The first decision you will need to make is where to buy your number plate from. There are quite a lot of websites which sell them but choosing one should be quite easy. You want to choose a site which has a good selection and good prices. Many sites offer this and so you should get a good choice.
Once you have decided on a website you have the big decision of choosing which plate you would like. There may be something that you have wanted for ages, or you may just not know what sorts of things are available. It is a good idea to do a search of what is available. Think about searching for your initials, your name or nickname and seeing what is there. Or you may prefer some sort of word, that perhaps describes your personality or your job or something like that. You will find that there is a good range to choose from.
You will see that the prices do vary depending on whether you choose a cherished number plate, which is one that is just one word and maybe a number and the number plates which are more traditional in style. The older plates tend to be dearer and those which make words rather than just containing initials. You need to think hard about the type of impact you want to make and what you think would be the best for that. Look at all the options and see which fit in to your budget and this should help you decide which to go for.
Once you have purchased the plate you cannot just put it on any vehicle. You need to work through a process to ensure that your vehicle remains legal when you change the registration plate. If the plates you have bought are on another vehicle you will need to transfer it to your vehicle and this will require a V778 retention document from the DVLA . If you are buying the plates from a website then you will need a V750 certificate of entitlement.
You will need to complete the forms and take it along with the log book, MOT certificate and tax disc serial number and expiry along to your local DVLA office. If you have just purchased a vehicle and it is not yet in your name, you will also need a V62 as well. If you are not sure exactly what you need, it could be a good idea to telephone the DVLA first to check.
The V317 or the V750 will need to be renewed each year and so you will need to make note of the renewal date and what documents you need to take with you when you do this renewal. It is a good idea to check this with the DVLA while you are there.
It will take the DVLA some time to process the documents. Some people choose to post them, which will delay things longer and some companies which sell the plates to you will deal with the documentation for you and again this will delay the process a little. However, it should take 4-6 weeks for them to get the documents back to you. If you are buying a registration which has never been assigned to a vehicle then the process will take a lot less time because there will be no previous owner documents to look in to.
The DVLA will charge for this process and so this is a cost to consider as part of your number plate budget. At present it will cost around £80 for them to process all of the relevant documentation.
Once they have completed all of the checking they need to do, the DVLA will return your V5 documents as well as a tax disc with the new plate number on it. This is the point where you can get the new plates made up. You can hold on for a while, if you wish to but it is worth noting that your certificate of entitlement does have an expiry date and so after a year, you will have to renew it (currently at a cost of £25).
A reputable company will not make you up any plates without you presenting a V5 document, which is why you cannot speed up this part of the process. This will cost you about £30 which is also another cost to think about. Make sure you use a recognised company as it is important that the plate is made correctly as there are legal restrictions with regards to the font, spacing and size of plate.
It does seem like every part of the process costs money, but it is good to be aware of the expenses so that there will be no nasty surprises when it comes time to pay for everything. Compared to the cost of the number plate, these parts of the process are not that expensive.
It is important to be aware that you will need to let the DVLA know if you want to sell your car but keep the registration plate and transfer it to a new car. You will need to use V317 application form in order to do this. If you are selling or getting rid of a vehicle and you want the number, perhaps to sell on yourself or for a new car that you have not yet got, then you will need the V778 application form.
