For the first time in around a decade, a need has arisen for owners of UK vehicle registrations held on certificates to prepare for renewal. And if you last retained your registration onto a certificate in 2015, when the term of entitlement was dramatically lengthened from one year to ten, you'll need to either renew your certificate now, or set a reminder for the approach to your renewal date.
THE CONSEQUENCE
The consequence for failure to renew, is an outright loss of your plate. This is not a drill. The right to display registrations worth hundreds of thousands could be lost if their owner fails to renew an imminently expiring V750 or V778 certificate.
Here are the vitally important headlines:
- There is no safety net! If you don't renew your certificate on time, you lose your plate.
- You must renew within the 28-day period leading up to your certificate's expiry. You won't be able to renew earlier, or renew late.
- Although the DVLA are sending out reminders, the stakes are such that you should absolutely not rely on this as an alert system. Please set your own alert. The DVLA will not accept the non-arrival of a reminder as mitigation for failing to renew a V750 or V778. Ensuring that your certificate is renewed is ultimately down to you, and your plate is too important to let go because an email went to spam or a letter got lost in the post.
- If you're holding the certification and you are the grantee, you can renew for free through the DVLA. If your certificate is a V750 you can renew online. If it's a V778 you'll need to renew by post.
- If a dealer is holding a V778 certificate on your behalf, as the grantee, with their address on the paperwork, there's likely to be some form of administrative charge, and potentially multiple options on how you can move forward. If you're a Net Plates customer in this situation, please see RENEWING THROUGH NET PLATES below.
- Consider carefully whether the DVLA (or a dealer holding a V778 on your behalf) has your correct, current street address, email address, phone number, etc. If this is not the case, please urgently update your details.
- If you can't find your certificate, approach the DVLA at the earliest opportunity to request a replacement.
ALTERNATIVES?
Don't forget that you can alternatively assign your registration to a vehicle if it's currently on a certificate. This will mean that, going forward, you won't have to worry about a new renewal date. But if you do choose to assign the plate, it must still be done before your V750 or V778 expires. If you allow your certificate to expire, it will no longer be possible to assign the plate.
RENEWING THROUGH NET PLATES
Please note that this section only applies if you have bought a registration through Net Plates and have never assigned it to a vehicle.
If you'd like to renew a retention certificate bought from Net Plates, you have two options. The prices quoted below apply at the time or writing, but may be subject to change in future.
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Standard Renewal - We can renew the certificate as a continuation of its current status, with Net Plates remaining as the grantee. The cost for this is a straight £40 plus VAT - currently £48 in total.
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Transfer to Your Name - You may use our donor service to receive a new certificate in your own name. The charge for this option is £80 plus VAT, plus the £80 DVLA transfer fee. A total cost of £176.
Regardless of the option you select, your retention certificate will be renewed for a further ten years.
DO I REALLY NEED TO PANIC?
At the very least, please check your V750 or V778 to ensure you know exactly when it expires. If it doesn't expire in the near future, organise a reliable way to remind yourself to renew 28 days before expiry. If the expiry is this year, set yourself a date for renewal. It must be some time in the 28 days before the certificate's expiry date.
Many people have years left on their certificates, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Don't let expiry take you by surprise.
