Purchasing on a Certificate of Entitlement

Registrations purchased on a Certificate of Entitlement or Retention Documents

Registrations which have never been assigned to a car can be purchased on a V750 (Certificate of Entitlement). If the registration is currently not assigned to a car but has been in the past, it can be issued on a V778 (Retention Document). There is a difference in the language used on Retention Documents and Certificates of Entitlement. The "Owner" of the registration is called a "Purchaser" on a V750 (Certificate of Entitlement) and is called a "Grantee" on a V778 (Retention Document).

The registration can be assigned to a suitable vehicle registered in the name of the "Owner" or the "Nominee". The "Nominee" is a person that the "Owner" has documented as the new owner of the registration when the current "Owner" (stated as "Purchaser" on the V750 or "Grantee" on the V778) decides, at a future date, to assign the registration to a vehicle registered to the named "Nominee" For more information see All about V778 (Retention Documents) or All about V750 (Certificate of Entitlements).

What are the advantages of purchasing a registration on a Certificate of Entitlement or Retention Document?

They provide the most popular method of giving a personalised registration as a gift since it allows the surprise to be kept a secret. They can be ordered specifically to the requirements of the buyer and can be delivered within four to five days.
They are ideal if you spot the perfect private number plate but do not yet own an appropriately aged vehicle. For example, back in 2011 the '11' series of registrations were released and proved very popular since many of the suggested matches to names. These registrations are only suitable for vehicles registered on/after March 2011 (meaning you would require a brand new vehicle at the time to display them on), but the registrations could be purchased and held on certificate until the buyers became owners of such vehicles. See our guide to vehicle registration years.