The Retention System provides a facility for removing a registration number from a vehicle and placing the registration on to a certificate in readiness for future assignment to another vehicle.

If you are changing your vehicle and you would like to keep your private number plate then this is a guide for retaining your registration number. In order for you to retain your registration number you need to place the registration on "retention". Retaining a registration number enables a cherished registration number to be transferred from a vehicle and placed on a V778 retention certificate for a renewable period of 12 months.

Retention certificates (V778) are issued by the DVLA when a registration number is transferred from a vehicle pending future assignment to another vehicle. Cherished number plates that are not reassigned to a vehicle need to be renewed every 12 months for a fixed fee of £105 payable to the DVLA.

The registered keeper of the vehicle can apply to retain the vehicles registration and under the new revised scheme for transfers he or she can request the V778 retention document to be issued in the name of another party at the time of transfer on to retention. In order to transfer the registration on to retention the vehicle has to have a current MOT and current Road Tax. If the tax disc has expired within 12 months an application to retain a number plate may be considered providing the vehicle has a statutory off road notification (SORN) and there is no time delay between the tax disc expiry date and the SORN start date.

In order to retain your car registration it is necessary to complete a V317 form. The form once completed will need to be processed by the DVLA and it is necessary to provide the form to the DVLA via you local VRO. The V5C registration certificate (log book) and the vehicle MOT certificate (where applicable) will also need to be provided with your V317 application form. A fee of £105 applies and the fee is payable to the DVLA.

On processing the application the DVLA will issue a new age related registration to your vehicle at no charge. In the vast majority of cases the vehicle will be issued with the registration number that was originally issued to the vehicle. A replacement tax disc will be provided and this will reference the new registration and a V948 certificate will be issued enabling you to have new acrylic number plates manufactured for the new vehicle registration. Once you are in receipt of the new tax disc the process is legally complete. An updated V5C registration certificate (log book) will subsequently be provided by DVLA a few weeks later with your new V778 retention document.

Upon receipt of the replacement Tax Disc for your vehicle you must display the new registration on your vehicle whilst also notifying your insurance company of the change in vehicle registration.