Questions Answered

In addition to selling thousands of our own stock items we also hold public commissions and the stock and commissions of many other dealers throughout the UK. Occasionally, records are miss-typed and appear as an alternative combination that is in fact not for sale. Also, there are circumstances where a recently acquired mark is still on our database due to the fact that the donor has failed to advise us of the sale and subsequent non-availability. If you have recently noted that your mark is listed and wish to provide us with further information or wish us to remove it from the website, please send an email to errors@newreg.com and specify the registration mark with the validation character for confirmation.

Number plates (also known as licence plates) should show your vehicle registration number correctly. You can’t rearrange letters or numbers, or alter them so that they are hard to read. You could be fined up to £1,000 and your car will fail its MOT test if you drive with incorrectly displayed number plates.

Registration numbers are not items of property in their own right. They are assigned, and may be withdrawn, by the Secretary of State as part of the basic registration and licensing process which is required by law. The registration number is a unique means of identifying a vehicle, primarily for taxation and law enforcement purposes. It is assigned to the vehicle, rather than its keeper, and unless it is transferred or retained the registration number normally remains with the vehicle until it is broken up, destroyed or sent permanently out of the country.

An individual acquires entitlement to a registration number when he or she becomes the registered keeper of the vehicle which carries the number. When the vehicle changes hands, entitlement to its registration number will automatically pass with the vehicle to the new keeper unless use is made of the special facilities which have been designed to allow motorists to acquire and retain particular registration numbers. Namely, the Cherished Transfer, Retention and Sale of Marks schemes.

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When purchasing through New Reg, all registrations are verified against DVLA records before sale. We provide a full paper trail — either a V750 Certificate of Entitlement for unissued plates, or a V778 Retention Certificate for plates taken off a vehicle. Both documents are official DVLA documents and confirm your legal entitlement to the registration. We are CNDA members and have been trading since 1990 — you can also read our customer reviews on Trustpilot.

The key warning signs are: no DVLA recognition or CNDA membership, pressure to pay outside a secure checkout, no physical address or company registration number, and prices significantly below market value for desirable plates. Legitimate dealers always provide official DVLA documentation — a V750 Certificate of Entitlement or a V778 Retention Document — and will never ask you to pay via bank transfer to a personal account. Always check that a dealer is registered with Companies House and verify their Trustpilot reviews independently before purchasing.

Number plate cloning is when a criminal copies a legitimate vehicle registration and fits it to a different vehicle — typically of the same make, model, and colour. The cloned plates are used to commit offences such as speeding, fuel theft, toll evasion, or to disguise a stolen vehicle. As the genuine keeper you may receive penalty notices for offences you did not commit. There were over 1,100 reported cloning cases in the UK in 2024. If you receive a fine for an offence that did not involve you, contact the relevant authority with evidence of your whereabouts, report it to the police (101), and inform the DVLA.

Act quickly. Report the theft to the police by calling 101 — you will receive a crime reference number. Inform the DVLA on 0300 790 6802 so they can note it on your vehicle record. Tell your insurance provider and supply the crime reference number. Replace your plates with tamper-resistant versions from a DVLA-registered supplier. If you have a personalised registration, consider retaining it onto another vehicle while the situation is resolved.

The DVLA does not send unsolicited messages asking you to update personal details, confirm banking information, or click links to renew a licence. Any message claiming to be from the DVLA and requesting payment details or personal information is a scam. The DVLA reported a 531% rise in fraudulent complaints during mid-2020. If you receive a suspicious message, do not click any links, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, and forward suspicious emails to phishing@dvla.gov.uk.

Buying a V778 retention document privately carries significant risk. There is no way to verify a retention document is valid without transferring it to a vehicle immediately. If you purchase one for future use and the document turns out to be fraudulent or already expired, you have no recourse. The only safe approach is to assign the registration to a vehicle at the point of purchase to confirm the paperwork is genuine. New Reg always verifies and completes documentation before releasing funds to sellers.

Fit your plates with tamper-resistant anti-theft screws rather than adhesive pads, making quick removal harder. Store your vehicle securely where possible. Be cautious about sharing your vehicle registration, make, model, and colour online — that combination is all a cloner needs. Consider a personalised registration: vehicles with private plates are less likely targets because the combination is more recognisable. If you are cloned, retaining your registration and having a new mark issued by the DVLA stops ongoing misuse immediately.

