[Exotica]

Could someone explain how the process works?

Thanks.

[MOB]

Buy it off of the DVLA website - that way the £80 transfer fee is included.

When you get the paperwork through, take it (plus your logbook, maybe MOT etc) to your local DVLA office and probably have to wait 5 days or so for your amended tax disc to come through in the post.

You can then get plates made and put on the car.

[Exotica]

Thanks, didnt realise it was that simple.

What happens to the original reg?

[AlanQS]

It goes back into DVLA'a pool of numbers.

[booforty]

It is that easy!

[dxb335d]

how can it go back into the pool?

Cant then register another car with that plate.

[M3-FAST]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

how can it go back into the pool?

Cant then register another car with that plate.

why not?

[rogerxp]

The original number plate kind of goes onto 'retention' itself. When you take your private plate off, to sell the car, the original number plate is put back onto the car - so keep hold of the original plates as you'll need them again (unless you sell the plate with the car).

I've bought from regtransfers a couple of times and found them to be good. Yeah, you end up paying the £80 transfer fee, but they've got a bigger range (I think). If you buy from a private company (i.e. regtransfers, newreg, etc) you may have to pay VAT however they often sell on behalf of a client and these plates don't attract VAT. You can negotiate with these companies pretty well too so don't necessarily be put off my a high 'sticker' price.

[MOB]

I think theoretically someone "could" purchase your original number plates while they are in the "pool"

But if its a boring normal plate the chances are very slim

[MOB]

Originally Posted by rogerxp

The original number plate kind of goes onto 'retention' itself. When you take your private plate off, to sell the car, the original number plate is put back onto the car - so keep hold of the original plates as you'll need them again (unless you sell the plate with the car).

I've bought from regtransfers a couple of times and found them to be good. Yeah, you end up paying the £80 transfer fee, but they've got a bigger range (I think). If you buy from a private company (i.e. regtransfers, newreg, etc) you may have to pay VAT however they often sell on behalf of a client and these plates don't attract VAT. You can negotiate with these companies pretty well too so don't necessarily be put off my a high 'sticker' price.

Just need to make sure that the ones they are selling aren't just DVLA ones with a mark up!!

If you see one on one of these websites, search for it for sale on the DVLA website first.

[M3-FAST]

Originally Posted by MOB

Just need to make sure that the ones they are selling aren't just DVLA ones with a mark up!!

If you see one on one of these websites, search for it for sale on the DVLA website first.

+1

I have been looking dor a decent one for ages, and spotted quite a few on some sites for literally 2 or 3 times more than DVLA are charging for the SAME plate!

It is the ones they are selling on behalf of clients that you can't find @ DVLA.

[Mr Plum]

When I put my private plate on I was told the old number was held on retention against the vehicle. I was also told that I couldn't have moved that plate on to a different car. The car had already had a private plate on it when I bought it and they simply put the same plate back on it before I bought it.

The number is also not available to buy on the dvla site - I believe it is on retention against the vehicle and can't be applied to any other vehicle.

[M3-FAST]

Maybe they do that nowadays?

My missus bought an MR2 roadster that had a private plate on it. The owner transferred the plate to her new car, and the MR2 got issued with an 'age related' plate from the DVLA. This plate was definitely different to the original plate issued from new, meaning the car was already on it's third registration.

Maybe with the popularity of private plates, and the DVLA making big £££'s from it, they have simplified the system by retaining the plate against the car it was originally issued to? Makes sense!

This was all about 4 ish years ago so maybe things have changed

[sheps]

Originally Posted by Mr Plum

When I put my private plate on I was told the old number was held on retention against the vehicle. I was also told that I couldn't have moved that plate on to a different car. The car had already had a private plate on it when I bought it and they simply put the same plate back on it before I bought it.

The number is also not available to buy on the dvla site - I believe it is on retention against the vehicle and can't be applied to any other vehicle.

This is now the case.

Years ago you weren't always guaranteed to get the same registration mark back (having had a cherished plate fitted) but now you do. Even though the car wears a different plate your old (original) registration mark still stays assigned to your car and will always be re-issues when a cherished plate is removed.

[SoYank]

I can't believe some of the prices for private plates here. In the states you pay something like $40 a year and it's usually tax deductible. Plus, you can have any combination that the state has not deemed offensive. In other words, don't try to get 3M TA3.

[rogerxp]

Yeah, as highlighted earlier, prices can vary wildly from site to site so always take time to shop around. If it's available directly from DVLA then that's the best route forward.

DVLA have auctions every couple of months too which can be good, however, generally dealers will snap up plates if they see them going for a song. I got caught in one of these battles with a dealer when getting my plate but thought I wasn't letting someone else get 'my' plate so wasn't quite a bargain in the end!!! Opps.

[Exotica]

Thanks people

[Mark II]

So Yank: You're right - some silly prices here - quite fancied my initials 'til I saw the £25,000 asking price

Exotica: Don't mean to insult your intelligence, but when you do change don't forget to notify your insurance (obviously), plus BMW or warranty company and if you have a tracking device then let them know too....just saves any hassle.

[AlanQS]

I've asked Santa for a number change for Christmas... let's see if 'er indoors takes the hint!

My initials would cost me £245 all in!

[SoYank]

If I get a job back home in a state requiring only a rear plate I'm thinking of getting my same number so I can leave the UK plate on the front.

[sheps]

I got mine at a DVLA Aution about 6 years ago.

It's nothing special to almost everyone else, but being known as "SHEPS" made the plate S11EPS pretty valuable to me. I had hoped that it would be released as a standard prefix S reg plate, costing a few hundred quid, but lo and behold on the release day of the S reg plates I phoned up and was told it'd be going to DVLA auction.

So I had to join a mailing list, and got a card through the post every 4 months or so, which showed the location of the auction and the plates up on the day/weekend.

I think it took nearly three years for mine to come up and was held in a coal mining visitor centre somewhere up north (I can't remember where exactly). I was up visiting my wifes family in Doncaster, and took her uncle with me for a bit of company and moral support.

IIRC the bidding started on mine at 600-odd quid and rapidly shot up to about £1500 - I hadn't even bid at this point, I was just watching and listening to see who I was up against. As a general observation, I'd say the mix was 90/10 traders vs regular punters and I seemed to be the only man-on-the-street after the sheps plate.

I let the bidding get to "going once, going twice" before I snuck in. I was outbid again. I did the same again and won it. Afterwards the trader approached me and said well done, and said if he'd have won it he would have retailed it at £3,995

After the VAT and bidding fee etc I think I paid just over £2200, so a near-50% saving, had I missed it. It's a lot of money to spend on a plate that doesn't look in any way flash but to me it's priceless. I've had it on three cars now, and it'll stay with me for as long as I'm driving - I love it.

[SoYank]

I guess there's no need to block out your plate number on pictures you post, huh?