The transfer process: what actually happens when you buy a private plate

Most people think it's as simple as buying a private number plate, picking the one you want, buying it, putting it on the car. However, there's a transfer process that involves paperwork and time, and people often get caught off guard by the stages they didn't expect to learn about before their plate is officially theirs.

The good news is that it's easy. The bad news is, there's a lot of potential for slowdowns and mistakes along the way if you're not aware of what's expected from you. Here's what really happens from the point of purchase to transfer to fitting.

Finding Your Private Plate and Buying It

The first step is actually finding your private plate. Some people have a clear idea of what they want, initials, a certain number, a certain spelling word, and know immediately. Others take to hours of searching and trying combinations to finally settle.

When Googling Private Plates, most people enter their names or initials and see what they can get within their budget. Prices vary depending on how much a combination is in demand. Legitimate words and short plates get charged substantially more than longer combinations with random numbers and letters.

After you've found a number plate that makes sense for you and you've made the purchase, this is where the actual transfer process starts. This is what confuses novice buyers because they think that now they've made the purchase, the number plate is automatically theirs.

Stage One - Paperwork (This Takes Longer Than You Think)

After you've bought a private plate, most people assume they'll receive a chunk of metal through the mail; in reality, what you get is a V750 (Certificate of Entitlement) or V778 (Retention Document) based upon whether the number plate is currently assigned to a vehicle or held on retention.

This is your documentation that shows you own the registration. However, owning the registration does not mean it's now yours on your car.

In a few days, potentially two weeks, this certificate should arrive, but it depends on who sold it to you and their processing time as well as where you sold it. Some dealers are faster than others, and if you're getting it from the DVLA directly, it's probably similar.

This is important to note because until you have this certificate in hand, you cannot proceed with the next steps of purchasing and fitting your private plate - there's no jumping ahead.

Stage Two - Assigning Your Plate to Your Vehicle

This is where it becomes officially from one car to yours. The second stage takes your V750 or V778 certificate and sends it along with your car's V5C registration document (logbook) to the DVLA.

Should you not have the V5C, and you've just purchased the vehicle, you're going to have to wait until you get the documentation; the DVLA does NOT allow photocopies or digital versions.

This means if you're waiting on paperwork for cars that don't belong to you yet, at this stage you'll also need to check that your vehicle is eligible; it must be registered (meaning not being junked), taxed and have an MOT (if three years old).

Stage Two requires that you send everything to DVLA; most people do this by post. There are digital options now for certain scenarios, but not when a plate is coming from a vehicle being junked.

Stage Three - Time Before Approval

Once DVLA gets your documentation, it's anywhere from two to six weeks that it takes for them to process your paperwork and return it.

The problem here is that there's no "fit" time during this waiting period; therefore, your plates still need to be on while you're operating your vehicle while they correct your new registration documents that go back to you for a personalisation of ownership.

When finished, you'll receive a new V5C with your new registration from DVLA in addition to a new tax reminder; they'll also switch your registration on their end while forfeiting your other registration which will be considered obsolete forever (unless you pay for retention, which is another transfer process).

Stage Four - Get Your New Plates Made

When someone gets a new number plate, this is the exciting time. They can finally make physical number plates.

However, it's important to use a registered number plate supplier where they'll need to see your newly documented V5C (now in your possession) that enables you to use that registration.

If you go somewhere not DVLA approved, they will make plates but they shouldn't. Unless you want to risk having private plates that don't match what's legally documented for you.

Furthermore, there's legal specifications about font size, spacing, materials and include/exclusion on number plates, anything otherwise is illegal even if it's your legitimately awarded registration number.

Some suppliers take same day service while others take more time; price wise it averages from £20-£40 for sets of front and back number plates although it varies per supplier.

Stage Five - Fitting Numbers/Update Your Insurance

Fitting is easy. People do this by themselves with a screwdriver; some suppliers do it for you.

It's essential, however, not to fit them until the new V5C is returned; technically driving around with number plates that don't match what your vehicle is required as per law.

One of the last steps that people forget, as registration numbers are components of insurance policies, they need to be updated with your insurance company.

Most companies make this easy as they do this without additional cost but no one wants to fit their plates and forget this part, sometimes insurers charge some small fee, the average being £3, but usually it's waived or free.

What Could Go Wrong (and Fixing Problems)

The most common problem here comes from rejected applications; please ensure vehicle requirements are met and driven properly. The MOT isn't valid; insurance isn't valid; it's taxed. Don't send anything if you're not sure it's all straightened out.

For lost certificates, for V750 or V778, that get damaged or lost in sending; you'll need replacements from whoever issued them. They take time but it's part of the process.

Delays from DVLA are common especially during busy times. You cannot do anything else but wait unless there is significant time past their time limit projection which you can inquire.

The Timeframe Realistically

From purchase to fitment the journey should last four weeks up to eight weeks max for someone practical with no issues along the way; if everything goes well and speedily with easy processing times.

The truth is that if someone moves quickly, and things go their way, it can be done in three weeks; if things go wrong or don't get sent, ten weeks.

At maximum it's a few pieces of work here and there mostly forms filled out, waiting, active attention detail.

It'll take no effort except knowing what's going on and waiting on expectations for when they'd know things are happening. There might be no excitement but at least now transfers make sense.