What to do with old car number plates

Everyone knows that in order to drive in the UK, your vehicle is going to need a number plate. They’re an essential way of identifying a car, but they’re also seen as ways in which you can personalise a car vehicle too.

However, it’s not often considered what you should do if you need to get rid of a number plate. Let’s take a look into it now.

front of old transporter

What should I do if I’m switching my original plate to a private one?

If you’ve bought a new private plate and want to switch this onto your car, then you should retain the original one just in case you sell the car. After all, you’ll more than likely want to keep the private plate for your next vehicle.

Can I sell my private plate if I want to?

Definitely! If you’ve switched to a new private plate or simply fancy sticking the original ones back on, then there’s nothing stopping you from selling a private plate. Though you’re not able to sell private plates back to the DVLA, you can turn to private auction houses to sell it for you. These auction houses will also be able to give you an estimation about how much the plate could be worth if it went under the hammer.

What do I do if I don’t want to sell my plate?

If you don’t want to sell your private plate, then there are options. You’re able to give up your plate by contacting the DVLA and filling in the ‘Give up the right to this registered number’ section of the V778 or V750 form which accompanies your plate. If you’re not able to find it, then you’re able to apply for a new one via the DVLA. Once you’ve sent this form to the DVLA, you’ll no longer be able to use the plate on your car.

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