Private registration

[Andyr55]

I have a private reg. i am buying a brand new car from a dealer.

can someone give guidance on moving the plate to new car.

I am PX my existing car to the selling dealer.

do I need to put the reg on retention and obtain a new V5 before I change over OR can I do it online on the day?

Any suggestions ( before I speak to my dealer who appears v unsure)

 

[Jonro2009]

If you haven't already then you need to put your number on retention, it will cost you £80. You will get an online reference number and they will send out a V778 certificate. 

The dealer should know what they are doing, it's their job after all. They normally apply to have the vehicle registered in your name and a number is automatically assigned to it. When they ask the DVLA to register the vehicle to you they should provide the V778 or online reference number to the DVLA who will then put your number on it instead of the one they were going to assign it. 

If the car is pre registered then this would not work though, only if it is brand new.

[Jonro2009]

You won't be able to do it on the day, unless the V5C for the new vehicle is in the dealers possession, and has your name and address on it. Then it can be done online very easily. Don't forget that when you put your plate on retention you will need to put the old reg back on the vehicle you are part exchanging and inform your insurance company

 

[Andyr55]

So will the dealer require an updated v5 with original reg ( not private) before the exchange?

[unofix]

If you give the dealer the old V5c with your Private registration number on it and you fill in the V5c at the dealers (as you should when you part exchange it) then you have just given away your private registration number to the dealer and you can't easily, if at all get it back.

If you did give the dealer the V5c with the private registration number it becomes their property to do with as they like. They may be willing to sell it back to you, but then again they might not.

You must make sure that you have a new V5c form with the vehicles original registration number on it BEFORE you trade it in to the dealer. Make sure that you have put your private registration number on retention with DVLA and obtained a V778. This can all be done on line and is very easy but will cost you £80.

Some dealers understand that you may not have the new V5c with you on the day that you trade in your old car and are willing to trust that you will take it to the dealership the moment it arrives from DVLA, I have had to do this a few times and normally the delay has only been about a week. Of course if the dealer is wanting to move your part-ex on to another garage or auction they probably won't want to go-ahead until you have the new V5c.

I can not stress enough that under no circumstances should you give the dealer the old V5c with your private registration on it.

Enjoy the new car when you eventualy do get it

[Jonro2009]

1 hour ago, Andyr55 said:

So will the dealer require an updated v5 with original reg ( not private) before the exchange?

Yes, for sure. Although if you have the old V5C with your private reg on it and a V778 or online reference to show it has been put on retention then they may do the sale on trust. 

If you have a V778 or online reference then you can give the dealer the V5C with your plate number on it, that V5C becomes obsolete as soon as you put your plate on retention. So as long as you have paid the £80 and have the V778 or reference the dealership cannot take ownership of your plate.

My advice is to speak to the dealer and ask them when they plan to register the vehicle to you - is it brand new or pre reg, will you be the first owner? When I know the answer to that question I can give you a better idea of how to go about the change.

[Andyr55]

THANKS FOR GUIDANCE.

I have applied online, and changed the plates over on car and insurance.

Retention cert and new V5C in post.

[Jonro2009]

13 minutes ago, Andyr55 said:

THANKS FOR GUIDANCE.

I have applied online, and changed the plates over on car and insurance.

Retention cert and new V5C in post.

Did you get an online reference for the retention? 

If the car you are getting is brand new, never been registered before then give the dealer the retention details and ask them to register it with the DVLA with your plate. 

If you are not the first owner then you will have to wait until you receive the V5C for the new car to hit your mat I'm afraid.  

[Andyr55]

Brand new car not in UK yet, Still being made (I hope).

Will collect car, eventually, from dealer with 21 plate and then switch over when V5 arrives.

[Jonro2009]

11 minutes ago, Andyr55 said:

Brand new car not in UK yet, Still being made (I hope).

Will collect car, eventually, from dealer with 21 plate and then switch over when V5 arrives.

Very nice, I hope it sticks to the time line and you get it as expected. 

If you want to drive it away from the garage with your plate on it then the dealer can do that no problem at all once you provide them the V778. It's just up to you of you want to take it away on a 21 plate for a week or two. 

Other thing to consider it that if the dealer puts the plate on from new then they will pay to make up your plate, if you do it a week or two later then you wil have to pay for new plates - unless you can get them to make up 2 sets for you 👍👍

[unofix]

Speaking from my own experiance it is better to just let the dealer register the car as normal and give it what ever plate DVLA issue and then as soon as you get the V5c for the car you can apply on line to put your registration on. Just remember to hange on to the plates you take off as you will need them when you sell the car in the future.

I once got a dealer to register my new car with my private registration and all went well. Then 3 years later when I came to trade it in the problems started. Because the car had never had any other number plate other than my private reg, I had to apply by post to the DVLA to get a registration for it. It took nearly 5 weeks and there is nothing you can do about it. I couldn't even put my plate on retention until DVLA had sorted out a replacment registration because if I had been able to put my plate on retention it would have left the car without any registration number which just can't happen.

[TomsFocus]

12 hours ago, unofix said:

Speaking from my own experiance it is better to just let the dealer register the car as normal and give it what ever plate DVLA issue and then as soon as you get the V5c for the car you can apply on line to put your registration on. Just remember to hange on to the plates you take off as you will need them when you sell the car in the future.

I once got a dealer to register my new car with my private registration and all went well. Then 3 years later when I came to trade it in the problems started. Because the car had never had any other number plate other than my private reg, I had to apply by post to the DVLA to get a registration for it. It took nearly 5 weeks and there is nothing you can do about it. I couldn't even put my plate on retention until DVLA had sorted out a replacment registration because if I had been able to put my plate on retention it would have left the car without any registration number which just can't happen.

Does it automatically revert back to the original plates when you remove yours?  Is it possible that the original plate gets allocated to another car (either if brand new & within 6 months, or from another same-year car that's come off retention without an original plate) as it's not actually 'retained' like you do with a private plate?

I've thought about a private plate a few times but never had one so interested in the process.  

[Comares2001]

The original issue plate is still allocated to the vehicle and can be switched back via DVLA website if you want to sell the vehicle and retain the personal plate to put on another car.

[Jonro2009]

2 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Does it automatically revert back to the original plates when you remove yours?  Is it possible that the original plate gets allocated to another car (either if brand new & within 6 months, or from another same-year car that's come off retention without an original plate) as it's not actually 'retained' like you do with a private plate?

I've thought about a private plate a few times but never had one so interested in the process.  

Yes, the original plate just 'sits in the background'. If you did a reg search for the original VRM then it would come back as a none existent number. 

I know it was written above that someone unfortunately had a problem with the car not being assigned a DVLA plate because it was assigned a private plate from new, however in all the years of owning my plate and putting it on new vehicles (5) from first reg I have never had that problem. I'm not saying it doesn't happen but it's pretty rare.