Private registration plates, also known as personalized or cherished plates, have been sold in the U.K. since 1989. For many years, many car owners and drivers have been personalizing their cars by changing their registration numbers.
The personalized number plate is one of the fanciest ways of adding a personal touch to any vehicle. During the past few years, personalized number plate marketing is overgrowing. All credit goes to the celebrities, stars, footballers and other influencers that personalized number plates have gained so much popularity. Now, coming to the most asked question, how can you get yours in the U.K.? Well, it’s not that difficult. Companies, like The Private Plate Company, have been in the business of personalized number plates for over 25 years and can provide you with the best deals on personal number plates. That said, let’s dig in more about the information about getting personalized number plates in the Uk.
Steps to buying a personalized number in Uk
Let me reassure you that the process of buying the personalized number plate is straightforward. Here are some few steps to get yourself a private number.
- Buy a private number
The first step is purchasing a number that can be a little time-consuming at times for waiting for the number you want to go on sale. There are three possible ways you can buy a personalized plate in the Uk.
- From the DVLA
The sale is made through different auctions held by Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) during the whole year in the U.K. People can buy private reg plates by visiting live auctions or bidding online with a smartphone. The list of all the number plates for the auction can be seen online. In case you miss any auction, you can always wait for another one as it takes place throughout the year.
- Private sellers
Another alternative is buying the number plate from any private dealer, which could be expensive. You can find many classified ads in the newspaper about the sale of personal numbers. In addition to that, you can also see personal seller advertisements on bidding sites like eBay. While being super expensive, the private owner can at times be a fraud as well. So, when buying a number plate from any private deal, make sure to stay attentive and double-check all the legal requirements and paperwork.
- From the dealers and brokers
Another way of finding a good deal on personalized numbers is from the plate dealers and brokers. These brokers buy different number plates for reselling purposes. So, there is a chance that you might find a number you’re looking for which is not available at the DVLA site. There are dealer’s websites from where you can easily search for the plates. Also, buying a plate from dealers and brokers can save your money and time as well.
- Assigning your personalized number plate to a vehicle
After purchasing a personalised number plate, you are required to assign it to your new vehicle. For that, you need one of the following;
- V750 Certificate of entitlement:
An A4 sized, pink colour form for the new personalized plate that has never been assigned to any vehicle before.
- V778 Retention Document:
An A4 sized, green colour form for the vehicles whose personalized number plate has been used previously on another vehicle and is now being transferred to your new vehicle.
- Check Eligibility
There is eligibility for assigning a new number to a vehicle that includes,
- A person cannot assign a number starting with ‘NIQ’ or ‘Q’.
- The private number cannot be assigned to ‘Q’ registered vehicles.
- It’s not allowed to put a private number that can make a vehicle look newer than its actual model. For instance, you cannot put a “06” registration number on a 2002 registered car.
- The vehicle should be registered with DVLA in the U.K.
- A person is only allowed to register a standard vehicle. Requires a Ministry of Transport (MOT) test.
- The vehicle must be taxed or should have a SORN for the past five years.
- The vehicle must be available for the DVLA’s inspection.
- Get a new number plate made
Now that you’ve successfully registered a license plate with your vehicle from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and fulfilled all the legal requirements, you will require a new logbook. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will send you a new number plate within 3-4 weeks.
Before you start hitting the road with your vehicle, it’s crucial to remove the old number plates and put in the new ones. If not, you can be stopped by police, or a camera can catch it. So, in order to avoid this hassle, I bought new number plates. In addition, you also need to request your insurance company to update your new number in their records.
Bottomline
The prices of private number plates may range from a few hundred pounds to even £200,000 in the U.K. However, the joy of having a unique identification of your car makes it completely worth it. Moreover, a vehicle with a private number plate is very fancy, and it can give a person a sense of status and style.