The DVLA has held auctions for personalised registrations since 1989. They are run on DVLA's behalf by John Pye Auctions and take place online several times a year. Only registrations that have never previously been issued to a vehicle are eligible — these include unused dateless combinations, registrations withheld during earlier releases, and combinations spelling names or words that were held back from general sale. Classic Auctions typically feature more prestigious registrations over a timed online format.

You can bid directly through the DVLA auction platform (run by John Pye Auctions) by registering on their website before the sale. Alternatively, specialist dealers including New Reg can bid on your behalf, which is useful if you are unfamiliar with the process or want expert advice on realistic valuations. When bidding directly, always research comparable plates already on the market to avoid overpaying — auction fever can push prices well above true market value.

The total cost of a DVLA auction purchase comprises the hammer price, a buyer's premium charged by the auction house (currently 3% as of late 2025), VAT on both the hammer price and premium, and the standard DVLA £80 assignment fee. For example, a £1,600 hammer price would typically result in a total cost of around £2,150 once all fees are added. Always calculate the full cost before bidding, not just the hammer price.

DVLA auctions exclusively feature registrations that have never been issued to a vehicle. These typically include: dateless combinations that were unused when the original format was in use, registrations withheld during new-style releases (such as low-number plates like 01, 02, 03 in each new release), and combinations that clearly spell names or words that were held back from general sale. Current-style plates available in the open market are not sold at DVLA auctions — only these historically unissued marks.

Only plates that have never previously been assigned to a vehicle are eligible for DVLA auctions. If your plate has been on a vehicle, it cannot enter a DVLA auction. However, you can sell it through a private dealer like New Reg, who will value the plate and advertise it to buyers on your behalf. For a free valuation and to discuss selling options, use our free valuation service.

Not necessarily. Auction prices are unpredictable and can exceed dealer prices when demand is high or when bidders get carried away. Dealer prices are fixed, transparent, and fully include transfer costs — whereas auction totals can be significantly higher than the hammer price once buyer's premium, VAT, and DVLA fees are added. Auctions do occasionally produce bargains, but they also carry the risk of overbidding. Comparing auction estimates against dealer prices for similar combinations before bidding is always advisable.

In most cases, no. A personalised number plate is a change of registration mark — not a vehicle modification — and should not increase your insurance premium. Your insurer is legally required to update their records when you change the registration on your vehicle, and some may charge a small admin fee for doing so. You are legally obliged to inform your insurer of any change in registration number, otherwise your policy could be invalidated in the event of a claim. If your insurer attempts to charge an unreasonable fee or increase your premium solely because of a registration change, you can escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Yes — you are legally required to notify your insurer whenever the registration number on your vehicle changes. Failing to do so could invalidate your policy. In practice, the notification is straightforward: contact your insurer with the new registration and they will update their records. Most insurers make no premium change for a registration change alone, though some charge a small admin fee.

Your vehicle must either have current road tax or a valid SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) in place for the DVLA online transfer service to accept the application. If the vehicle is untaxed and has no SORN, you will need to declare SORN or re-tax it before the transfer can proceed online. Alternatively, you can complete the transfer by post using form V317 with the relevant documents — V5C and Certificate of Entitlement or Retention Document.

Yes, it is possible to transfer a private plate to or from a SORN vehicle. For vehicles that have been SORN for a short period, the DVLA online service will usually accept the application. For vehicles SORN for longer periods — typically over five years — the application may need to go to the DVLA by post using form V317. If the vehicle has been untaxed without a SORN, you will need to either re-tax it or declare SORN before the online transfer will work.

When a registration number changes on a vehicle, the existing road tax is automatically cancelled by the DVLA and a refund is issued for any complete remaining months. The vehicle then needs to be re-taxed under the new registration. New Reg guides you through this process as part of the transfer, and the DVLA online service handles the updates to your vehicle record automatically when the transfer is processed.

The plate itself does not affect road tax. However, vehicles first registered before 1 January 1977 are exempt from vehicle excise duty (road tax) regardless of which registration they display. This is why dateless plates from the early 1900s can be displayed on historic vehicles without road tax. For all other vehicles, normal road tax requirements apply regardless of whether the plate is standard or personalised.

