Plate retention / transfer when buying a car privately?

Plate retention / transfer when buying a car privately?

Author
Discussion

Davie

Original Poster:

4,991 posts

222 months

Wednesday 27th March
quotequote all
Apologies if it's been covered, I had searched but as per usual... lots of conflicting advice and I can't see anything conclusive via the DVLA / Gov websites.

Short if it is, looking to buy a car but the seller will be removing his private plate and it'll go back on it's original plate as first registered. I understand this can be done online pretty much same day bar any unforeseen reasons then the new updated V5C would be sent to the seller.

However, what isn't clear (or I'm missing it!) is whether I / we can complete the transfer online, then assuming it goes through without any delays... can I / we then complete the keeper change online pretty much immediately thereafter, thus the physical V5C will then come to me showing my details and the original registration number?

Or if not, what is the process as neither of us had fond this before so neither are particularly clear on how best to proceed.

Appreciated

HTP99

23,280 posts

147 months

Wednesday 27th March
quotequote all
Seller put the private plate on retention online, you will then have to wait for the new V5 to arrive with seller before then transferring the car to you, this takes about 5 days.

sixor8

6,594 posts

275 months

Wednesday 27th March
quotequote all
When a new V5c is issued, the certificate number is different and the old one will no longer be valid for any transaction. Whoever receives it will have to wait for the replacement to arrive before anything ese can be done.

66HFM

491 posts

32 months

Wednesday 27th March
quotequote all
Just one slight point to make, when I removed a private plate off my wife's car it was unable to be done online as at some stage during the past 3 or 5 years it had been untaxed, i.e. it was 'in the trade', and I had to download and complete a form and then send a cheque (first time I'd written a cheque in 3 years) and sent them off to DVLA, took about 10 days in total.

First time I've had that problem though.

I always remove my private plate prior to selling my car, just makes it easier and that way there is a new V5 with the correct registration number.

Davie

Original Poster:

4,991 posts

222 months

Wednesday 27th March
quotequote all
Thanks.

In the sellers defense, I've jumped in there ahead of schedule as it were so hence it's not been done as yet. My concern was the mutterings of the new V5C taking several weeks to arrive back to him after the plate change. If it's a few days delay then that's fine, but if it's several weeks then if may not be viable to continue.

Having never done this before, what are the implications of buying the car using the current V5C then transferring the plate at a later date and retaining it in his name? Granted it's make insurance a bit of a faff but just thinking of possible solutions. However I would've thought an online plate transfer would generate a new "online" V5C reference much faster but I assume there's no way of knowing said new V5C ref until it physically arrives?




740EVTORQUES

980 posts

8 months

Wednesday 27th March
quotequote all
I would have thought that as soon as you have done the plate removal online, the current V5 is not valid any more and so buying the car is placing a lot of trust in the seller?

alscar

5,368 posts

220 months

Wednesday 27th March
quotequote all
I’ve done a fair few online changes and the new V5 hasn’t ever taken longer than a week to arrive but perhaps I’ve been lucky.
When the seller puts it on retention he also gets an automatic certificate to get the new “ original “ plates made up.

740EVTORQUES

980 posts

8 months

Wednesday 27th March
quotequote all
I would have thought that as soon as you have done the plate removal online, the current V5 is not valid any more and so buying the car is placing a lot of trust in the seller?

Davie

Original Poster:

4,991 posts

222 months

Wednesday 27th March
quotequote all
740EVTORQUES said:
I would have thought that as soon as you have done the plate removal online, the current V5 is not valid any more and so buying the car is placing a lot of trust in the seller?
Not sure I follow.

My hope was that he could transfer online, get confirmation that the car was then back registered with it's original plate and it'd then produce a new V5C reference which could then be used to complete the owner change online.

But seems not, thus to complete the owner transfer we'll need the new V5C reflecting the plate change. That's fine, if it's only a few days for the updated V5C to arrive then I'll delay any payment until he has the updated V5C then proceed from there as normal.

My other thought was whether we could completed the ownership transfer as is, ie either the car on its private plate and with the relevant V5C (which he has) then I transfer the plate at a later date, nominating him as the person who will have the private plate. But that probably not a good idea, more so as I'd need to insure it on its private plate then amend it once the plate is transferred.

So, looks like he'll need to remove the plate, await the new V5C in the post then we can proceed from there in a week or so. I think...

Cheers

HTP99

23,280 posts

147 months

Wednesday 27th March
quotequote all
Davie said:
740EVTORQUES said:
I would have thought that as soon as you have done the plate removal online, the current V5 is not valid any more and so buying the car is placing a lot of trust in the seller?
Not sure I follow.

My hope was that he could transfer online, get confirmation that the car was then back registered with it's original plate and it'd then produce a new V5C reference which could then be used to complete the owner change online.

But seems not, thus to complete the owner transfer we'll need the new V5C reflecting the plate change. That's fine, if it's only a few days for the updated V5C to arrive then I'll delay any payment until he has the updated V5C then proceed from there as normal.

My other thought was whether we could completed the ownership transfer as is, ie either the car on its private plate and with the relevant V5C (which he has) then I transfer the plate at a later date, nominating him as the person who will have the private plate. But that probably not a good idea, more so as I'd need to insure it on its private plate then amend it once the plate is transferred.

So, looks like he'll need to remove the plate, await the new V5C in the post then we can proceed from there in a week or so. I think...

Cheers
You can do that, however the seller then needs to trust you that you won;t just bugger off with his private plate.

Terzo123

4,443 posts

215 months

Wednesday 27th March
quotequote all
HTP99 said:
Davie said:
740EVTORQUES said:
I would have thought that as soon as you have done the plate removal online, the current V5 is not valid any more and so buying the car is placing a lot of trust in the seller?
Not sure I follow.

My hope was that he could transfer online, get confirmation that the car was then back registered with it's original plate and it'd then produce a new V5C reference which could then be used to complete the owner change online.

But seems not, thus to complete the owner transfer we'll need the new V5C reflecting the plate change. That's fine, if it's only a few days for the updated V5C to arrive then I'll delay any payment until he has the updated V5C then proceed from there as normal.

My other thought was whether we could completed the ownership transfer as is, ie either the car on its private plate and with the relevant V5C (which he has) then I transfer the plate at a later date, nominating him as the person who will have the private plate. But that probably not a good idea, more so as I'd need to insure it on its private plate then amend it once the plate is transferred.

So, looks like he'll need to remove the plate, await the new V5C in the post then we can proceed from there in a week or so. I think...

Cheers
You can do that, however the seller then needs to trust you that you won;t just bugger off with his private plate.
I lost a plate trusting a buyer when i sold my Monaro. My fault really, but thought i was a decent judge of character. He seemed a decent sort, ex RAF chopper pilot blah, blah, blah. Agreed with the buyer to send him a cheque to cover cost of retention and he would mail me the certificate.

Never heard from him again.

It wasn't an expensive plate, but i'll not make that mistake again.

S6 HSV





Davie

Original Poster:

4,991 posts

222 months

Wednesday 27th March
quotequote all
Cheers.

All things considered, I think I'll just wait for the platform change to complete and the new V5C physically in hand.

I'd have no desire to keep the plate, would be happy to transfer it back to him retrospectively but in a bid to keep it simple, will wait.

Appreciated