Personalising your lease car with private plates can add a touch of individuality and style. However, the process of fitting private plates on a lease car in the UK can seem complex due to the additional rules and paperwork involved. This guide aims to demystify the process, providing a step-by-step approach to ensure your transition is smooth and hassle-free.
Understanding private plates and lease cars
What are private plates?
Private plates, also known as personalised number plates, are custom registration plates that can spell out names, initials, brands, or other significant numbers or letters. They are often used to give a car a unique identity.
What is a lease car?
A lease car is a vehicle that is rented for a specific period, usually between two to four years, under a leasing agreement. The lessee pays a monthly fee to use the car but does not own it outright.
The benefits of private plates on a lease car
Personalisation
Adding a personal touch to your lease car with private plates can make it uniquely yours, even if you don’t own the vehicle.
Business branding
Private plates are a great way to have your vehicle recognised and a relatively cheap way of advertising your business, providing you can find plates that read your brand.
Legal requirements for private plates on a lease car
Permission from the finance company
Before you can fit private plates, you must obtain written permission from the finance company. This is essential as you do not own the vehicle; the ownership rests with the finance provider.
DVLA approval
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) must approve the transfer of the private plate to your lease car. This involves a formal application process where the finance company, who owns the car, is added as nominee for your private plate. This essentially allows the finance company to use the private plate on their lease car.
5 Steps to apply private plates to your lease car
Step 1: Obtain written permission
As you don’t own the lease vehicle, you will need to request permission from the finance company to be able to apply the plate. To get permission, you will have to contact them directly. You can find the details to contact the finance company directly in your policy documents. Due to the risk of delivery delays, leasing companies are unable to apply a private plate to your lease vehicles prior to delivery.
Step 2: Update the nominee details
To be able to apply the private plate to a lease car, you will have to update the nominee details on DVLA with the finance company details.
The finance company will provide you with the address and details that will need to be filled in. You have an option of doing this online or via the post using the V778 or V750 form.
You will have the V778 form if the private plate is in retention (not applied to any vehicle), if the private plate hasn’t been applied to a vehicle before, then you will likely have a V750 certificate of entitlement. Alternatively, if you the plate is currently on a vehicle and needs to be swapped, you’ll need to fill in a V317 form.
Visit the DVLA website for full details.
Step 3: Send the documents to the finance provider
Once the process of getting permission and updating nominees has been completed, you will need to post out the new V778 or V750 document to the finance company.
The finance company will often charge an admin fee for processing the paperwork. When transferring a private plate, there will also be a £80 transfer fee. This rate is subject to change, so check on the DVLA page to find the latest registration plate transfer rates.
Once the finance company has processed the paperwork, they will send the relevant documents to the DVLA.
Step 4: Receive confirmation
Once the DVLA processes your application, you will receive a written confirmation from the DVLA to inform you that the transfer is complete.
Once you have this written permission, you can fit the physical private plates to your vehicle. It’s crucial that you do not fit the plates until after you receive communication from the DVLA otherwise you will be at risk of being fined.
Don’t forget to inform your insurance company that you have swapped your number plate. Additionally, make sure to update any other services such as ULEZ auto-pay for example to avoid unnecessary charges.
Important considerations
Returning the lease car
Before returning your lease car at the end of the lease term, you must revert to the original registration plates.
Please allow a minimum of 6 weeks before the end of the contract to process the return of the plate.
Ensure you have kept the original plates safe for this purpose. To have your private plate returned to you, you will need to speak to the finance company directly and communicate your wish to retain your private plates. The finance company will complete the relevant paperwork and send it off to the DVLA to be processed.
If this process is complete before the lease car contract ends, remember to swap your plate back to the original plate and inform your insurance company of the registration change.
Impact on insurance
Inform your insurance company about the change in registration to avoid any complications or invalidation of your policy.
FAQs
Can I put private plates on any lease car?
Yes, you can, provided you have the finance company’s permission and follow the DVLA’s procedures.
Do private plates affect the lease agreement?
They do not typically affect the financial terms of the lease but require permission from the finance company.
What happens to my private plate at the end of the lease?
You will need to transfer the private plate back to a retention certificate or another vehicle before returning the lease car.
Is there an extra cost to transfer private plates?
Yes, the DVLA charges a transfer fee, which is currently £80. There may be admin charges with the finance company and insurance company to update the change.
Do I need to inform my insurance company?
Yes, you must inform your insurance company about the new registration number to remain covered. Insured by AMT Insurance Solutions? Speak to the team.
How long does the transfer process take?
The DVLA process can take a few weeks, so plan accordingly to avoid any inconvenience. Remember not to fit the physical private plates until after you have confirmation that the private plate has been applied to the lease car.
Conclusion
Fitting private plates to a lease car in the UK involves a few extra steps compared to a vehicle you own outright, but it is entirely feasible with the correct permissions and procedures. By following this guide, you can enjoy the personal touch of private plates on your lease car without any hassle.