Thinking of buying from the UK, but car on a private plate

JabbaTheHut · 23-01-2020 10:48pm #1

I'm in conversation with a lad in the UK about a car he's selling there. Car sounds good, but it's on a private plate. He's keeping the plate, which makes no difference to me since it means nothing here, but what's the story with paying the VRT here?

As in, according to https://www.gov.uk/personalised-vehicle-registration-numbers/take-private-number-off it's going to take 4 to 6 weeks issue a new V5 with the cars own reg number. I'm assuming I can't clear the car with a V5 that doesn't match the reg number of the car.

Is my only choice is to wait for the V5 with the non private plate number to come back to the seller 4 to 6 weeks later, before I buy the car?

macplaxton · 24-01-2020 2:51am

If he does the retention online, I can only see it taking a week. He should just crack on an do it, so he has the V5C in his hand to get on with the sale.

On a regular sale when I bought in Oct, the change of keeper was done online with the seller on a Wednesday morning. New V5C in my hand in Saturday's post.

They say normal retentions take a couple of weeks. I've heard they can be quicker than that. Just like the 4-6 week thing, it doesn't take that long, it's more "don't bother us and call/write about it until that period has passed."

Isambard · 24-01-2020 10:02am

i'd say you can clear the car with the V5C whatever number the car shows. The important thing is getting the V5C.

Me, I'd wait until he gets a revised V5C to hand you. He surely won't do anything other ; if he sells it as is, he's giving away his cherished plate.My guess is he has already put it on retention and is waiting for the V5C.

JabbaTheHut · 24-01-2020 1:54pm

macplaxton wrote: »

. Just like the 4-6 week thing, it doesn't take that long, it's more "don't bother us and call/write about it until that period has passed."

Yeah. It sounds like the standard time frame for any government agency. I'm not in any rush, but this just struck me yesterday. I didn't want to land back here with the car, and then have to go fooling about with V5's before I could clear it.

Isambard wrote: »

i'd say you can clear the car with the V5C.

I donno. V5 says ABC123 and the reg plate says XZY789. I know chassis numbers and everything would match, but don't want to run into anything complicated if it happens.

Me, I'd wait until he gets a revised V5C to hand you.

Yep. I'll contact him again and see what he's doing regards that. I told him that I won't be able to view the car for almost 2 weeks anyway, but the pics of it has the private plate on it.

Isambard · 24-01-2020 1:56pm

take the UK plates off it and you're good to go. However i suspect it won't have the private UK number on it by the time you view.

JabbaTheHut · 24-01-2020 2:43pm

Oh, you mean, have no plates on it? Or 201 D SALE or something like that that means nothing?

michellie · 25-01-2020 9:22pm

Hi the reg plates don't matter once the stamped Vin matches what is on the V5, you'll be grand.

You won't be able to register it without the V5 and remember the DVLA won't post a v5 to Ireland so either get the original V5 during the sale, or get the seller to register it to someone he knows and send on the new v5 when he gets it.

Isambard · 25-01-2020 10:50pm

michellie wrote: »

Hi the reg plates don't matter once the stamped Vin matches what is on the V5, you'll be grand.

You won't be able to register it without the V5 and remember the DVLA won't post a v5 to Ireland so either get the original V5 during the sale, or get the seller to register it to someone he knows and send on the new v5 when he gets it.

to someone the buyer knows would be better....

JabbaTheHut · 26-01-2020 1:03pm

Thanks for the replies.

I know someone who the seller could register it to, but don't really want to do that. it's a 2 owner car, and don't want an extra owner on it if I can. The seller has the V5, so there's no problem with getting it off them. Only thing is, when the seller takes off his private plate, and a new V5 is issued, if I go to the VRT office with the existing V5, and register it, won't the seller have a new V5 for the same vehicle, allbeit the car is no longer on the DVLA system?

doctorchopper · 26-01-2020 6:42pm

You may already know but just in case don't forget about the new Nox tax, its making it almost more expensive to buy in the UK

JabbaTheHut · 26-01-2020 7:27pm

Thanks, but on a car 30 years old or more it doesn't apply

doctorchopper · 26-01-2020 7:48pm

JabbaTheHut wrote: »

Thanks, but on a car 30 years old or more it doesn't apply

Sorry didn't realise the age. All good then

djbulldogg1983 · 25-01-2021 5:40pm

JabbaTheHut wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

I know someone who the seller could register it to, but don't really want to do that. it's a 2 owner car, and don't want an extra owner on it if I can. The seller has the V5, so there's no problem with getting it off them. Only thing is, when the seller takes off his private plate, and a new V5 is issued, if I go to the VRT office with the existing V5, and register it, won't the seller have a new V5 for the same vehicle, allbeit the car is no longer on the DVLA system?

Hi Jabba.
Did you get this sorted?
I’m the same, bought a car with V5 showing a personalised Rey plate however the car has a normal Rey plate displayed.
VRT this Thursday and I don’t know whether to just take off the reg plate and give them
The V5 with the personalised plate?
Will I get away with that?

Isambard · 25-01-2021 5:52pm

nip into the motor factors and get plates with the personal number shown? That's the one they'll look for if it's on the V5C. The main thing is you have the V5C. What happens in the Uk system shouldn't affect your re-reg. (I'd just whip the plates off on arrival personally, you can always explain if it's an issue)

jimmycrackcorm · 25-01-2021 6:25pm

Isambard wrote:

nip into the motor factors and get plates with the personal number shown? That's the one they'll look for if it's on the V5C. The main thing is you have the V5C. What happens in the Uk system shouldn't affect your re-reg. (I'd just whip the plates off on arrival personally, you can always explain if it's an issue)

Agreed. Personal plates don't matter. What does is that when you present to VRT that the details all match.

JabbaTheHut · 25-01-2021 11:18pm

djbulldogg1983 wrote: »

Hi Jabba.
Did you get this sorted?
I’m the same, bought a car with V5 showing a personalised Rey plate however the car has a normal Rey plate displayed.
VRT this Thursday and I don’t know whether to just take off the reg plate and give them
The V5 with the personalised plate?
Will I get away with that?

I didn't but that car in the end, so never had to go through that process. But I reckon Isambard would be right regarding the plate.

Isambard · 26-01-2021 10:43am

yes, you can always explain taking off the plates by saying you thought they supplied new ones...(which they do)

Thinking of buying from the UK, but car on a private plate

Comments