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Selling a personalised number plate

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,606
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in Advice #1
Has anyone done this?

I've just bought a new car with one, and I would like to get rid of it. I hate personalised number plates and feel vaguely embarrassed driving around with one. :p But it's only a minor inconvenience and I'm not sure if it's worth the hassle.

I'm not bothered about how much I'd get for it, as long as I wasn't left out of pocket, but I'm wondering how much paperwork and stuff there is to do? I'm assuming I'd have to buy a 'normal' plate and then pay someone to switch them, and probably pay to get a new V5/tax etc too?

Comments

  • MartinPickeringMartinPickering Posts: 3,711
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    #2
    About 25 years ago DVLC charged me £90 to transfer a "cherished plate" so goodness knows what it costs now.
  • RoushRoush Posts: 4,368
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    #3
    You need to apply to the DVLA to put the plate on retention. They will assign another registration number (usually the car's original reg number), and you may need to take the car to a DVLA local office for an inspection.

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/209585/V317_140313.pdf

    It's an £80 assignment fee plus £25 per year to retain your rights to the plate (max 3 years at a time). The £80 fee needs to be paid up front, so it's £105 for 1 year, etc.

    You will get a new V5C, tax disc and MoT certificate issued FOC, but your insurer will probably charge an admin fee to update your policy with the new registration number.

    Once done you can then set about selling it.

    You can do it the other way round too, not transferring the reg off until you've found a buyer. This means you don't pay the £25 per year retention fee, but people generally prefer to buy ones already on retention as it's a quicker and simpler process to get the reg onto their vehicle.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,606
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    #4
    Thanks, really useful info. :) I'll probably wait until my insurance is due for renewal and then do the retention thing to avoid paying.
  • killjoykilljoy Posts: 7,918
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    #5
    If it is a personalized one you want to get rid of why not sell it one of the number plate companies, they'll do the work and pay you. Wins all round.
  • RoushRoush Posts: 4,368
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    #6
    killjoy wrote: »
    If it is a personalized one you want to get rid of why not sell it one of the number plate companies, they'll do the work and pay you. Wins all round.

    Unless it's a high value / dateless plate I doubt any companies would be interested in buying it outright. For most personalised plates they just advertise them on your behalf and take a commission if and when it sells.

    No harm in getting it advertised with such companies though.
  • emptyboxemptybox Posts: 13,917
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    #7
    I was selling a number I had on retention a few years ago. It was a 3 letter 3 number Irish one.

    I had it on the books of one of these companies, and they were advertising it at £800 (their valuation), but it was on there for a couple of years with not a bite, so I brought the price down to £600 and still no joy.

    Eventually I took it away from them and put it Ebay, where it sold quickly for £400, which was probably the right price in the first place.
  • gemma-the-huskygemma-the-husky Posts: 18,116
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    #8
    is it a "good" number?

    single digit numbers with decent letters are very hard to get now. easily sold, I would think, depending on the letters

    can you give us a clue?
  • Kiko H FanKiko H Fan Posts: 6,546
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    #9
    Didn't the person you bought the car off want to retain the plate?
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