DVLA use the terms Grantee, Purchaser and Nominee on the V750 Certificate of Entitlement (pink) and the V778 Retention Document (green). These terms are not used in everyday conversation and often confuse owners of personalised number plates.
In this blog post we will attempt to explain in plain English what the terms actually mean and how they affect you in relation to your personalised registration.
IMPORTANT UPDATE
In May 2015 DVLA launched an online service enabling the Grantee or Purchaser to put a private plate on a vehicle without adding a nominee. The online assign a number plate facility is quicker & easier and the system does not require there to be a match between the names on the V778/V750 and the V5C registration document (log book).
At the top left hand-side of the V750 and V778 is the word Grantee or Purchaser. For the purpose of this explanation we will use the term Grantee (which covers both the Grantee and Purchaser). Underneath is a name and address; it could be a company name or the name of an individual. In simple terms the company or person named as the Grantee has the rights to the registration shown on the document.
Only the Grantee can sign the document and the DVLA will only release information to the Grantee.
The purpose of a V750 or V778 is to hold or retain a cherished registration when it is not registered to a vehicle. There are only a few tasks that are associated with these documents:
Assigning or transferring the registration to a vehicle
Adding or changing a Nominee
Renewing or extending the document beyond its expiry date
Changing the address of the Grantee
Applying for a refund of the £80 transfer fee
Just to reiterate only the Grantee can carry out these tasks.
So who or what is a Nominee? The Nominee information appears on the document at the left hand-side underneath the vehicle registration number and the expiry date. You will either have the words ‘NOT APPLICABLE’ showing, or you will be able to see a name or company name.
The Nominee comes into play when it is time to transfer or assign the personalised registration to a vehicle. The easiest way to explain this is to use an example. Benjamin Saperia has the personalised registration BEN 962 held on a DVLA document. Benjamin is the Grantee; his name and address is shown on the document.
Benjamin is moving abroad and plans to live outside of the United Kingdom for the foreseeable future. He sells his registration BEN 962 to Ben Foster. As it stands the registration BEN 962 can only be transferred or assigned to a vehicle showing the registered keeper as Benjamin Saperia. He is the Grantee and the Nominee section states ‘not applicable’. To be able to transfer or assign the registration to Ben Foster’s car, Benjamin must add Ben Foster as the Nominee on the document (unless he uses the DVLA online service to assign BEN 962 to Ben Foster’s car).
By adding the Nominee ‘Ben Foster’ to the document the registration BEN 962 can be assigned to a vehicle registered to either the Grantee; Benjamin Saperia or the Nominee; Ben Foster. When we talk about a vehicle being registered to a person, this is the name of the Registered Keeper on the V5C registration certificate (logbook) for the vehicle.
As soon as BEN 962 is transferred or assigned to Ben Foster’s car, Benjamin Saperia loses all rights to the registration, the retention document is obsolete and BEN 962 is now registered to Ben Foster’s car.
The Grantee name can not be changed on either the V750 Certificate of Entitlement or the V778 Retention Document. Ownership of the document itself can not pass from one person to another. The Grantee remains until the registration is assigned or transferred to a vehicle.
The Nominee has no rights to the registration number until it is transferred (assigned) to their vehicle. What if Benjamin added Ben Foster as a nominee but he then backed out of the deal? Benjamin would be a bit miffed but he has nothing to worry about with regards to ownership of the document. The Grantee has the authority; the nominee has no rights while the registration remains on the retention document/certificate of entitlement.
If the Purchaser or Grantee dies the executor or beneficiary can apply to DVLA to have the document amended.
Hopefully this information has cleared up any confusion. The Grantee has the rights, the Nominee exists to allow the Grantee to assign or transfer the registration to a vehicle in a different name.
For more information please visit the number plates & vehicle registration section at GOV.UK or contact DVLA.
How to Buy a Set of Front & Rear Number Plates
Today we are focusing on how to buy a set of front and rear number plates. A few years ago it was possible to walk into a motor accessories shop and simply request a set of number plates. The rules were tightened to prevent people obtaining number plates which they had no right to display. Often these ‘false’ registrations were linked to criminal activity.
In order to purchase a set of number plates from a reputable supplier registered with the DVLA, you must provide both proof of your identity and proof that you are entitled to the actual number plates. It is necessary to provide at least one document from each list.
