Why People Lose Their Private Plates by Mistake
Generally, most people believe that removing the physical plate from the vehicle before scrapping the car is sufficient to preserve it. This is far from the truth. The physical plate is basically only made of some bits of plastic and paint. The most important thing here is the registration document kept by the DVLA. If your car is scrapped without updating the registration documents, your registration number will be scrapped permanently. Nothing can ever be done to restore the number after that.
This is the reason why most people always regret it at the end of the day, since they believe that removing the physical plate will save it.
What Retention Actually Means
The retention process is what has been referred to officially as the act by which you retain your number plate away from your vehicle in order to ensure that it is not scrapped together with the vehicle.
Upon processing of your request by the DVLA, they provide you with something called the V778 Retention Certificate, which serves as proof of the ownership of the registration number and acts as proof of temporary reservation of this number for ten years. You can use this number on any other vehicle or transfer it to anyone in your family or even sell it, if you do not need it anymore.
Step-by-Step Process to Retain Your Plate
Here is the straightforward way to go about it.
- Ensure your V5C logbook is under your name and up-to-date. In case it is missing, obtain a replacement from DVLA prior to taking any action.
- Confirm whether your car has tax paid for or is registered for SORN. If SORN has been applied for more than five years ago, DVLA will request your car to be taxed and MOTed before granting the retention.
- Complete the V317 form, or go for the online retention service provided by DVLA.
- Pay the retention fee, which is the price charged by DVLA for retaining the registration.
- Wait until your confirmation and V778 certificate arrive. You will have a new age-related plate on your car.
- Then proceed with booking your car for scrapping.
Documents You Will Need
Please ensure the below documents are ready before commencing your application:
- Vehicle Registration Certificate (V5C)
- Retention Fee payment information
- Certificate of MOT test, including for classic/historic cars usually MOT exempt
- Evidence of tax or SORN
Plates That Cannot Be Retained
However, there are exceptions to this rule. Plates with numbers starting from Q and NIQ cannot be retained, because these numbers are reserved only for those cars whose manufacturing date is not known or is unverified. Apart from this, all other regular and cherished plates can usually pass this process successfully without any problems.
What Happens If the Car Is Already Written Off
If the insurance company has totaled the vehicle, the process becomes slightly different. It is important that you inform the insurance company right away that you would like to retain the plate and then proceed to scrap the car. The majority of the insurance companies do not mind retaining the plate but will temporarily halt the scrapping of the vehicle till they manage to retain the license plate. If however, the insurance company manages to scrap the car prior to you doing so, the plate is scrapped too.
Timing With Your Scrap Car Removal
This is where it gets tricky. As you schedule the disposal of your scrap car, the facility or collecting company alerts DVLA that the car has been duly disposed of after being processed. From there, the record becomes closed forever. If the retention process has not been completed before this stage, your private plate gets closed too. Therefore, it is important to consider retention as the first priority before booking the collection service.
Conclusion
Maintaining your registration plate after the disposal of your vehicle boils down to one thing, and that is retaining your DVLA before you send your vehicle to its grave. Fill out the V317 form, receive your V778 certificate, and only then arrange for the vehicle’s collection.
Fail to observe this instruction, and the plate will be disposed of irretrievably. Should you find yourself wanting to dispose of your vehicle and have everything sorted out accordingly, Brits Car Breakers will take care of everything in good time for you without leaving you at all flustered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep my private number plate before scrapping my car?
Yes. You must apply to the DVLA to retain your private registration before your vehicle is scrapped. Once approved, you’ll receive a V778 Retention Certificate.
What is a V778 Retention Certificate?
A V778 Retention Certificate is issued by the DVLA and confirms that your private registration has been retained. It allows you to assign the plate to another vehicle later.
Can I remove my number plates and keep them?
No. Simply removing the physical plates does not retain the registration. You must complete the official DVLA retention process before scrapping the vehicle.
What documents do I need to retain my private plate?
You’ll typically need your V5C logbook, payment for the DVLA retention fee, and evidence of valid tax or SORN. An MOT may also be required in some cases.
Can I keep a private plate if my car has been written off?
Yes, in many cases. Contact your insurer immediately and request plate retention before the vehicle is scrapped or disposed of.
When should I apply to keep my private registration?
Apply before arranging scrap car collection. Once the DVLA records the vehicle as scrapped, your private registration cannot usually be recovered.