From today (9 March 2015), the law has changed to reduce the fee to retain a personalised registration from £105 to £80. This will apply to both paper and online transactions.
This change sees the removal of the £25 fee currently in place to renew the retention of a vehicle registration number on an annual basis. The renewal period is also extended to 10 years. There is another added benefit, the fee is being removed to add or change nominee details.
Customers will see a significant reduction in turnaround times following the introduction of this service. DVLA systems will be updated in real time and the service will provide instant confirmation that the application has been successful.
So what happens next? The vehicle registration certificate (V5C) with the replacement registration number and retention certificate is issued by post to the registered keeper on DVLA’s records. There will no longer be a replacement MOT certificate issued to the keeper as the original remains valid.
Today also sees DVLA launching its online Take a Registration Number off a Vehicle service which allows keepers and the motor trade to apply to retain a number online. The service will be launched as private beta and rolled out to the trade only for a 2 week period. The service is scheduled to be available on GOV.UK as public beta on 23 March 2015.
The service is now available and can be found on GOV.UK
Once the online service is available to all, the next online service to be launched will be ‘Assign a personalised registration number’. Any registration number on retention (V778 certificate) or bought from DVLA (V750 certificate) can be assigned via the online service.
I’ll provide more detail on this service over the coming weeks...
58 comments
Comment by Julie posted on
What about cherished TRANSFERS - are there any further developments here?
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Hi Julie, following the introduction of this service into public beta we will be releasing the next online service which will allow customers to assign a number to a vehicle. This will allow customers to complete the full cherished transfer process. Thanks
Comment by David Stephenson posted on
At last, well done and thanks
Comment by Rod Lomax posted on
This new service looks to be great and is something members of the Registration Numbers Club have been advocating for some time. It should make our lives much easier.
Look forward to the next stage when the full cherished transfer can take place on-line.
Rod Loma, Publicity Officer, Registration Numbers Club http://www.The RNC.co.uk
Comment by Andrew Robertson posted on
I have had my reg no. On retention for 3 years and it's due to expire on 27/3/15.
The assignment fee has already been advanced but I just want to carry on keeping it on retention.
Do I send the retention document back as normal with the £25?
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Hi Andrew, as the expiry of entitlement for your retention expires on 27/3/15 then you will not be required to pay the £25 to extend. Any number which is on retention and due to expire on 9/3/15 or later will no longer be required to pay the £25 fee. Thanks
Comment by nino posted on
thanks for the article
Comment by Nick posted on
I have just about to send my retention certificate in to get the nominee changed and the registration put onto a vehicle, do I need to send any fee?
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Hi Nick, From 9 March there is no longer a fee to change the nominee details. You should send the retention certificate back with the change of nominee details without the fee. Thanks
Comment by Nick posted on
Thanks for the help.
Comment by Jonathan posted on
I presume the £80 retention fee also includes assignment when I come to put the number back on a car?
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Hi Jonathan, yes the initial fee of £80 includes the assignment fee to assign the number on to another vehicle. Thanks
Comment by Bob posted on
Hi - I renewed a retention in early Feb and paid £50 for two years. Can I claim a refund please?
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Hi Bob, unfortunately you cannot apply for a refund as the legislative change only came into force on 9 March 2015, for certificates that expired on or after 9 March. Thanks
Comment by T Townsend posted on
I need to take a registration off a car I am selling this week. Can the dealer now do this instantly online without having to wait for the docs to come back in the post? What is the link to get to the relevant page as all the info on the website that I can see appears to be out of date?
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Hi, the service will be available to the public and all the motor trade by 24 march 2015. It's currently available to a select few from the motor trade as we test our services in a private beta phase. Anyone in the motor trade looking to join the private beta phase should contact us at vmandprproject@dvla.gsi.gov.uk Thanks
Comment by Alberto Franchitti posted on
Hi,i have three retention documents coming up for renewal in april and may do i still have to send them in for a new document,The retention document renewal i received on monday is valid till 2025 can you advise.
