Your Personalised Number Plate Explained – Certificate of Entitlement

by: Rami Nseir

Owning your own personalised number plate is becoming incredibly popular with motorists of all backgrounds. With over 30 million registration numbers in the market place there is a private plate out there to suit every taste and budget. When you purchase a registration number that has never been assigned to a vehicle you will be issued with a V750, commonly known as a “Certificate of Entitlement”. This pink certificate is a legal document which displays the grantee and nominee names and details of the registration number. The grantee is the purchaser of the vehicle registration number and holds all legal rights to it. The nominee is a name which can be added to enable a second individual to be able to assign the registration number to a vehicle. Unlike the grantee, the nominee has no legal rights to the registration number and it can only be assigned to one vehicle at any one time.

A nominee name can be added or changed at a later date for the current fee of £25. This fee is payable to the DVLA and must be sent with your application. To have a nominee name added to your registration number the grantee must complete the section on the left hand side of the certificate entitled “Change of Nominee Details”.

If you are the grantee and you change address, the certificate of entitlement can easily be amended. To do this you simply have to complete the box on the right hand side of the V750 and sign and date it. You must then send the certificate to the DVLA at Swansea and a new certificate will be issued and sent to the new address. This is a free procedure and typically takes up to two weeks.

To assign a personalised number plate to your vehicle you must apply to the DVLA. Applications can be made in person or by post to your local DVLA office. In order to assign a registration to your vehicle you must provide the following items:

• Your V750 (Certificate of Entitlement)
• V5 Registration Document (commonly known as the log bog) for the vehicle you wish to assign the registration to. Please note that the grantee or nominee name must match the name that appears in the V5 log book.
• A valid MOT certificate (if applicable)
• £80 assignment fee if this has not already been paid

When your registration number is assigned to your vehicle you will be issued with a new tax disc showing the new registration number, and your V5 log book will be updated and returned to you by the DVLA. You will be issued with a certificate which enables you to have your acrylic number plates produced by a number plate manufacturer. You must also remember to inform your insurance company of the change of registration. Full instructions on this process are provided on the reverse of your certificate

The certificate of entitlement is valid for 12 months from the date of issue. If after this 12 month period you have not assigned it to a vehicle, it must be renewed with the DVLA. The renewal fee is currently £25 which must be included with your application. Only the grantee may apply to have the registration number renewed. If the registration number is not assigned within the 12 month period and a renewal application is not made, the right to the registration will lapse. If this occurs the grantee may apply for a refund of the £80 assignment fee however they will not be entitled to any other refund for the registration.

Buying and assigning a private number plate is incredibly easy. Car registrations are THE must have motoring accessory. Why not find yours today and start experiencing the joys of having a personal number plate!


About The Author

Bob O'Donnell is MD of Cape Plates ( http://www.capeplates.co.uk ) and has a passion for all things number plate related. He started the business with only one number plate to sell, and now has a portfolio of over 30,000,000 on offer.