In short, yes it is possible to transfer a private number plate to a financed or leased car.
Getting your own private number plate is always a tempting thought. However, you’ll need to have the essential documents and follow the right steps to ensure your number plate transfer is successful.
What is the difference between finance and a lease agreement?
Despite the terms being interchangeable in some cases, there are stark differences between a leased and financed car.
Finance agreement
A finance agreement is signed with the view of purchasing a car through a series of monthly payments on an agreed term.
Lease agreement
A lease agreement is taken out with the intention to use the car for a given period of time.
Similar to cars, you have the option to pay monthly for your dream number plate too. Use our Finance eligibility checker and find out how much you can borrow towards a private plate.
Changing the private plate on a financed car
When purchasing a vehicle using finance, your name and address will be displayed on the logbook (V5C document) as the 'Registered keeper'. As long as this is the case you will be able to transfer a personal number plate onto your vehicle without any problems.
If for any reason, your name and address are not displayed on the logbook (V5C document), you would need to speak to the dealership where you purchased your vehicle for further advice.
Transferring a private plate to a leased car
Yes, you are able to transfer a number plate on a leased vehicle. Although, you will need to contact the lease company and ask them to put your private number plate onto the vehicle for you. In most cases, they will arrange all of this for you. The leasing company may charge you an admin fee as well for arranging it.
What should I do at the end of the lease period?
If your current lease contract is coming to an end but you are going to start another one with the same lease company, usually you can just arrange this with them at the time of signing the new lease contract and they will move your private plate from the old lease car to your new one.
If your current lease is coming to an end and you do not intend to continue using that lease company, you will need to contact your lease company to arrange to have your private number plate taken off of your vehicle six to eight weeks before the end of your lease contract as the process can sometimes take a while to complete. You can either have your private plate transferred to another vehicle or the DVLA can put it onto a (V778) Retention Document that you can use at a later date.
In both of the above scenarios, there will be a fee to pay to the DVLA of £80 for them to do the transfer. The leasing company may charge you an admin fee as well for arranging it.
f you have bought your personal number plate from us, our team will help you complete the transfer to your leased/financed vehicle with our fully managed transfer service. We also have created guides on transferring registrations and retaining a personal number plate.
Are there any restrictions on private plates?
All private registrations displayed on cars in the UK are subject to the official number plate regulations and must follow these guidelines to be road-legal.
Whether you have taken delivery of a new car via a lease or finance agreement, a private plate is perfect for adding that personal finishing touch. Here at Regtransfers, we make it easy to buy a private number plate with over 50 million to choose from.
