What Happens to My Personal Plate When I Sell My Car?
Keep Your Private Plate Before You Sell
If you have a personal registration number on your vehicle, you must take it off before you sell the car. If you sell the car with the plate still attached, you lose the rights to the number.
How to Retain Your Number Plate
The DVLA makes it very easy to retain your private registration online.
- Step 1: Go to the official DVLA website and search for "take a registration number off a vehicle".
- Step 2: Pay the £80 retention fee.
- Step 3: The DVLA will instantly assign a replacement age-related registration number to your car.
What Happens Next?
Once you've completed the online process, the DVLA will send you a new V5C logbook in the post with the new registration number. This usually takes 3 to 5 working days.
You must also have new physical number plates made and fitted to the car before you can legally drive it or sell it.
When Should I Do This?
We recommend retaining your plate at least a week before you plan to sell your car, so you have the new V5C in hand when the buyer arrives.
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