Many personalised registrations have appreciated in value over time, often outperforming traditional investments such as watches, jewellery, and antique furniture when measured by percentage gain. The DVLA has sold over 6 million registrations since 1989, generating over £300 million annually — evidence of a large, active market. However, not all plates appreciate. Short, dateless, and name-specific plates with broad appeal historically show the strongest growth. As with any investment, future values cannot be guaranteed, and you should not buy a private plate solely as a financial investment.

As a general rule, the shorter and more desirable the combination, the stronger the long-term value. Single and two-character dateless plates have the most consistent appreciation history due to permanent scarcity — no new ones can ever be issued. Name plates representing common first names (e.g. TOM 1, SAR 4H) perform well because demand is broad. Plates with low numbers (1–9) in any format also tend to hold a premium. Current-style plates can appreciate if the combination is desirable, but they are subject to an age restriction which limits their future vehicle eligibility.

Private number plates may be subject to Capital Gains Tax (CGT) if you sell them for a profit and your total gains in the tax year exceed the CGT annual allowance. However, HMRC treats number plates as wasting assets in some circumstances, which may affect how they are taxed. Tax treatment depends on your individual situation. New Reg is not a tax adviser — you should consult an accountant or HMRC directly if you are buying plates specifically for investment purposes.

A plate's value is determined by several factors: the desirability of the combination (does it spell a name, word, or phrase?), the character count (shorter is rarer), the format (dateless plates are generally more valuable than current-style), and current market demand. Comparable plates currently for sale give a strong indication of market price. New Reg offers a free valuation service — our specialists assess your plate against live market data and provide a realistic estimate with no obligation to sell.

Yes. When you purchase a registration from New Reg you receive a V750 Certificate of Entitlement, which is valid for ten years. During that period you can hold the plate on the certificate without assigning it to a vehicle. If you wish to hold it beyond ten years, the certificate must be renewed before its expiry date or the right to the registration is lost. Many investors hold multiple registrations on certificates for years before assigning or reselling them.

Research and industry data suggest that top-quality private plates have, over the long term, shown appreciation comparable to — and in some categories exceeding — alternative assets such as classic cars, wine, watches, and art. Unlike physical collectibles, plates do not deteriorate, require no storage or maintenance, and cannot be lost or stolen from you once held on a DVLA certificate. They are also a tangible UK-regulated asset with an established resale infrastructure. However, they are not regulated financial instruments, and past performance does not guarantee future returns.

Yes. When you purchase a registration as a gift, the plate is supplied on a V750 Certificate of Entitlement in the buyer's name. The recipient's details can be added as the nominee on the certificate, allowing them to transfer the plate onto their vehicle when they are ready. Alternatively, you can hold it on the certificate and present it as a gift — the recipient then contacts the DVLA to complete the assignment. New Reg handles the paperwork and can advise on the best approach for your situation.

No. The purchase is made by the buyer in their own name. The recipient's name and vehicle details are only needed at the point of transfer to their vehicle, not at the time of purchase. This means you can buy a plate in advance as a surprise gift without the recipient knowing, and arrange the transfer paperwork separately when the time is right.

This is one of the most common gifting concerns. If the recipient changes or sells their vehicle before the plate is transferred, the plate can simply be assigned to the new vehicle instead — the V750 Certificate of Entitlement remains valid for ten years regardless of which vehicle it is eventually assigned to. There is no urgency to transfer immediately, which makes plates a very flexible gift.

Yes. You do not need the recipient's vehicle registration or V5C at the time of purchase. The plate is issued on a V750 certificate and the vehicle details are only required when the actual transfer is made. This is why plates work well as surprise gifts — you buy the plate now, and the transfer is completed whenever the recipient is ready, within the ten-year validity period of the certificate.

Yes — personalised number plates are one of the most distinctive and long-lasting gifts available. They suit birthdays, anniversaries, retirements, and milestone occasions. A plate reflecting someone's name, initials, hobby, or career can be deeply personal in a way that most gifts cannot replicate. Unlike flowers or chocolates, a private plate can be displayed every day for years and potentially appreciate in value. New Reg offers plates from £69 and can help you find the right combination for any budget.

