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If you own a private number plate, and are changing your car, you may wish to remove
the registration number. If you don’t have another vehicle to transfer it to straightaway,
you can apply to put the registration number “On Retention”. You can then hold the
registration number on the Retention Document until you are ready to put it onto another
vehicle. At comparenumberplates.co.uk, we know how
confusing private number plate can seem.
That’s why we have compiled these short video’s to help you through the paperwork.
Here is our simple guide on: How to transfer a private number plate from
a vehicle to a retention document The first thing you will need is a DVLA V317
form which you can find at your local DVLA office or you can download it from the comparenumberplates.co.uk
website. The link is also added to the information section for this video.
You will also need your V5 Registration Document (sometimes also referred to as your log book).
And you will need an up-to-date MOT certificate (if you vehicle is over 3 years old), and
a copy of your tax disc. For full details regarding the terms for number
plate retention, please refer to the comparenumberplates.co.uk website.
On the V317 form, you will need to complete sections 1…. 2….. and 4.
Start with completing section 1. To retain your number plate, put a cross in the top
box “to retain”, as shown here. Now you will need the V5 Registration Document
for the vehicle that you are transferring the private number plate from. This is referred
to as the DONOR vehicle. Open up the V5 Registration Document to the 2nd page and place it next
to the V317 form as shown here. Now start to complete section 2 on the V317
form. Enter the vehicle registration number from
the V5 Registration Document onto the V317 form here, as shown by the red circles.
Find the vehicle make and model here, and enter the details on the V317 form here.
Next, find the VIN / chassis number from the Registration Document here, and enter it into
the boxes on the V317 form here…again shown by the red circles.
Now you need the copy of your tax disc. Write the serial number from the top of the
tax disc into the boxes here on the V317 form, Followed by the tax expiry date, and write
it here. You then need to add the name and address
from the V5 Registration Document here, and provide a telephone number should the DVLA
need to contact you. Next, sign and date the bottom of section
2 here. Remember that this V317 form must be completed
and signed by the person named as the Registered Keeper on the V5 document.
Now complete Section 4 on page 2 of the V317 form. Decide how long you would like to put the
private number plate on retention for. You can choose to hold the registration number
on Retention Document for 1,2 or 3 years. Now decide who should have the rights to the
registration number. This could be you, as the registered keeper of the donor vehicle.
Or you can decide to transfer those rights to another person.
If you are to be the owner, put a cross in the ‘yes’ box.
If you are transferring the rights to another person, put a cross in the ‘NO’ box, enter
the other person’s details here, and have them sign the form here.
If it’s possible that you may (at a later date) transfer the private number plate onto
a vehicle in another person’s name, enter their details in the nominee section. Or you
can leave it blank. Remember that the ‘nominee’ has no rights
to change the details-this remains with the Grantee [see the comparenumberplates.co.uk
website for full details]. You now need to submit the V317 form, with
full V5 registration document, an up-to date MOT certificate, and a photo-copy of your
tax disc. You will also need to enclose payment for
the retention fee. This will vary, depending on how long you have asked to place the private
number plate on retention for. The DVLA fee details are on the V317 form.
Submit these to your local DVLA Office. You can either send them by post, or take them
in person. You will find a full list of local DVLA offices on the comparenumberplates.co.uk
website. Once the private number plate retention has
been approved, the DVLA will send a V778 Retention Document for the private registration number. This
could take 2-4 weeks. The DVLA will allocate a replacement
registration number for the donor vehicle. You can then have number plates made up for
the replacement registration number, and put them on the donor vehicle.
They will also supply a replacement V5 Registration Document, MOT Certificate and
tax disc. Remember that the V778 Retention Document
for your private number plate has an expiry date. If you do not assign the private registration
number to another vehicle before the expiry date, the person named as Grantee must apply
to the DVLA to extend the Certificate. DVLA fees apply.
To assign the private number plate to a vehicle at a later date, see our video ‘How to transfer
a private number plate from V778 Retention Document to a vehicle”.
If you have found this video useful, please subscribe to the comparenumberplates video
channel, and click the like button. Thankyou.