The following list details acceptable original documents which must be produced to first of all prove your identity:
Driving Licence
Recent Utility Bill
Recent Bank/Building Society Statement
Passport
The following list details acceptable original documents which must be produced to prove your entitlement to the actual registration on the number plates:
V5C Vehicle Registration Certificate (log book)
Authorisation letter from lease or hire company quoting Document Reference Number from the V5C
Where to buy your new set of number plates
You can buy your number plates from the parts department of your local motor dealership, or from any reputable car parts and accessories supplier. All legal number plates must display the name of the company who actually made the number plates up, plus the post code part of their address.
The GOV.UK website contains further information in relation to getting number plates made up.
CNDA, CNG, MIRAD – Number Plate Dealer Associations
When buying a personalised number plate you want to make sure you are buying from a reputable dealer. A good starting point is to determine whether the dealer you are potentially going to be doing business with is a member of a trade organisation. There are currently three such groups in the UK:
CNDA – The Cherished Numbers Dealers Association has been in existence since 1971, and it represents responsible personalised number plate dealers while protecting the interests of their customers. The CNDA is affiliated with the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF).
CNG – The Cherished Numbers Guild was established to provide customer confidence when purchasing a cherished number, and to maintain its members interests and standards within the cherished numbers industry.
MIRAD – Members of the Institute of Registration Agents & Dealers is an association of traders in personalised number plates who are subject to regular supervision by the group to ensure that their practices adhere to the MIRAD code.
You may feel more assured if the company you choose to deal with is a member of at least one of the above organisations. This should ensure their trustworthiness as well as your protection. You can visit the websites of any of these trade groups and search their members list to see if your chosen supplier is included.
Hopefully any contact you have with a number plate dealer will leave you feeling relaxed and confident that everything is being handled in a professional manner. It is nice to know that if for any reason you are not completely satisfied, you can contact an independent association who will thoroughly investigate your complaint.
For the consumer, number plate dealer associations are a bit like insurance companies; you hope that you never have reason to contact one, but it is reassuring to know that they are there.
Grantee and Nominee Explained
DVLA use the terms Grantee, Purchaser and Nominee on the V750 Certificate of Entitlement (pink) and the V778 Retention Document (green). These terms are not used in everyday conversation and often confuse owners of personalised number plates.
In this blog post we will attempt to explain in plain English what the terms actually mean and how they affect you in relation to your personalised registration.
IMPORTANT UPDATE
In May 2015 DVLA launched an online service enabling the Grantee or Purchaser to put a private plate on a vehicle without adding a nominee. The online assign a number plate facility is quicker & easier and the system does not require there to be a match between the names on the V778/V750 and the V5C registration document (log book).
At the top left hand-side of the V750 and V778 is the word Grantee or Purchaser. For the purpose of this explanation we will use the term Grantee (which covers both the Grantee and Purchaser). Underneath is a name and address; it could be a company name or the name of an individual. In simple terms the company or person named as the Grantee has the rights to the registration shown on the document.
Only the Grantee can sign the document and the DVLA will only release information to the Grantee.
The purpose of a V750 or V778 is to hold or retain a cherished registration when it is not registered to a vehicle. There are only a few tasks that are associated with these documents:
Assigning or transferring the registration to a vehicle
Adding or changing a Nominee
Renewing or extending the document beyond its expiry date
Changing the address of the Grantee
Applying for a refund of the £80 transfer fee
Just to reiterate only the Grantee can carry out these tasks.
So who or what is a Nominee? The Nominee information appears on the document at the left hand-side underneath the vehicle registration number and the expiry date. You will either have the words ‘NOT APPLICABLE’ showing, or you will be able to see a name or company name.
The Nominee comes into play when it is time to transfer or assign the personalised registration to a vehicle. The easiest way to explain this is to use an example. Benjamin Saperia has the personalised registration BEN 962 held on a DVLA document. Benjamin is the Grantee; his name and address is shown on the document.
Benjamin is moving abroad and plans to live outside of the United Kingdom for the foreseeable future. He sells his registration BEN 962 to Ben Foster. As it stands the registration BEN 962 can only be transferred or assigned to a vehicle showing the registered keeper as Benjamin Saperia. He is the Grantee and the Nominee section states ‘not applicable’. To be able to transfer or assign the registration to Ben Foster’s car, Benjamin must add Ben Foster as the Nominee on the document (unless he uses the DVLA online service to assign BEN 962 to Ben Foster’s car).
