Do You Have to Pay Yearly for a Personalised Number Plate?
Among car enthusiasts, there is often confusion surrounding the legalities of owning a personalised number plate. That is why we at Bespoke Plates regularly update our blog and our website with informative articles to help people find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about private number plates.
In this article, we will answer this question: do you have to pay yearly for a personalised number plate?
Do you have to pay yearly for a personalised number plate?
So, do you have to pay yearly for a personalised number plate?
Nope, there is no yearly cost! Here’s a rundown of the costs of owning a personalised number plate:
Renewing or Replacing Your Private Registration Number
You must renew your right to use the registration number every 10 years if it is not being used on a vehicle.
You will permanently lose the right to use the number if you do not renew it before the expiry date. DVLA will not accept applications made after that date.
If you want to take a registration number off a vehicle, to keep the number to use later or to assign it to another vehicle, you must apply to do so. This costs £80. You must have the log book (V5C) for the vehicle.
Buying a Personalised Number Plate
You can buy your private registration number from the DVLA, or a private seller.
Once you buy your number plate, you will always be provided with the legal documentation, which is the V750. Another way to ensure that your seller is genuine is to ask to see a copy of this beforehand.
If you want a custom number plate (such as a 3D or 4D plate), you can buy this from a number plate manufacturer (such as us at Bespoke Plates).
Private plates must have either a V750 certificate or a V778 retention document to prove you have legal ownership and the right to use the bespoke design.
What if I lose my V750 or V778 documents?
If you have lost these documents, you can apply to DVLA by post for replacements.
But you will need to be able to prove that you are the legal owner of the plate to eliminate fraud issues. To do this, you will need to provide proof of your identity, which the DVLA can use to match you with the owner they have on record.
The legal requirements for private number plates in the UK
The UK has strict laws about what your number plate should look like on your vehicle.
Firstly, private plates must have either a V750 certificate or a V778 retention document to prove you have the legal ownership and the right to use the bespoke design.
The V750 is the document that assigns the actual registration mark to the new owner. This document will be needed for assigning a plate and for selling in the future.
The V778 is the retention document needed to keep ownership of a private plate and to be able to use it legally on the roads. Valid for ten years, it only needs to be renewed if the plate is not currently assigned to a vehicle.
Also, your number plate must meet the following conditions:
- must be made from a reflective material – for the purpose of road safety.
- must have black display characters on a white background (front plate).
- must have black display characters on a yellow background (rear plate).
- must not have a background pattern – so as not to distort the readability of your plate.
- must be marked to show who supplied the number plate – to assist with thefts and sourcing queries.
- must be marked with a British Standard number – this is ‘BS AU 145e’ for plates fitted after 1 September 2021.
- The characters must not be removable or reflective. If your number plates were fitted after 1 September 2021, they must also be a single shade of black.
Your personalised number plates can also:
- have 3D (raised) characters
- display certain flags, symbols and identifiers
- display a green flash, if you have a zero-emission vehicle
Further recommendations also state the British standard number should be permanently marked, non-retroreflecting, a single colour, and be no less than 3mm x 10mm in size.
If you have incorrectly displayed number plates, you could be fined up to £1,000 and your vehicle may fail its MOT test.
What happens if my personalised number plate is stolen?
You must apply to keep your personalised registration number as soon as your vehicle is stolen.
This means the number will stay in your name so you can assign it to another vehicle later.
You must apply within 2 years and 6 months of telling DVLA your vehicle has been stolen.
You can only get your private registration number back if:
- you told the police about the theft.
- the vehicle had a valid MOT certificate when it was stolen.
- the vehicle had up-to-date vehicle tax when it was stolen.
Click here to view the full guidance on what to do if your personalised number plate is stolen.
Does it cost more to insure a car with a personalised number plate?
In most cases, a personalised number plate does not count as a modification to your car, so your insurance provider should not bump up your premiums.
However, we always advise informing your insurance provider that you have put a custom number plate on your vehicle, so you can check what their policy is.
Your insurance provider will let you know if your new plates will affect your insurance in any way.
Will my personalised number plates be covered by my insurance if my vehicle is stolen?
That depends on your insurance provider’s policy. Not all insurance providers cover the loss of a custom number plate.
If you put a custom number plate on your vehicle and your vehicle gets stolen, you should inform your insurance provider immediately. Ask them whether their policy covers the loss of a custom number plate.
What is the fine for illegal number plates?
Should your plate not be deemed legal, you will be subject to a £1000 and a failed MOT, making your car not road-worthy.
How to buy a Custom Number Plate from Bespoke Plates
At Bespoke Plates, our process is very straightforward:
- Head to our website, and choose between 3D or 4D plates under the ‘build your plate’ tab.
- Enter your registration for a preview of the plate.
- Specify whether this will be a legal plate or a show plate.
- Choose your style.
- Select whether your plate will be for the front and back of your car or just one of them.
- Select your size.
- Select additional customizable options.
- Have it delivered to your home.
Why buy a custom number plate at Bespoke Plates?
At Bespoke Plates, we are a leading manufacturer of custom number plates.
- We will answer any questions you may have about the legal requirements of owning a personalised number plate, and what is expected of you.
- Every element of our plates, from the characters used, to the industrial strength adhesive, is made of the highest standard, to withstand all weather conditions and any deterioration.
- Our custom number plates are 100% legal for use on the road. So, you won’t have to worry about being pulled over by the police, being handed a hefty fine, or having your insurance cover invalidated.
- We allow you to customize your number plate to your preference, choosing the style, tint, border, badges, and type of plate, with choices for both legal and show plates.
- Our expert technicians can carry out professional installation of your number plates, guaranteeing you will pass your MOT. Self-installation may result in you damaging the plate, or not securing correctly, which is why we offer this service to you.
- We sell fixing accessories which you can use to install your number plate yourself.
Read more articles like this
To learn more about choosing a personalised number plate, click here to read our blog articles and helpful pages on:
- What Are the Rules for Private Plates?
- Can You Create Your Own Number Plate DVLA?
- How Much Is It to Put a Personalised Number Plate on a Car?
- Are Custom Number Plates Illegal?
- How Much Is The Fine For Illegal Number Plate?
- Do Custom Plates Raise Insurance?
- Can You Clone a Number Plate?
- Can I Drill My Number Plate?
- What’s Better: 3D Or 4D Number Plate?
- The Number 1 Plate Maker in the UK: Bespoke Plates
About Bespoke Plates
As one of the established number plate makers in the UK, we at Bespoke Plates have all the options you can ask for. From 3D plates, 4D plates, standard number plates, gel plates, and electric plates, we offer outstanding craftsmanship with every plate we produce.
We are an approved license vendor, so we can guarantee that your modification abides by the DVLA rules, whilst offering same-day collections and full fitting service.
So, what are you waiting for? Browse our options today to get the plate that speaks to you, and speaks for you, with Bespoke Plates.
To get in touch and discuss the full fitting service we offer with our plates, you can talk to one of our friendly team members by:
- Email – info@bespoke-plates.co.uk
- Phone – 0333 006 7878
- Visit in-store –36A Broughton Street, Manchester, England, M8 8NN.
We hope you now have the answer to the question ‘do you have to pay yearly for a personalised number plate?’
Want to read more about all things custom number plates? Check out our blog here.