Almost any vehicle can carry a private number plate, including cars, motorcycles, mopeds, vans, and mobility scooters. However, there are restrictions: you cannot transfer a plate onto a Q-registered vehicle, or use a plate that would make your vehicle appear newer than it actually is. Dateless plates — those with no year identifier — can be assigned to a vehicle of any age. Vehicles must have a valid MOT and road tax or SORN to be eligible for a transfer.

Registration numbers are not items of property so you cannot buy legal title to them. What you pay for is the assignment right to the particular number. The sale involves a legally binding contract between the Secretary of State and the purchaser for an agreed price. The purchaser is granted the right to assign the number to a vehicle registered in his/her own name, or that of his/her nominee where applicable, within a 10 year period. The assignment right is granted to the purchaser alone and it is non-transferable - the nominee has no rights to the number.

In addition to the agreed sale price, an assignment fee (currently £80.00) is payable at the time of purchase. Buyers are issued with a V750 Certificate of Entitlement, valid for 10 years, which records details of the registration number, the purchaser and nominee details that where supplied at the time of purchase.

The DVLA documents explain what you need to do when you are ready to have the number assigned. Numbers can only be assigned to vehicles which are subject to testing and are currently licensed or are being licensed at the time of assignment.

REMEMBER: A nominee has no rights under the sales agreement - the assignment right is granted to the purchaser only and cannot be transferred.

Only the purchaser can apply to have the number assigned, and it can only be assigned to a vehicle registered to the purchaser, or to the nominee shown on the Certificate of Entitlement.

Once you have assigned the number to your, or your nominee's, vehicle you have fully exercised your rights under the terms of your contract with the Secretary of State. After assignment, entitlement to the number comes through being the keeper of the vehicle which has received it.

Please note that if the number is being assigned to a vehicle which is already registered, its existing number will become void unless an application to transfer or retain that number is made at the same time.

In short there are no guarantees of getting any registration number issued that does not exist. Some marks are not issued because they are considered offensive, others just never made it to issue.

Entitlement to a number is effectively the right of the registered keeper of a vehicle to apply to have the number transferred to another vehicle (either his own or someone else's). The keeper is also entitled to apply to have the number of his vehicle put on retention, that is to say take the number off the vehicle and put it on hold pending re-assignment to another vehicle. It is important to note that the keeper may apply, but the application will only be granted if all the conditions relating to the retention and transfer facilities are satisfied. You can help to safeguard your entitlement, therefore, by ensuring that your vehicle is able to meet these conditions.

If you no longer have the vehicle which properly displays the number (i.e. it is in someone else's keepership or has been scrapped, broken up, destroyed or exported) then your entitlement to the number ceases.

If your vehicle is stolen and has not been recovered after a year you can apply to have its registration mark re-assigned to your replacement vehicle providing certain conditions are met:
you must have told the police.

The theft must have been on DVLA records for at least 12 months (the police should tell DVLA for you) but for no more than 3 years.

the vehicle must have had a valid MOT certificate when it was stolen.

the vehicle must have had up to date vehicle tax when it was stolen.

your insurers must provide a letter for DVLA saying they are happy with the number being re-issued.

You must then write a letter to DVLA Personalised Registrations including your name, address and the vehicle registration number.

A write-off happens when a damaged vehicle is judged by insurers to be beyond economic repair. In such a case, the insurance company agrees a pay-out with the insured, and legal ownership of the vehicle then passes to the insurance company. The company is then free to sell the vehicle as salvage and the purchaser may repair it and put it back on the road.

Scrapping occurs when a vehicle, whether an insurance write-off or not, is broken up for spares or otherwise destroyed. Once a vehicle ceases to exist its registration number is cancelled.

If your vehicle has been scrapped, you will not be able to transfer its registration number.

The person who actually breaks up or destroys the vehicle must notify the governing bodies that the vehicle has been scrapped and return the V5C to the DVLA.

No, all motorcycles (including mopeds) can participate freely, provided the normal requirements of the number transfer facility are met.

IMPORTANT : There is no obligation on the DVLA or New Reg to send you a reminder. It is your responsibility to know when your rights are due to expire and it is up to you to either assign the number or apply for an extension before this happens. Your rights will be lost if you act too late.

These details can be added to or changed later for an administration charge of £80.00 payable to New Reg. Certificate of Entitlements and Retention Certificates MUST have a minimum of 30 days left prior to the expiry date.