By adding the Nominee ‘Ben Foster’ to the document the registration BEN 962 can be assigned to a vehicle registered to either the Grantee; Benjamin Saperia or the Nominee; Ben Foster. When we talk about a vehicle being registered to a person, this is the name of the Registered Keeper on the V5C registration certificate (logbook) for the vehicle.
As soon as BEN 962 is transferred or assigned to Ben Foster’s car, Benjamin Saperia loses all rights to the registration, the retention document is obsolete and BEN 962 is now registered to Ben Foster’s car.
The Grantee name can not be changed on either the V750 Certificate of Entitlement or the V778 Retention Document. Ownership of the document itself can not pass from one person to another. The Grantee remains until the registration is assigned or transferred to a vehicle.
The Nominee has no rights to the registration number until it is transferred (assigned) to their vehicle. What if Benjamin added Ben Foster as a nominee but he then backed out of the deal? Benjamin would be a bit miffed but he has nothing to worry about with regards to ownership of the document. The Grantee has the authority; the nominee has no rights while the registration remains on the retention document/certificate of entitlement.
If the Purchaser or Grantee dies the executor or beneficiary can apply to DVLA to have the document amended.
Hopefully this information has cleared up any confusion. The Grantee has the rights, the Nominee exists to allow the Grantee to assign or transfer the registration to a vehicle in a different name.
For more information please visit the number plates & vehicle registration section at GOV.UK or contact DVLA.
Why We Need Private Number Plate Dealers
Why do we need private number plate dealers? Or what about this one; why would anybody buy a private registration from a number plate dealer when they can go direct to the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)?
In this blog post we will focus on the first question and to find the answers we need to go back in time. It is believed people were buying and selling attractive combinations of ordinary car registrations as early as the 1960’s. In those days you didn’t just acquire the registration, you bought the car as well.
The Pioneers of Registrations Trading
The first number plate dealers began trading in the early 1970’s. By this time number plates were able to be transferred between vehicles for a fee of £5 payable to the DVLA. The attraction of owning a car registration which included your name or initials was slowly catching on and so the market developed.
It was not until 1989 that the DVLA decided it had a role to play in the selling of attractive combinations of car registrations.
Auctions were held in different locations throughout Great Britain at which the DVLA offered previously unreleased combinations to the highest bidder. Over twenty years ago registrations such as 1 A and JUL 1E were sold for a hammer prices of £160,000 and £34,000 respectively.
The Difference between Private Dealers & The DVLA
So getting back to the original question, why do we need number plate dealers? The answer is quite simple; to fill the gaps that exist in the market place. There are restrictions on what exactly the DVLA can do. The DVLA can not buy personalised registrations. The DVLA can not sell pre-owned or second-hand registrations. The DVLA can not provide valuations to owners of cherished number plates. All of these necessary tasks are handled by dealers.
As is the case in a lot of industries, without the second-hand market, demand for the new or original product is limited. Imagine if there was no way of selling a house or a car after you had bought it. What if the only option available to you was to go out and buy brand new. Without used-car dealers, estate agents and number plate dealers actively creating the secondary market, the primary market would cease to function properly.
A number plate dealer can buy or sell your personalised registration, provide you with a valuation, or just give you a quick answer to that simple question without you having to press 1 for this, 2 for that, or 7 to hear these options again. We need number plate dealers so the industry can operate efficiently, probably just as much as we need the DVLA.
The Rich Get Richer
It is often said that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Why? One explanation is that the rich keep on doing what makes them rich and the poor continue to do whatever it is that keeps them poor.
There are over 450,000 millionaires in Great Britain. It doesn’t matter how much of a mess the UK economy is in, wealthy people are out there and they have lots of surplus cash to spend. And there is one thing the rich like just as much as anybody else; a bargain.
It seems the smart money is coming out to play. Lots of offers are coming in for the exclusive registrations we have in stock, often at ridiculously low prices. I will let you into a secret, you are not going to buy a £10,000 number plate for £5,000 – but, if we have taken a particular registration into stock at the right price, we may be able to offer you a cost saving.
One client is over the moon with his latest purchase. He already owns a similar registration to the one he bought from us, but was more than happy to spend his money after some friendly negotiating. His new private number plates are now attached to his weekend car; a Ferrari. Nice.
So, if your cash is burning a hole in your pocket and you have seen a private number plate for sale that would add the finishing touch to your car, call James on 0113 288 7553 and make an offer. You never know, we just may be able to do a deal.