Reverting back to original registration from private plate

mrs_slapshot

My son's dad (my ex-H) passed away suddenly last year and I'm helping my son deal with his dad's estate. His dad's car was parked at his girlfriend's until recently when she returned it to my son. The car is old and having been off the road (although not SORN) for 8 months my son has decided to scrap it.

His dad had bought a private plate for it in 2012 which had been on it ever since. My son wants to keep the plate for sentimental value but not to put on a vehicle. 

We have recently completed a change of keeper online to my son and he's received the new V5C. He then completed the SORN notification online and so the car status is now SORN. We then went online to try and revert back to the original registration, but it said we had to do it by post. So we have printed off the V317 form to complete, but neither Option A (take registration off and put on another vehicle) or Option B (keep on a retention document) seem right. I seem to remember when he was reporting the vehicle as SORN it said something about him losing the right to the private plate if he continued with the SORN application.

The other information that might be helpful is that the insurance ran out last Sept, and the MOT also ran out some months ago.

He has put the original registration plates on the car, but I believe if he's scrapping it the V5C will need to show this registration rather than the private plate, which is why he wants to change it.

Does anyone have any advice please? Thank you.

born_again

 Option B (keep on a retention document)
Is what is required if it is not being transferred to another car straight away. Has to be renewed every 10 years.

njkmr

Yep you need to put the reg on retention, about £80 I think.
If you don't and you get rid of car the reg plate will go with it and you will lose it.
the £80 covers the cost of putting the reg plate on another vehicle if you decide to.

facade

Here, it only works between 7 AM & 7PM

https://www.gov.uk/personalised-vehicle-registration-numbers/take-private-number-off

He can keep the number "on retention" (i.e. not assigned to a vehicle) forever, but must renew the retention every 10 years

mrs_slapshot

Thanks all - it wouldn't let me do it online so I've sent the form off in the post.

born_again

Daughters just done hers as changing car. 
Put on retention on Monday, just been & got new plates made up that were assigned.