You do not have to assign the number if you do not wish to; you can simply allow your assignment / retention rights to expire. You need take no further action unless you paid the (£80.00) assignment fee when you acquired the rights; in this case you can apply to DVLA for a refund of this fee - your Certificate of Entitlement or Retention Document tells you how.

You are legally obliged to notify the governing bodies if you are taking your vehicle abroad for more than 12 months. More information on this can be found at www.gov.uk/taking-vehicles-out-of-uk/for-12-months-or-more.

It is possible for the vehicle to be registered by the governing bodies but you will not be able to transfer or retain its number.

If you are able to supply documentary evidence (e.g. the old-style log book) to establish a link between the vehicle and the registration number, you should be able to register the vehicle under that number. If you do not have documentary evidence, or you do not know the vehicle's registration number, the vehicle may still be registered but in this case a number appropriate to its age will be assigned by the governing bodies. If the age or origin of the vehicle cannot be established, then the governing bodies may register the vehicle under a ‘Q’ number. Whatever the circumstances, however, the vehicle's registration number will be non-transferable. This arrangement helps to safeguard entitlement by removing the incentive there would otherwise be for spurious claims to attractive old registration numbers.

Vehicles are assigned ‘Q’ prefix registration numbers to draw attention to the fact that their origins or age are uncertain. ‘Q’ numbers are therefore non-transferable and must remain with the vehicle unless documentary evidence which confirms its origins / age comes to light. In this case, the evidence should be sent to the DVLA who may then assign a replacement age-related number to the vehicle.

Although you cannot transfer or retain a non-transferable number, the vehicle can receive a registration number providing the non-transferable number is not a ‘Q’ mark and providing the vehicle meets the normal conditions of the Cherished Transfer, Retention and Sale of Marks schemes.

Yes, providing the donor and recipient vehicles are registered at the DVLA.

Once a vehicle has ceased to exist, entitlement to its number also ceases. Possession of a log book or registration document alone does not give entitlement to a registration number. If a vehicle has been scrapped, you are required by law to notify the Secretary of State and return the registration document to the DVLA.

New Reg was established in 1990, making us one of the UK's longest-running personalised number plate dealers with over three decades of experience in the industry. We've been helping customers secure their perfect registration throughout that time, building a reputation for reliability and expertise.

Refunds are typically processed within 5-7 working days of cancellation, though this can vary depending on your bank's processing times. Once we've confirmed your cancellation, we'll process the refund immediately and you should see the money back in your account shortly after.

Yes, both 3D and 4D plates are fully compliant with MOT standards and will read correctly on ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras, provided they meet all other legal requirements such as correct font, spacing, and reflectivity. The raised or recessed characters on 3D and 4D plates don't affect their legal status or functionality.

Black and silver plates are not legal on UK roads under current DVLA regulations—you must use either the standard white rear and yellow front combination, or the optional white front and white rear pairing. Even on classic vehicles, there are no exemptions to this rule, so you'll need to display compliant colours.

No, both a front and rear number plate must be displayed on all vehicles registered on or after 1st January 1976, regardless of the car's design or style. Displaying only a rear plate is a motoring offence that can result in a fine.

The standard requirement is a yellow rear plate and white front plate, but since 2021 you can legally choose an all-white plate design for both front and rear if you prefer. Both options are fully compliant with DVLA regulations.

Only DVLA-registered number plate manufacturers can legally produce UK plates, and they must be approved suppliers. When you order from an authorised dealer, the manufacturer will verify your ownership documentation (V5C or proof of V5C reservation) before production to ensure the plate is issued to the correct registered keeper.

No, Irish number plates cannot be legally displayed as the primary registration on a UK-registered vehicle. If your car is registered with the DVLA, you must display a UK format plate meeting all DVLA requirements.

Vehicles manufactured before 1973 can display either a compliant modern plate or an age-related registration mark, both of which are legal. An age-related plate displays just the year of manufacture (like '23') making it popular for classic cars, but you'll need DVLA approval and must be registered with a Q-prefix registration if the exact age is unknown.

Yes, 4D number plates are fully legal in the UK provided they meet all other DVLA requirements including correct spacing, font, reflectivity, and contrast. The 4D effect (characters that appear three-dimensional with depth) is a stylistic choice that doesn't affect legality.

