicle to another.
- Visit the DVLA private number plate webpage and select ‘Take off a number online’.
- Fill out the details requested, including the reg number you wish to remove and your latest V5C reference number.
- Confirm that you are the registered keeper of the vehicle.
- Provide payment details to cover the £80 removal fee.
- You will then be provided with a reference number – make note of this and keep it safe.
- To begin the transfer of the number to another vehicle, visit the DVLA’s ‘keep or assign’ page and select ‘Assign a number online’.
- Fill out the requested details, including the registration number, details of your current vehicle and the new vehicle details.
- Use the reference number you’ve noted down when prompted on the form.
- Pay the DVLA’s transfer fee of £80.
- The transfer to your new vehicle should now be complete.
You can also complete this transfer by post. However, you’ll need to complete a V317 form. Then, send your completed form, along with a cheque for £80 and the V5C logbooks for your current vehicle and the vehicle you want to transfer the reg number onto, to the following address:
DVLA Personalised Registrations, Swansea, SA99 1DS.
Transferring by post can be a much more time-consuming process. For this reason, we’d recommended that you transfer your number plate online if possible.
Keeping your registration number
If you want to keep your number plate, but don’t currently have a vehicle that you want to transfer the registration number to, you’ll need to transfer it to a retention document through the vehicle-to-V778 transfer process:
- Visit the DVLA’s private number plate webpage and select ‘Take off a number online’.
- Fill out the details requested, including the reg number you wish to remove and your latest V5C reference number.
- Confirm that you are the registered keeper of the vehicle.
- Provide payment details to cover the £80 removal fee.
- You will then be provided with a reference number – make note of this and keep it safe for future use.
- Your registration number will be immediately removed from your vehicle. Within 6 weeks, you should receive a new V5C logbook, showing a replacement registration number. This will be sent with a V778 certificate displaying your retained registration number, so you can keep your number plate until you wish to transfer it.
Transferring a number plate from a V750/V778 to a vehicle
Before applying to transfer a number plate from a V750/V778 to a vehicle, make sure you have your V5C logbook, the relevant vehicle details, your V750 or V778 document - and the reference number you were given by the DVLA after removing the registration.
- To begin transferring your reg number to another vehicle, visit the DVLA’s ‘keep or assign’ page and select ‘Assign a number online’.
- Fill out the requested details, including the registration number, details of your current vehicle and the new vehicle’s details.
- Use the reference number you’ve noted down to provide the relevant details shown on your V750 or V778 document.
- Pay the DVLA transfer fee of £80.
- The transfer of your registration number to your new vehicle should now be complete.
Frequently Asked Questions
The quickest way to get your hands on a V317 form is through the DVLA website, where you can download and print out a V317 form at home. If you use assistive technology, you can obtain a copy of this form in an accessible format by emailing alternative.format@dvla.gov.uk.
The cost of initially removing a number plate is £80, with an additional £80 payable upon its transfer to another vehicle. Therefore, when completing a vehicle-to-vehicle transfer, you’ll pay a total of £160.
If you complete the process online from start to finish, the process of transferring a number plate won’t take much time at all – you could complete everything in under an hour. However, if you decide to transfer by post, you’ll need to allow up to six weeks for the full transfer and the arrival of a new V5C logbook.
Yes, you can carry out all forms of number plate transfer by completing the relevant application process through the DVLA website. The different applications and forms you’ll need can be found on the DVLA’s private (personalised) number plates page.
If you want to retain your registration number when you sell your car but don’t have a vehicle to transfer it to, you should first complete the vehicle-to-V778 transfer process.
After doing so, you should receive a V778 retention certificate, proving your retained ownership of the registration number.
If you are selling a car with a personalised number plate and don’t wish to retain your registration number, you simply need to move ownership to the buyer by updating the V5C, just as you would with any car sale.
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No, you can’t transfer your private registration plate without your V5C logbook, as this document is used to prove your ownership of the vehicle and registration. If you want to retain a registration number but don’t have a V5C, you’ll need to complete a V62 form to order a replacement V5C logbook. This process generally takes around four weeks.
