FAQs for Buyers
Buying a private number plate from NetPlates is very straight forward. Simply enter your initials, name, surname or even your favourite car into the search box and we will display all matching registrations.
The easiest way is to buy online via our website. If you have any questions before ordering, please email us on admin@netplates.co.uk
or call us on 0121 777 6555 Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.
We are happy to hold onto the V778/ V750 Retention Certificate until you receive your Logbook (V5C) back from the DVLA. We can then assign your new registration to your vehicle. Alternatively, we can send you the V778/V750 Retention Certificate for you to assign the registration yourself if that is more convenient for you.
Advertised registrations are a combination of stock from the DVLA, other number plate dealers, private sellers, and our own stock.
We endeavor to update our available registrations regularly however, sometimes a registration is sold, and we are not informed by the seller that we have on file until we contact them when we have an enquiry.
If you were to purchase a registration and it was no longer available, we will issue a full refund or try to find you an alternative registration.
Most registrations have an age identifier which correlates to when the registration was released. The DVLA rules are that a registration cannot be put on a vehicle if it makes the vehicle look younger than it actually is. Older registrations are allowed to be transferred onto newer vehicles.
Some registrations have no age identifiers at all and are known as dateless registrations. These registrations can be transferred onto any vehicle.
You will be informed by either Net Plates Ltd or DVLA Swansea. You will receive an EV948 document via email and a confirmation email from us, if the transfer has been completed online, and/or a new Log Book V5C in the post, if a postal application was submitted. Either one of these, confirms that the transfer has been completed and you can put the physical plates for your new registration on your vehicle once you receive either of the previously stated. The EV948 will allow you to get the physical plates made if you have not purchased the plates from us.
You must retain the registration through the DVLA for a fee of £80 (correct as of January 2023, please see the DVLA website for the most up to date details). Retaining the registration can be undertaken online or via post. Once the registration is retained, a new Log Book (V5C) will be issued for the vehicle, and you will receive a V778/V750 Retention Document which you can then use to assign your registration to your new vehicle.
If you do not retain the registration before selling the vehicle, when you sell the vehicle, the registration will belong to the new owner.
When you assign a new registration to a vehicle, the previous registration is held by the DVLA for future use on that vehicle should you ever need to revert to the original number. However, you may want to keep your previous number if it is personal. To retain your previous number, you must apply to the DVLA using the V317 Application to transfer or retain the vehicle registration number along with the appropriate fee and the V5C documentation. This can also be completed online.
Technically, you cannot own the registration. Like your passport or driver's license, you don't own it, but you have the right to use it. Registration ownership is with the Government (Secretary of Transportation). You are entitled to associate the registration with your vehicle or retain it for future use. Once you assign a registration to a vehicle, you can keep it on that vehicle for as long as you like and transfer it to subsequent vehicles as many times as you like.
Yes, we are happy to retain or assign a registration on your behalf free of charge. There is a DVLA fee of £80, (correct as of January 2023, please see the DVLA website for the most up-to-date details), which you will have to pay however we would not charge for this service. We can send all the documents to the DVLA on your behalf.
All that we require are the relevant documents to ensure that we can complete the transfer seamlessly.
We always aim to ensure a registration is available before we take an order however in the event that a registration cannot be supplied, such as if there is an issue with a third-party supplier or in the unlikely event that a transfer cannot be processed by the DVLA, we will process a full refund
We will issue a full refund only. No damages, interest or other expenses will be offered. Once the DVLA Swansea have issued the new V5C, the transfer will be confirmed as completed. Net Plates Ltd liability is limited to the initial transfer only.
As soon as payment is made, our purchasing process begins, and we are unable to stop this. Therefore, once you have purchased the registration, we cannot process any refunds if you change your mind or try to cancel your order.
If you do decide you no longer want the registration, we can advertise on your behalf to try and find you a buyer and sell your registration.
The transfer can take 7-10 working days as we have to wait to receive both the buyer and sellers’ paperwork. This time frame is subject to the transfer being done online. If we must send paperwork off to the DVLA to complete the transfer, it can take up to 21 working days. We endeavour to complete transfers as soon as possible and we will keep you informed throughout the whole process.