No, stick-on or vinyl number plates are not legal in the UK—all plates must be rigid and manufactured from approved materials such as aluminium composite or injection-moulded plastic. Flexible or adhesive plates don't meet DVLA standards and could result in prosecution.

It's not usually necessary to inform your insurer about a change of number plate, as the registration change is updated through DVLA records which insurers can access. However, it's good practice to review your policy documents or contact your provider to confirm they don't require notification in your specific case.

Yes, you can purchase a personalised plate for a van, lorry, or any other commercial vehicle registered with the DVLA, subject to the same rules as cars. The plate must still meet all legal requirements for format, colour, and display regardless of vehicle type.

No, Q-registered vehicles (those of unknown age or imported vehicles) cannot display a personalised registration—they must retain their Q-prefix registration. This is a DVLA rule designed to maintain transparency about vehicle age and origin.

Yes, you can purchase a personalised plate as a gift, but the registration will be registered to you as the keeper until the recipient formally transfers it into their name at the DVLA. You'll need to arrange the transfer once they own the vehicle, and they must provide their own documentation (V5C) to complete the process.

Personalised plates cannot be transferred onto Q-registered vehicles, and there are restrictions around historic vehicles or imports depending on their registration status. Most standard registered vehicles (including cars, vans, motorcycles, and motorhomes) can accept a personalised plate, but it's worth confirming your specific vehicle's eligibility with your registration status.

If the registration is presently owned by a VAT registered company or individual, VAT is added. Registrations sold by us on a commission basis are not subject to VAT.

You can pay using any of the following:

Or, alternatively on Finance provided by V12 Finance.
Cheque (please allow a minimum of 7 working days for clearance), Postal Order or Bankers Draft. Alternatively, you can pay using online banking

The average transfer time is approximately 2-4 weeks. We ensure that every transfer is completed as quickly as possible. However, we cannot commence the transfer until we receive ALL the required documents. We take great care of your documents but cannot accept any responsibility for their safety once forwarded to the DVLA, although, it is extremely rare for documents to be lost.

If you are buying a registration that has never previously been issued or assigned to a vehicle, the transfer usually takes between 3-7 days. This is because no donor vehicle needs inspecting by the DVLA. These registrations are held on a V750 Certificate of Entitlement, carrying New Reg as the 'Purchaser' and our customer as the 'nominee' thus minimising the amount of administration required.
Where the registration has previously been assigned to another vehicle there may be a need for an inspection of the donor vehicle prior to completing the transfer. In order to make a vehicle ready for transfer, the donor vehicle must be taxed and must hold a current MOT certificate. These documents may take a few weeks to reach us from the donor.
In addition to the time required to obtain the above documents, the governing bodies themselves require ample time to process transfer applications.

No. You are only buying the registration mark and the right to transfer it to a vehicle of your choice.

No. Every previously unissued registration mark will need a new pair of number plates; New Reg offer a highly competitive and convenient manufacture and delivery service that must be paid for in addition to the registration mark at the time of purchase. New Reg is registered with the DVLA as a Registered Number Plate Supplier to supply legal number plates.

Unfortunately, transfers are not possible to 'Q' registered vehicles. At present 'Q' prefix registration marks are non-transferable.

Yes. If you are getting a brand new (unregistered) vehicle, ask the dealership if it can be registered with the new registration.
If you are applying to register a vehicle yourself (not through a dealership) include the completed V750 with your application. More information on registering a vehicle can be found at www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration.

No. Every new vehicle is supplied with an appropriate year letter free of charge by the dealership. The only charge made by them is for the acrylic plates and the first registration fee.

Yes. All motorbikes (including mopeds) can participate freely, provided the normal requirements of the number transfer facility are met.

The rule is; you cannot make a vehicle look newer than it actually is by transferring a younger year letter. For example, ABC 8W cannot be transferred to a vehicle originally registered as NDF 715P as this would make it look younger.
The same applies to 'S' prefix registration marks, these can only be assigned to vehicles first registered as new on or after the 1st of August 1998. Vehicle registration marks that do not contain a year identifier may be assigned to a vehicle of any age.
If you purchase a 62 current style registration mark, it can only be assigned to a vehicle first registered as new on or after 1st September 2012.

It's automatically made void, unless you pay the DVLA a fee to retain it. Further information on retaining your old registration mark can be found on our website under Services > Retention Scheme.

