Transferring private plate?

[BrainsTracy]

I'm thinking of getting a new car, do dealers have a way of transferring your private plate to the new car all in one go? I mean if I part ex my current car I'm effectively giving away my plate unless I transfer it first. So do I put it on retention and then wait fro the new V5 to arrive. I suppose what I'm really saying is, suppose I want to buy a new car today part exing my current vehicle, how would it all work?

[Donquixote]

The dealer can arrange the transfer for you, very simply, just by filling out the relevant DVLA Transfer of a Cherished Plate form. There is a transfer fee which used to be £80 but it may have gone up by now (it's been many years since I last did one), but the dealer shouldn't charge you anything on top of this. It is, after all, just a case of sending the completed form and payment to DVLA at the cost of a postage stamp! All the details you need can be found here...http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/P
ersonalisedRegAndNumberPlates/DG_4022576

[BrainsTracy]

Yes but the new car is not even in my name and the old car has the plate, so I have to sign it over and that basically gives my plate to the dealer! I just don;t see how that can work.
1) the new car has the wrong name and number
2) the old car has my name and number but I need the number moved to a car that is not even in my name.

The only way I can see this can work is that I put my plate on a retention first but if I want to buy a car today I can't! sorry If i'm being thick but it seems the only way is to trust a dealer to do the paperwork and not steal my plate.

[abstibus]

I transferred my personal number plate to my new car with no problem directly via DVLA. I had to use the designated number plate until this was completed. I think I paid £80.
Talk to them as suggested.

[Donquixote]

If you go to a reputable dealer who knows what they are doing, they will take all the relevant documentation to the DVLA local office and arrange the change of ownership and plate transfer on both vehicles there and then. All it means is that you can't legally put your cherished plate on to your new car until the documentation comes back to you in the post - which at this time of year won't take long at all. I spent 8 years working in the family car dealership; trust me, it really is very simple. The key is in using a reputable dealer.

[BrainsTracy]

OK thanks

[flyingpig]

Dealer will do everything for you. We picked our new car up complete with cherished plate being transferred on to it. Just have to give them the documents for the car you are exchanging and they will arrange the transfer, you just pay the transfer fee.