Buying a private plate (on retention)

[blondebier]

Hi Peeps,

I've seen a registration plate advertised(privately) on the internet that is currently on retention. (Whatever that means?)

Having had a look on the DVLA site, I think it means that the registration number isn't currently assigned to a vehicle and could be if the person named on the certificate wanted it to be. It also looks like these certificates have an expiry and the person mentioned on the certificate needs to transfer it to a vehicle before it expires or renew it for a period of 1, 2 or 3 years depending on how long that want to retain it on the certificate. Seems simple enough so far...

Question : Is the person on the internet allowed to sell the plate / certificate or both?

I'm wary of getting my fingers burnt. Any tips or obvious pitfalls?

As this is just a nobody(to me) on the internet, can I do any checks to see if it is legit before parting with my money? Would Paypal be sensible here? How else could I pay them that is safe?

Any advice would be most welcome.

Cheers,
Blondebier

 

[A-AvantGarde]

Hi Peeps,

I've seen a registration plate advertised(privately) on the internet that is currently on retention. (Whatever that means?)

Having had a look on the DVLA site, I think it means that the registration number isn't currently assigned to a vehicle and could be if the person named on the certificate wanted it to be. It also looks like these certificates have an expiry and the person mentioned on the certificate needs to transfer it to a vehicle before it expires or renew it for a period of 1, 2 or 3 years depending on how long that want to retain it on the certificate. Seems simple enough so far...

Question : Is the person on the internet allowed to sell the plate / certificate or both?

I'm wary of getting my fingers burnt. Any tips or obvious pitfalls?

As this is just a nobody(to me) on the internet, can I do any checks to see if it is legit before parting with my money? Would Paypal be sensible here? How else could I pay them that is safe?

Any advice would be most welcome.

Cheers,
Blondebier

Yes, 'on retention' means it's on a DVLA Retention Certificate (also known as a V778).

Things to watch out for:

Retention certificates do have an expiry date
A retention certificate will have a Grantee (technically the owner, or the person assigned the registration)
A nominee (someone who the Grantee says the registration mark can be assigned to)

If the seller is still the grantee then they absolutley are entitled to sell the registration mark. I think the DVLA are also able to confirm if a retention certificate is genuine.

I'm not sure if it's possible to change the grantee, typically what most people do when selling a registration privately is to change or add a nominee.

The DVLA charge £25 for this, however a couple of things need to be bourne in mind -

a. the expiry date will remain the same (it won't automatically get extended).
b. the grantee will still be shown (as will their current original address) - this is particularly important if you're not assigning the registration in the near future and the certificate needs to be renewed.

Do you intend to put the registration on another car immediately or do you intend to hold it on a certificate for a while?

I'm wary of getting my fingers burnt. Any tips or obvious pitfalls?

If it's practial for you to meet the person then that would help - I guess it depends upon how much the plate is.

Happy to offer more advice - I've done this a few times...

 

[blondebier]

Thanks so much for the advice. I've never done it before I just want to make sure I don't make any stupid mistakes.

Do you intend to put the registration on another car immediately or do you intend to hold it on a certificate for a while?

I was hoping to keep it on retention for a few months and then put it on a new car.

I guess I need to ensure that there is sufficient time on the certificate to enable this to happen.

Once it has been transferred to a vehicle, does it render the retention certificate useless/worthless? I.e. It's mine and no one else could get their sticky mitts on it?

 

[A-AvantGarde]

Thanks so much for the advice. I've never done it before I just want to make sure I don't make any stupid mistakes.



I was hoping to keep it on retention for a few months and then put it on a new car.

I guess I need to ensure that there is sufficient time on the certificate to enable this to happen.

Once it has been transferred to a vehicle, does it render the retention certificate useless/worthless? I.e. It's mine and no one else could get their sticky mitts on it?

Yes (essentially) - once it's on your car you're safe. However, it's important to remember that registration marks are not strictly items of property, technically the Secretary of State for Transport can revoke the right to a mark.

The registration will stay with the car unless you transfer it again in the future. That's important to remember for the future for when you come to sell your car, if you sell the car with the registration on it, the new registered keeper will have the rights to retain / transfer the mark!

 

[blondebier]

Thanks. That's good to know.

One final question - if the plate is on my car for a while, I would be able to put it back on retention and that would be in my name, not the previous "retainer"?

 

[A-AvantGarde]

Thanks. That's good to know.

One final question - if the plate is on my car for a while, I would be able to put it back on retention and that would be in my name, not the previous "retainer"?

Yes, absolutley - if you are retaining the vehicle registration number, as
the registered keeper, can choose to become the Grantee or
you can give up your right to the vehicle registration number
and give the details of someone else as the Grantee. Again, you're also able to assign a nominee.

 

[blondebier]

Excellent. Thanks.

 

[John]

Is the person on the internet allowed to sell the plate / certificate or both?

Small bit of trivia - you don't buy and sell the registration number (i.e. you don't own it - the DVLA does) - you actually buy and sell the right to display it on a vehicle.