There are many reasons why the system of assigning registration marks is so strict. The most obvious reason is that registrations are a method of law enforcement and as such the integrity and clarity of the transfer system must be upheld.

Although you cannot transfer or retain a non-transferable number, the vehicle can receive a registration number providing the non-transferable number is not a Q' mark and providing the vehicle meets the normal conditions of the Cherished Transfer, Retention and Sale of Marks schemes.

You will need to wait for the transfer to be completed. If there is a problem, then you will be notified by the DVLA.

Yes, no problem, this is a double transfer. All we need are the documents from the third vehicle involved and an extra £80.00 (cheque payable to DVLA) along with a V317 application form and our additional administration fee, currently £29.40. If no third vehicle is available, then the registration mark can be retained on a retention certificate in accordance with the governing regulations. The current fee is £80.00 which is to be supplied with a V317 application form and our additional administration fee, currently £29.40. Further information on retaining a registration mark may be found on our website under Services > Retention Scheme.

Not usually. However, if, for example, there has been a change of construction of the vehicle, the authorities may then want to inspect it. You will be notified by the DVLA if this were necessary.

We handle thousands of transfers every year and one of the largest drains to our human resource is handling progress reports. New Reg respectfully request that you avoid telephoning our transfer office unless it is absolutely urgent as this reduces the amount of available time to process your paperwork. Should your telephone call be unavoidable, you may call us on 01772 566402. Please ensure that you have read all correspondence from New Reg before making your call.

Yes. You can pay the outstanding balance by credit card, we just need your written confirmation to debit the outstanding amount from your credit card.

We expect all purchase agreements to be honoured, just as you expect us to honour our terms & conditions. However, we do recognise that situations can change and we'll advertise and re-sell the registration on a reduced commission basis on your behalf but only after payment has been made in full. This arrangement is subject to our commission terms which may be found on our website under Valuations > Valuation Terms & Conditions.

There are no time restrictions and transferring a registration is a simple procedure which may be completed by yourself. Please note that any registration mark purchased from us must not be offered for re-sale until our transaction with you has been finalised.

All acrylic plates are supplied with a protective film used to prevent damage to the plates. This film must be removed before use.

Simply find the New Reg you love, and click buy. When asked to enter the Nominee Name, simply enter the name that is shown on the recipient's V5C document, under 'Registered Vehicle Keeper'.

We can send all documents to you in discreet envelopes. Just tick the 'as a gift' option during the process of buying your New Reg.

Yes! For just £5.95, you can add beautiful gift-wrapping, leaving you to simply add a card.

The law states that, you must not alter, rearrange or misrepresent the letters or numbers. Characters must not be moved from one group to the other (e.g. A242 ABC must not be displayed as A242A BC). Offences may result in any or all of the following:

A fine of up to £1,000.00

The registration mark may be WITHDRAWN

The vehicle will FAIL the MOT test.

Yes. The British standard requires number plates to be marked with the name and postcode of the licenced number plate supplier.

Physical plates will be despatched once the requested identity documents have been received by us. For a list of acceptable documents please click here.

Yes, provided they meet the current British Standard (BSAU 145e). Characters must be solid black, correctly spaced, the correct size, on a reflective background, and carry the BS mark. If the raised characters are a different colour from black, or alter the readability of the plate, they will not be legal and the vehicle will fail its MOT.

Yes, but only if your vehicle was registered before 1 January 1980 and is taxed in the Historic Vehicle class. If both conditions are met, you may display black plates with silver or white characters. All other vehicles must use white front plates and yellow rear plates with black characters.

Yes. UK law requires all cars, vans and motorcycles used or parked on public roads to display both a front plate (white background, black characters) and a rear plate (yellow background, black characters). There are no exceptions for sports cars or vehicles where fitting a front plate is inconvenient.

Only DVLA-registered number plate suppliers are authorised to make road-legal number plates. They are required to verify your identity and entitlement to the registration before producing plates. Plates made by unregistered suppliers will not carry the required British Standard mark and will fail the MOT test. New Reg's acrylic number plates are produced by a registered supplier and dispatched within 24 hours of identity verification.

No. Although it was once possible to transfer registrations from the Republic of Ireland to the UK, this has not been permitted since 1987. Northern Ireland plates, which are issued and administered by the DVLA, remain fully legal throughout the UK.

