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Can I Buy Number Plates Online?

There are a number of companies that sell number plates online such as here at Car.co.uk, or you can go to sites like eBay where people can post adverts of the plates up for sale. The DVLA also has a selection of number plates for sale.

Most sites have a search for a car registration facility, so you can simply type in a search keyword to find a variety of number plates that may be of interest to you. To have a better chance of finding the plates you want, stick to short words of two to four letters, or a combination of numbers and letters such as MAG1C. You may need to go to several online sites to find the plate you want.

Prices vary from a few hundred to many thousands of pounds depending on the rarity of the number and the supply and demand for the plate.

Stay secure

Like any online purchases, security is important. Many number plate dealers are members of the Cherished Numbers Dealers Association (CNDA) whose members confirm that the number you want to purchase is legally eligible to be transferred.

Anyone selling a number plate must have official documents issued by the DVLA confirming that they are the legal owner of the number plate and it is eligible to be transferred to you. They will either have a form V750 Certificate of Entitlement or a V778 Retention Document.

Number plate dealers will make sure that all the plates on their site can be legally transferred to you, and many will help you with the transfer and assigning the plate to your vehicle.

In case the site is not genuine, it’s advisable to pay by credit card. That way, you should be refunded if the transaction is fraudulent.

What to do after you purchase the plate online?

You do not receive a physical number plate to put on your car when you purchase a number plate online. What you are purchasing is a right to use the number plate. You need to make the transfer to your name through the DVLA by post, or more conveniently, online from the DVLA website.

Remember, you don't have to put the number on your car – you can simply keep it without assigning the number to a vehicle. The DVLA charges a fee to register the number plate in your name.

To assign it to a vehicle, apply through the DVLA website. You can also do this by post. The DVLA will send you a replacement log book (form V5C) for your car with the new number. After the assignment is complete, go to a motor accessory shop who will make you a new set of number plates to attach to your vehicle. You will also need to inform your car insurance company of the change.

Transferring ownership to you and assigning the number to a car can take a few weeks. Don’t forget, you cannot legally drive a car with the new number until the assignment has been completed.

Once you own a number plate, you are entitled to sell it. If it’s on a car, you will need to inform the DVLA that you wish to remove it and they will assign a new number to the car. This will normally be the original car registration number. After that, you’ll receive a document from the DVLA that entitles you to sell the plate online or offline.
 

Other related FAQs

Looking for more related content to this? We’ve picked a selection of related topics that you may find helpful

If you’re searching for a personalised number plate, there are three main options to consider: you can buy directly from the DVLA at fixed or auction price, through a registration plate dealer in person or online, or purchase privately.

The vast majority of private number plates are sold online, via either the DVLA or one of the other websites that specialises in selling registration numbers. Otherwise, you might be able to obtain one privately or at an auction.

You can buy a personalised number plate from an individual or an organisation as long as they can show that they are the legal owner of the plate. You can then assign the number to your car if you wish.

The price of a personalised car number plate in the secondary market is determined by supply and demand. Number plates featuring popular names, words or initials that are attractive to many people tend to come with a higher price tag.

You’ll find a variety of finance products available for purchasing a private number plate. These agreements allow you to pay in monthly installments, helping you to spread the cost of your new plate.

You can buy your personalised registration from the DVLA or specialist vendors and then get them made up by auto retail outlets such as Halfords, but you’ll need to provide your vehicle log book and proof of ID.

Whether as a gift or for yourself, it’s perfectly possible to buy a number plate without a car. The registration will be put on a certificate allowing you to use or gift it to someone at a later date.

Most private number plates are bought and sold online, via one of the many websites - including the DVLA - that sell these plates. People may also buy number plates privately, or via a traditional auction house