Personalised number plate

bowlhead99

Iceweasel wrote: »

In have no idea why you think that.

The whole process took me 5 minutes on the computer and then 10 minutes to physically change over the plates.

But you have to bear in mind if there is a problem with the online system or something in the car's history then when you apply to take your personal number off your current car, it may not just give you authority there and then to confirm what number your current car is reverting to. As k3lvc said, a history of more than one previous plate on the current car may stop it knowing what it should automatically revert to and drop out for manual review.

So, best to start the process at 8am tomorrow morning to maximise the time for it to get sorted before the weekend, in case anything goes funny.

straighttalker wrote: »

It works as Icceweasel has said. However it depends in whether the garage will accept your car with the old plate on with a V5 bearing the private plate.

To try to allay their concerns it would be wise to take printouts of the DVLA messages giving you the reference numbers and confirmations of what plate is now assigned to the car that you just took your private plate off.

Within a day or so of the new number being assigned you can also go to the https://www.vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/ website to check the car is taxed and MOT'd, and the 'new' plate for the current car should bring up the make, colour, engine size and exact same first registration date of the current car that shows on the V5, and the personal plate should bring up 'cannot be found' because it isn't officially associated with a car any more.

Together, this gives a nice little 'audit trail' and plenty of comfort that you are not just spinning them a yarn and that the car reg X shown in your old V5 has indeed been put on retention in favour of its former registration number Y. And you will probably have some sort of document to show that old registration number did previously sit on that car before you had your private one on it.

Garages see this all the time. The key thing is NOT to assume you can just do it in the last 5 minutes before you sign everything over to the dealer.

jessmist

The garage told me that when I collect the car they would send both log books off with the relevent form to the dvla.
He reckoned the all process would take around 2 weeks.

Iceweasel

jessmist wrote: »

The garage told me that when I collect the car they would send both log books off with the relevent form to the dvla.
He reckoned the all process would take around 2 weeks.

That is exactly how several people have lost their cherished number/private plate.

So the garage is saying that you drive up with a car with the number ABC 123 and drive off with the new car now bearing the number ABC 123 and the first the DVLA hear of it is when they receive both V5Cs in the post several days later.

I wouldn't risk it.

You should start the process yourself first thing tomorrow morning.

20aday

OP I did this the other week myself. My workplace (where I'd purchased the car from) hadn't done an online transfer before.

You can take off your personalised number plate and put in on retention (fee: £80.00) and then put the original registration back on. It isn't possible to swap the plate to your newer car until you're down as the "Registered Keeper".

As posted above the V5c was in my hands within two days (for the car's original number plate).

Once the DVLA had been notified I was the "Registered Keeper" of the newer car (turn around was 7 days incl. the weekend) I logged onto the website, keyed in the number DVLA sent me and could put my personalised plate on straight away.

Richard53

I found the online service very quick, as Iceweasel says above. From firing up the computer to having the old plates back on took under an hour (easy if you kept the old plates and the same number is reassigned to the car, of course, which is not guaranteed).

Iceweasel wrote: »

So the garage is saying that you drive up with a car with the number ABC 123 and drive off with the new car now bearing the number ABC 123 and the first the DVLA hear of it is when they receive both V5Cs in the post several days later.

That's what happened with my wife's car when she changed a couple of years ago. The garage said to bring the old car in with the personal plate on and they would do the paperwork. I have a rather nice photo of two identical Ford Focuses (Foci?) with identical number plates next to each other on the forecourt. All went without a hitch. But it was her decision to let them do this. Personally, I would always do it myself and stay in control of the process.

Iceweasel

Richard53 wrote: »

I found the online service very quick, as Iceweasel says above. From firing up the computer to having the old plates back on took under an hour (easy if you kept the old plates and the same number is reassigned to the car, of course, which is not guaranteed).



That's what happened with my wife's car when she changed a couple of years ago. The garage said to bring the old car in with the personal plate on and they would do the paperwork. I have a rather nice photo of two identical Ford Focuses (Foci?) with identical number plates next to each other on the forecourt. All went without a hitch. But it was her decision to let them do this. Personally, I would always do it myself and stay in control of the process.

I would agree - and point out that that changeover your wife did was indeed a couple of years ago and the situation has changed greatly - chiefly due to the local offices being closed.

In the 'good old days' Fred from the dealers would likely be on first name terms with the staff in the local office and the paperwork would be processed on the day.

Several posters on other forums have lost all claim to their expensive cherished plates in the last year.

takethatfan1978

I changed my car a couple of weeks ago as short notice. The quickest way to do it was using the online service to remove, this is now instant. It went on a certificate and when I picked up my new car I posted the documents away. It was all done in about a week.

AdrianC

I'm with the OP on this. There should be a guaranteed foolproof way of changing the plate between two cars absolutely instantly. Otherwise, the poor man might be forced to drive around for a few days in a car that doesn't have his personal plate on. That's against at least several basic human rights. Won't somebody think of the children?

Supatramp

What is the situation re the tax, when changing reg numbers/plates from one car to another? All I've read is about transferring the number/getting a new number to replace a personalised one, and some people saying it can all be done very quickly, but I haven't read anywhere about what happens with the tax, particularly with the new system.

I have an old car with a personal reg, and it's replacement with it's existing reg. I want to transfer the personal reg from the old car to the new one, and I've now received the V5C for the new car registered in my name, and the dealer was taxing it in my name. I say 'new' car, it's new to me.

So can I do the whole transfer online, and put the personalised reg on the new car? Obviously I'd inform my insurance company re the reg changes, but again, what happens with the tax. The old car is still registered in my name, taxed and insured, and on the road.

Iceweasel

Yes you can do the whole thing on line.

The VED/Tax is unaffected as it has nothing to do with the 'cherished plate'.