Nothing. New Reg commission is paid by the purchaser of the mark.

New Reg commission charges vary depending on the registration mark that we are selling.

Yes. However, it is worth remembering that the price New Reg has indicated is based on a true market valuation that we believe your registration mark shall achieve. If the price is dramatically increased to over 50% of the true market valuation then we will not advertise the registration mark on your behalf.

No. Upon finding a buyer for your registration number your contract will be enforced, ensuring that the purchaser of your mark pays the price pre-agreed upon.

No. Your vehicle will be automatically issued with a replacement mark with an appropriate year letter during the transfer procedure. You are not charged for the standard replacement mark. Alternatively, the vehicle may be issued with its original registration mark that was first issued.

Payment shall be made in full after the transfer procedure has been completed and all documents have been acquired from the DVLA. Completion is indicated by notification to New Reg of the replacement mark for the donor vehicle and proof of the same. Where it is held on a certificate, payment will be made when the registration mark has been assigned to the recipient vehicle and proof of the same has been acquired.

You may cancel this agreement at any time giving 7 days’ notice in writing using any of the following methods:

By recorded delivery to: New Reg, PO Box 911, Longton, Preston, Lancashire, PR4 5PS.

By email to commissions@newreg.com.

Cancellation must be made prior to New Reg finding a buyer for the registration mark.

Vehicles must be:

Registered with the DVLA.

Taxed or have a SORN in place within the last 5 years.

Available for inspection.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT dispose of the vehicle until the application has been fully completed and you have received the amended document(s). If you dispose of the vehicle too soon, you may lose entitlement to the cherished mark.

No. If the V5C states that the registration number is non-transferable, then it cannot be transferred or retained.

No. Vehicles must be subject to MOT / HGV test. Non-testable vehicles such as agricultural tractors and milk floats, for example, are outside the scope of the schemes. Only testable vehicles can participate in transfers and retentions and valid test certificates must be sent with applications.

No. Once a vehicle has ceased to exist, entitlement to its number also ceases. Possession of a log book or registration document alone does not give you entitlement to a registration number. If a vehicle has been scrapped, you are required by law to notify the Secretary of State and return the registration document to DVLA.

If your vehicle is stolen and has not been recovered after a year you can apply to retain the the registration mark or transfer it to another vehicle. You will need to write a letter to DVLA including your name, address and the vehicle registration number.

If your vehicle has been scrapped, you will not be able to transfer its registration number.

Upon finding a buyer New Reg shall contact you in writing to request certain documents necessary for us to perform the transfer. We shall endeavour to contact you by telephone or in writing with any close offers made to New Reg which are less than the agreed price.

The new AGE IDENTIFIERS will coincide with the two annual releases and the year of issue. The 'September' issue will be the higher range of numbers above 50 and the 'March' issue will be the lower range commencing with 02.

You cannot pre-order registration marks, however just like in previous systems you may complete a request at www.newreg.com in anticipation of a release.

The new format is the type of registration mark that has been issued to new vehicles since September 2001. It consists of two letters, followed by two numbers that help identify the age of the vehicle.

This is a difficult question to answer, as there are no pre-defined reserves at this time. It would be likely that marks such a PB51 PAB will be reserved as the first two initials match the first and last initial of the last three letters. Other reserved combinations may contain AA51 NGH (Singh), DR51 PAB (Doctor), MR51 PAB (Mister) and fun type elements such as OK51 PAB (Okay) and OO02 OOO.

It is likely that the new registrations shall be priced similar to the previous system. Market research indicates that certain combinations will be far more desirable however, New Reg believe that the old prefix system marks will continue to be sought after and the volume of sales will probably increase.

Simply go to the user account page and sign in. Once signed in, go to the Details tab, and edit your details accordingly. Once you click or tap on 'Save Details' the changes will be made immediately.

Go to the user account page, then go to the Orders tab. All of your order history will be shown here, including all emails sent in regards to each order.

If you'd like to remove your New Reg account - please contact our support team who will be able to action this for you.

Simply go to the user account page and sign in. Once signed in, go to the Listed Plates tab, and edit/action your registrations accordingly. Once you click or tap on 'Save Details' the changes will be made immediately. You can add further plates by clicking or tapping the 'List another plate' button.