DVLA Number Plates, also known as DVLA registrations, can be purchased and used on DVLA registered vehicles. Some types of DVLA number plate, such as those registered before 1963 or in Northern Ireland, allow you to hide the age of a vehicle. Many people use DVLA registrations to display their name, initials, hobbies, interests, vehicle model or occupation.
As well as issuing driving licences and vehicle registration certificates, the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) is the government body responsible for assigning, transferring and retaining personalised number plates in the UK. They also ensure that potentially rude or offensive number plates are kept out of circulation. In keeping the records of over 48 million drivers, the DVLA also facilitates the taxing of vehicles suitable for road use. Previously called the DVLC (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre), the DVLA is an agency of the Department of Transport. It used to have several offices throughout the country but has since consolidated them into a single headquarters here in Swansea.
If you hold a private registration mark on either a V750 Certificate of Entitlement or a V778 Certificate of Retention and would like to display your registration mark on your vehicle, you will need to submit your application to the DVLA here in Swansea with your V5C Registration Certificate.
You may wish to attempt the assignment using the DVLA's online system. However, this is not a guaranteed service and only approximately 60% of online applications are currently successful.
When you wish to transfer your private registration mark to another vehicle you will need to complete a V317 form and send your application to the DVLA along with the V5C Registration Certificates for both vehicles and the relevant fee.
If both vehicles are registered to the same person, you may wish to first retain the registration mark, then assign it to the second vehicle using the DVLA's online system. However, please bear in mind that this is not a guaranteed service.
The DVLA Number Plates / Vehicle Registration Marks retention scheme enables the keeper of a vehicle to remove its registration mark and hold it on a certificate for a period of up to 10 years at a time. The certificate can then be renewed every 10 years until you are ready to use it on a vehicle. Presently there is no government charge for renewing the rights to a registration mark once it is on a 10 year retention certificate.
To keep the rights to a private registration mark on a certificate (separate to a vehicle) you will need to complete a V317 form and send your application to the DVLA here in Swansea along with the V5C Registration Certificate and the relevant fee.
You may wish to attempt the retention using the DVLA's online system. However, please be aware that this is not a guaranteed service.
Important tip: If you are planning to sell your vehicle which has a personalised registration mark, please remember if you don't move it . You'll lose it! If you sell or hand over your vehicle before you have moved the private registration off, either onto another vehicle or onto a V778 retention certificate, ownership of the registration will pass to the new registered keeper of the vehicle. The movement is confirmed only once you have received a new V5C for the vehicle with a replacement registration number, not before!
When we sell private number plates, we donate a portion of the proceeds to good causes. Learn about these charities and how you can help.
Learn about which private number plates are best for businesses, featuring our favourite plates and our survey results.
"King John" brings Duck named Dog to medieval reenactments and nursing homes! He comments on his new private number plate AD06DUK
"Cover Plates" can be used to add individuality to your vehicle without personalising it. They hide a vehicle's age and when chosen wisely, can be good investments.
Here's a selection of Cover Plates which are available today. All prices below are inclusive of VAT and Gov. Transfer Fees
If you have chosen our Done-for-You service and have received your confirmation letter, you may wish to submit your V5 information via our E-Transfer Gateway.
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Important Private Number plates and DVLA InformationDVLA is the government agency responsible for all regulatory matters related to the issue and display of private number plates and car registrations in the UK. The DVLA acronym means Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and its head quarters are here in Swansea from where it controls all UK private registration plates. It was formerly called the DVLC standing for Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre but this title was changed in 1990 and so is now obsolete. In Northern Ireland the government agency responsible for controlling and issuing Northern Ireland format (commonly known as Irish) registrations was the DVA, this is an acronym meaning the Driver Vehicle Agency.
DVLA is a registered trade mark of the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency. We liaise with the agency on a daily basis but VRM Swansea Plates4less is in no way affiliated to the DVLA or DVLA Personalised Registrations.
All personalised number plates mentioned in this site are British i.e. issued and controlled by the DVLA Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency here in Swansea. They are only for display on vehicles registered in the UK and Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland format registrations are commonly known as 'Irish' registrations prior to the separation of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Any reference to 'Irish' registrations on this page relate to registration marks now known as 'Northern Ireland format' registrations.
Personal Number plates : Follow the law
As responsible personalised number plates agents we feel it is important that our visitors and customers understand the law regarding the supply and display of cherished number plates as they are valuable assets and should be protected. It was once possible to buy cheap number plates from any private car numberplates maker without any evidence of your entitlement to the car registration numbers. These days you need to provide the private registration plates manufacturer with a V948 number plate authorisation certificate which is issued by the DVLA only after your keeper's entitlement has been checked. Your numberplates are an important identifying feature of your vehicle and can be cloned to provide a false identity to any vehicle for those engaged in vehicle related crime. There are now many stories that tell of speeding fines collected in areas of the UK where car owners have never visited, due to the display of duplicate number plates by criminals. The law on the display of vehicle registration numbers is now very strict and personal number plates owners may not use decorative or fancy fonts. Letters and numbers must be of the correct size, style and spacing with private registration plates also conforming to strict British Standards in their materials and manufacture. To break the law on the manufacture and display means you risk having your entitlement to your cherished registration plates permanently withdrawn and face a substantial fine of up to £1000. Incorrectly displayed private plates or personalised reg marks will be enough to make your vehicle fail its MOT test.
VRM Swansea Plates4less is a DVLA registered number plate supplier (supplier no: 3166) and a recognised reseller of DVLA Personalised registrations. In recognition of this fact we only supply fully road legal number plates. DVLA, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, DVA NI Driver and Vehicle Agency Northern Ireland, are registered trademarks
VRM Swansea (Vehicle Registration Marketing) Limited is registered with Companies House at C/O Bevan Buckland LLP Ground Floor Cardigan House, Castle Court Swansea Enterprise Park, Swansea, SA7 9LA in Wales. Company Number 05408322.
VRM Swansea (Vehicle Registration Marketing) Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority FRN 734204. We act as a credit broker not a lender and offer finance options from a panel of lenders.
