I’m just about to put my private plate on retention, does anyone know how long it takes the DVLA to give me a replacement or the original number for the car? Btw I’m doing it online. Do it now ! Your a long time dead !!

You should get the new number(which is normally the cars original number) instantly if you do it online. The new V5 should be with you in only a few days as the service is very slick nowadays. You will not get a replacement MOT certificate as the current one remains valid even although it will now show an incorrect reg number. If your MOT station is local you may want to get a new one (copy)showing the correct reg or if you are trading it in then I would not bother with doing that. On the very odd occasion you won`t be able to do it online as DVLA will ask that you send in a paper form and the V5 (the old fashioned way) but you won`t know this until you attempt to do it online. Good luck!

ive just gone through all this with mine.

putting it on retention is instant once the £85 fee is accepted, so you can put the standard original plates back on immediately.

you should get the replacement V5 about 5 working days later showing the orginal registration which the dealer/person buying the car off you will need.

for your new car, once you have the full V5 in your name in your possession you can then reverse the process, go online and its an instant transfer, with the new car's V5 under your personal plate arriving about 5 days later.

last year i had to do the paper application which takes a lot longer, and can be required for a variety of reason including the personal plate having been in the hands of dealer in the past or not used for a period of time.

Thanks guys , I’ve sold the car buyer has paid a deposit) but not collecting the car until the end of the month. I’ve ordered a Volvo which I won’t get until sometime in the last week of the month.
I’ll give it a go just now as I would like to pick up my new car with the retained plate on it & it jives the new buyer a chance to insure the car .

Thanks guys , if just retained my number . A bit daunting as I’ve never done this before, the garage I’m trading the car into as normally done it but I’ve sold the car privately. Do it now ! Your a long time dead !!

As above if online it will be instant, but if you want to still use the plate for a while the DVLC gives you time to get new plates made up, I believe I read on the GOV site it was about ten days.........a grey area but......  Regards

David

Lovely i6 has now gone, but not me......

Please let me know if anything in my post offends you, as I may wish to offend you again......