Many thanks
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Hi Alberto, Yes the retention documents still needs to be returned for renewal as previously. They will then be renewed for 10 years with no fee applicable. Thanks
Comment by Jay posted on
Hi, Is this service definitely going live for the public and motor trade by the 24th? I am buying a car from a dealership, and they can't sell it to me until the cherished plate has been taken off. Will this online service allow them to instantly remove the cherished plate from the car? And will a standard reg be applied instantly as well?
Thanks!
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Yes, the new service to retain a private registration mark will be available to all by 24 march 2015. This service will allow the motor trade to instantly retain the number from your old vehicle and a replacement registration mark will be allocated to the vehicle as part of the online service.
Comment by Mr y ravat posted on
Hi I would like to know own if after 10 years the registration is not assigned to a vehicle will the registration be lost or will I still be able to retain it
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
You will be sent a renewal reminder to renew the retention period before the 10 years has expired and you will be able to renew for another ten years with no fee applicable.
Comment by Kim Beresford posted on
Hi Jason,
Will the online retention service be available on the 23rd (as originally intended) or the 24th of this month to the public?
Thanks.
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Hi Yes, the service will be available from 23 March 2015.
Comment by Bill F posted on
Hi,
Can you advise how will payment be collected for the £80? If it is to be a 'card payment' system, can Motor Dealers set up an Account - or pay using bank details?
Thanks
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Payment can only be made by credit or debit card.
Comment by Chris posted on
Hi,
My registration is on a V750 certificate at the moment and I need to add a nominee to the certificate. Do I still need to pay £25 to do this?
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Hi, no you should return the V750 certificate with the requested nominee's details. No fee is applicable. Thanks
Comment by Emma Robo posted on
Hi, I am due to sell my car asap to a dealer as part exchange for a newer car. I want to retain my current reg plate on the car I am selling, would it quicker to wait for the online portal to open than to send paper copies to you?
Also, how quickly does this take effect if I complete the application online on 24 March? Once I complete the process online do I have to wait for new plates and paperwork to arrive before I can part exchange or can I take the plates off and sign over to dealers without plates?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I'm so confused and I need to sell my car asap.
Thank you very much!
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Hi, the application will be completed quicker via the online service. Once the application is complete you will be instantly provided with the replacement registration number (on screen) which has been allocated to the vehicle.
The vehicle cannot be driven on the public road with no number plates and you should await the delivery of the new V5C (which can be sued to make up the number plates) with the replacement registration number and ensure the correct number plates are attached to the vehicle before passing it on.
The V5C certificate will be received 3-5 working days after the successful online application and should be handed to the dealer.
Comment by Emma Robo posted on
Thank you very much for your reply!
Comment by Geoff Hancocks posted on
Hi Jason,
I have a number plate which is presently on retention, but it expires this May after 3 years. I don't want to allocate it to a vehicle just yet, so would like to extend the retention up to the new 10 year period. Is this possible online ?? If so, how do I go about it ?? I have the V778 retention document in my name.
Thanks in anticipation
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Hi, There is no facility currently available to renew a V778 retention certificate online however, this is being looked at as part of the future developments for the online service. To renew your retention you should apply in the normal way and return the document to DVLA by post. Thank
Comment by Geoff Hancocks posted on
Thanks Jason, much appreciated.
Comment by Graham Witt posted on
Hi – I renewed a retention in Feb and paid £75 for three years and I noted I can't claim a refund. Please can you advise why I was not advised of the law changes in the renewal letter as i would have only paid for one year?
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Hi, Prior to the legal changes on the 9 March, customers continued to have the facility to retain their Certificates for either 1,2 or 3 years and pay the appropriate fee of £25 for each year. While the Agency were in the process of reviewing the fee structure prior to the 9 March, no confirmation of the changes could be communicated prior to the law being formally updated. Thanks
Comment by Nikki posted on
Hi, we are due to part exchange our car in this week at a dealers which has a private plate we would like to change to our new car. Should we wait for them to do it in the dealership or start the process now with the paper copies. Any advice o the process would be great as I have never done this before.
