Number Plate FAQs

The Cherished Transfer and Retention Schemes

The Cherished Transfer Scheme enables an assigned registration number to be moved directly from one vehicle to another. Only the registered keeper of a vehicle is entitled to apply to transfer its number. Application form V317 Transfer of Registration Mark must be completed and the fee for a transfer is £80 (at time of publication).

If the vehicle which is receiving the number in a cherished transfer is already registered, its existing number will become void unless an application to transfer or retain that number is made at the same time.

The Retention Scheme enables a number to be held apart from the vehicle it has been assigned to, for a 12 month period pending its re-assignment to another vehicle. Only the registered keeper of a vehicle is entitled to apply for a right of retention. Application form V778/1 Retention of Vehicle Registration Mark must be completed and the application fee is £25 plus an assignment fee of £80, bringing the total payable to £105 (at time of publication). Successful applicants are issued with a V778 Retention Document, valid for 12 months, which records details of the registration number, the grantee (the applicant), and nominee details where supplied in the application. If, after you have received your document, you wish to add or change nominee details, you will need to apply to DVLA, returning your document together with a fee of £25.

Once you have assigned the retained number to your, or your nominee's, vehicle you have fully exercised your rights under the terms of the retention facility. After assignment, entitlement to the number comes through being the keeper of the vehicle which has received it. Only the keeper is entitled to apply for further retention or transfer of the number.

If the vehicle which is receiving the retained number is already registered, its existing number will become void unless an application to retain or transfer that number is made at the same time.

The V317 and V778/1 forms contain notes for guidance and are available from DVLA and your nearest VRO. For the address and telephone number look in your telephone directory under "Transport, Department of".

Before you apply, check your V5 registration Document to make sure that the number is transferable. If it is not, it will say so on the V5. If the registration document states that the registration number is non-transferable, then it cannot be retained either. However, the vehicle may still be eligible to receive a cherished mark (this does not usually apply if the vehicle has a "Q" mark).

You should also check to make sure that the conditions for the transfer and retention schemes can be compiled with. These conditions are as follows :-

• Vehicles must be available for inspection.
• The inspection helps to verify entitlement to the registration number being transferred / retained. Both the donor (the vehicle giving up the number) and the recipient (the vehicle receiving the number) may be called for inspection.
• Vehicles must be subject to MOT / HGV test.

Non-testable vehicles such as agricultural tractors and milk floats, for example, are outside the scope of the schemes. Only testable vehicles can participate in transfers and retentions and valid test certificates must be sent with applications.

Vehicles must be currently licensed, or in the process of being licensed. The application will still be considered, however, where the last license (tax disc) expired within six months of the date of application. If the license has been voluntarily surrendered for refund, the six-month concession does not normally apply.

A replacement tax disc will be issued, and the MOT certificate - where applicable - will be endorsed to show that the vehicle's number has changed.

Finally, registration documents showing the changed registration number will be sent out from DVLA to the keeper. In the case of a retention application, a V778 Retention Document, valid for 12 months, will also be sent to the grantee.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT dispose of the vehicle until the application has been fully completed and you have received the amended registration documents. If you dispose of the vehicle too soon, you may lose entitlement to the cherished mark.

REMEMBER : Once your transfer / retention has been successfully completed, tell your insurers that the vehicle's registration number has changed!

E&OE. While we make every effort to ensure that the information contained in our FAQ is correct, and we believe the information to be accurate, we will not be held to conditions or terms that, through accidental error or omission, are incorrect. We will however correct such errors as soon as we become aware of them.