Jack Cameron
24 June 2025
Who doesn’t love a private plate? It’s a great way to make your car feel like it’s truly yours. At Pike + Bambridge, we often help clients transfer their personalised registration onto their new lease vehicle, or take it off again at the end of the contract.
However, the process can feel unclear if you’ve never done it before. That’s why we’ve pulled together this guide: to take you through every stage of the journey, whether you’re just receiving your car or preparing to hand it back.
Do you already own the plate?
Before we begin, please note that we can only assist if you already own the private plate. If you don’t, you’ll need to buy one directly, usually through the DVLA website or a trusted reseller. You’ll need:
- A V750 Certificate of Entitlement (if the plate has never been used), or
- A V778 Retention Document (if it was on a previous vehicle)
These prove your right to use the plate. You’ll need to send us a copy of the relevant certificate before we can proceed.
Fitting your plate before delivery
If your vehicle is a new factory order, we may be able to register your private plate as the vehicle’s first registration. This is the most cost-effective route.
Important: If the car is already registered (e.g. a stock or special offer vehicle), the private plate must be added after delivery. See below.
Fitting your plate after delivery
If your vehicle is already registered or your request comes after delivery, we’ll guide you through assigning your plate via the leasing company (the ‘funder’).
Each funder charges an admin fee, which we’ve seen vary from £15 – £60.
We’ll provide template instructions, but the process is carried out directly between you and the funder. We’re here to support if needed!
Keep this in mind!
Be aware: once your private plate is on a leased vehicle, it technically becomes part of that vehicle. If, for any reason, your agreement is terminated (e.g. non-payment), the funder may take back the car…and the plate with it.
Returning your vehicle at the end of your lease
Now let’s talk about what happens at the end of your lease, as it can get a little complicated. The rather obvious but crucial step, is to ensure that the plate has been removed before you return the vehicle. Removing a private plate can take time, especially if you’re waiting for documentation from the DVLA. To avoid last-minute stress or delays with your car handover, we recommend starting the process of removing your private plate and adding the new one around 3 months before your return date.
We know that seems like quite a long time, but take it from us, it will save you a lot of stress.
The return process
Here’s a step-by-step overview of the return process. This will need a little work from you.
- You’ll need to contact the funder and request that your private plate be removed.
- The funder then applies to the DVLA to remove the plate and place the vehicle back on a standard age-related number plate.
- Once approved, DVLA will issue a V948 document allowing you to get new plates made. This can be done at any plate supplier.
- You have 3 days from receiving this to physically fit the new plates before the car is returned.
- The DVLA then sends you a V778 retention certificate for your private plate (usually by post), so you can use it again in future.
We’re here to help
Confused or unsure of the process? We’re here to help! We can help coordinate this process, including sourcing the new plates if needed. Just let us know as early as possible so everything can be arranged in time.
