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Buying from a private number dealer

Dealers sell unissued registration numbers bought from DVLA Personalised Registrations, previously issued registration numbers from their own stock, or they act as an agent for motorists who want to sell their registration number.

Whether buying for yourself or as a gift for someone else, you can buy a registration number from a dealer in two ways:

Buy and assign

The dealer arranges the sale and puts the registration number on the vehicle for you. You'll then receive an authorisation letter to get the number plate made up.

Buy only

The dealer arranges the sale and provides you with a certificate produced by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). You'll need to assign the registration number to the vehicle yourself.

If you buy a ‘new’ unissued registration number:

• you’ll get a certificate of entitlement (V750) showing the dealer as the ‘purchaser’ and your name or someone else’s name (if bought as a gift) as the ‘nominee’

If you buy a previously issued registration number:

• you’ll get a retention document (V778) showing the person selling the registration number as the ‘grantee’ and your name or someone else’s name (if bought as a gift) as the ‘nominee’

What you get for your money

You only buy the right to have a particular registration number assigned (put on) to and displayed on a vehicle registered in your name, or in the name of another person. All registration numbers are owned by the Secretary of State.

The certificate of entitlement or retention document:

• shows the registration number
• needs to be signed by the purchaser named at the top of certificate of entitlement or the grantee named at the top of the retention document
• shows the date the right to assign the registration number will end
• the right can be extended for a further one, two or three years

The nominee has no right to the registration number until it's assigned to their vehicle. You can add (if you don’t have one), or change a nominee any time or at the same time the registration number is assigned.

If the dealer is named as the purchaser or grantee, they will normally need to do this for you and may charge for their services.

Find a dealer

A list of some of the registration number dealers currently trading is available on the DVLA Personalised Registrations website.

Note: The DVLA will not accept responsibility for any issues arising from this referral or the contents of third party web sites.

• Registration number dealers Opens new window

Registration number dealers can also be found on the internet through most search facilities.

Private sale

You can buy from a motorist who wants to sell a personalised registration that is:

• on their vehicle – the seller will arrange to transfer the registration directly to your vehicle and you’ll need to provide the seller with your registration certificate (V5C) and MOT certificate if the vehicle needs one
• held on a certificate of entitlement or retention document – your name will be added as the ‘nominee’ and you’ll need to assign the personalised registration to the vehicle yourself

If you don’t have a vehicle, the seller will arrange with DVLA to retain the registration number on a retention document in your name ie you’ll be shown as the grantee.

You’ll need to renew (extend the right) the certificate of entitlement or retention document if you're unable to assign your personalised registration before the expiry date shown on it.

• Renewing or updating a certificate of entitlement

• Renewing or updating a retention document

After the personalised registration has been assigned

The rights to transfer or retain the registration number pass to the registered keeper of the vehicle displaying the registration number.