Thank you in advance.
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Hi, You can apply to retain the registration number online now using the new service. The V5C with the replacement registration mark and the retention certificate will be issued to you within 3-5 days.
This would allow the dealer to take the part exchanged vehicle and have the correct V5C for it as well as applying to assign the personalised registration number to your new car. Thanks
Comment by D J Lewis posted on
I had posted an enquiry, which was 'awaiting moderation', but now seems to have disappeared??
Has the new facility to retain/transfer a number plate 'gone live' as your blog suggested, as I cannot find it yet....?
Thank you
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Hi, the service is now available and can be found on GOV.UK
Comment by Edawrd King posted on
Does this mean we can now transfer out private plate to our next purchase as long as to got all the paper to do so .
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Once the online application is successful, you can use the retention certificate which will be issued by post to assign the personalised registration to a new vehicle.
Comment by Edawrd King posted on
Thank you Jason got all the paper work will set the ball rolling .
Comment by Jessica posted on
Are these changes now available to the public today? If so, what is the web address?
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Hi, the service is now available and can be found on GOV.UK
Comment by Jessica posted on
What do you do with the old logbook? Do we just destroy it or do we need to return it to the DVLA?
Comment by Melissa posted on
Hi when is the online service going to be live? I would like to have my current number plate retained. Thanks.
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Hi, the service is now available and can be found on GOV.UK
Comment by Lee posted on
I have applied to change the nominee on my retention certificate and I sent the documents off about a week a go with the £25. Does this mean they will not cash my check and return the documents with the change applied?
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Yes, we will return the fee (cheque unbanked) and update the documents as normal.
Comment by Jay posted on
Hi, After using the online service, do I have to wait for the new V5 to arrive by post before I can get a plate for the new dated registration made and put on my car? Or can I get the new plate printed as soon as the online process is complete (but before the new V5 arrives)?
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Yes, you have to wait for the delivery of the V5C which will allow you to get the plates made up. The V5C should take between 3-5 working days to arrive.
Comment by zac posted on
Hi Jason - my v778 is due to expire in may and I intend to renew for ten years. Reading through the comments it seems this renewal is not possible online so I will have to send by post. The question is how much fees are due for the ten years? Is it just £80. Many thanks
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Hi Zac, there are no fees to extend the retention period to ten years if a number is already on retention. You will need to send back the V778 to renew in May. Thanks
Comment by Phil D posted on
I have a plate in the format :
AA 9999 (an old registration) on a 2004 car.
Can I use the online service to retain this.?
The web site guidance says it has to be registered after 1998, does this refer to the age of the plate or age of the donor vehicle?
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Hi, yes the service can be used for any vehicle which was registered after 1998. Thanks
Comment by Dawn posted on
Was eagerly awaiting this new way of putting number plate on retention, to sell the car privately whilst awaiting our new car on order. Was so easy to do, got retention certificate number within seconds. I already had the original plates for the vehicle (kept them when we purchased the vehicle). When should i put them on and inform my insurance company of the reg change? Now or wait for new V5C & V778? Also should i just destroy my old V5C with the private number plate or give a copy of the new owner, as the MOT certificate is marked with my private plate, I believe I wont be issued with a new MOT certificate will I ? Thanks
Comment by Jason Llewelyn posted on
Hi, thanks for your feedback and I am glad you found the service easy to use.
Once you receive confirmation that the registration number has changed, you can instantly change the number plates of the vehicle and inform your insurance company as the service updates DVLA records in real time. The old V5C can be destroyed on receipt of the new one and replacement MOT's are no longer issued as a result of a retention as the old MOT remains legally valid.