Yes it is normal for the retention document to come separately. Takes a few days.You do have to change the plates on your car to the new reg issued by DVLA. Insurance companies shouldn't charge for informing them of a reg change. I never have done myself with the different insurers Ive been with for the last 17 years.
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My retention certificate came separately. When the new reg No. arrived I had new plates made before using the vehicle again.My insurance company charged me £25 admin fee when advised of the change.Audi now have the retention certificate ready for when our new car arrives mid June.Regards Jim

 

Yes that's normal, my retention took 3 weeks but that was early March when i suppose they are busier.

The V5 always arrives first with the retention a few days later, you should really inform your insurance company now and get some plates. It was only a few days until i collected my car so although i informed my insurance company i left the private plates on.

Trying to explain to my insurance company i was getting a new car in a few days was difficult for me, they didnt grasp i was getting the same model in the same colour wearing the same plates but it was new

I wasn't charged any fees and my insurance actually came down £20.

 

Thanks chaps for your answers. Good job I have some time off Tuesday morning - I sense a trip to Halfords for some new plates...

 

do I now have to get my plates changed on my current car ASAP to the new plates

As others have said, the answer is yes, you'll need to put plated on the car with the 'new' registration.

I've moved my personal plate onto several cars and have always kept the old plates, the DVLA have always assigned the original number back on to my car when I've sold it and put the personal plate on retention so I've never needed to buy new plates.

Didn't the DVLA assign the original number back to the vehicle you are selling, or maybe you bought the car new and there never was an 'original' registration?

 

I bought the car new so no original plates or registration - that would have made life a little easier! I must say I was a little disappointed that the Audi garage I purchased from flat out refused to sort my plates out on my behalf.

 

Thanks chaps for your answers. Good job I have some time off Tuesday morning - I sense a trip to Halfords for some new plates...

The last time I looked at Halfords plates they came with, unsurprisingly, HALFORDS in large writing. For a private registration I always look for plates that are legal (obviously) but have wording on them that is as small as possible. I am about to place my retentioned plate on my car and am considering using plates bought online as they have the minimum wording to remain legal.
This company here
http://www.myshowplates.com/number-plate-designer.asp
produces such plates but if you decide to use them please read the FAQ first to ensure you get the legal version. I haven't used this company so is not a recommendation.
Edited by: Mike88

 

So far as a fee from your insurance company is concerned, if you have online access to update your policy details (as many do, and certainly mine when I changed last year), its unlikely you'll have to pay anything. May be different though if you do it over the phone - again my insurer at the time (John Lewis) would have charged for me to do it that way, although they were helpful (on the phone!) with their advice on how to do it online.

 

So far as a fee from your insurance company is concerned, if you have online access to update your policy details (as many do, and certainly mine when I changed last year), its unlikely you'll have to pay anything. May be different though if you do it over the phone - again my insurer at the time (John Lewis) would have charged for me to do it that way, although they were helpful (on the phone!) with their advice on how to do it online.

I agree that (some) insurance companies charge for changes to policies. My son recently put some new larger alloy wheels on his car and was charged a £26 admin fee and an additional £14 premium with Privilege. I have also been charged in the past for swapping registrations by I think LV.

 

I had a set of plates made up at Halfords a month ago and they came without any additional wording - just the reg itself.

 

I had a set of plates made up at Halfords a month ago and they came without any additional wording - just the reg itself.

Ditto.

 

I've used showplates in the past with standard type etc and a simple black border all around. No other letters/wording on the plates. They don't need any documents as most other plate makers do, and if you want to be illegal, ie letter spacing etc, they will do it, but obviously at your own risk

 

I had a set of plates made up at Halfords a month ago and they came without any additional wording - just the reg itself.

Ditto.

My understanding (unless the law has changed since early last year) any licence plate MUST have the BS certification number shown and the name of the plate manufacturer, as due to all the car theft and cloning crap strictly speaking a licence plate should only be made by an approved manufacturer, of course this did not stop all the "Show Plate" suppliers from making and selling them, although they have to state they should only be used "off road" , yeah like that's going to happen.

Having said that, strangely when I bought a pair of plates for legal road use from a plate make last time it only had the BS number on them.......so.........it could have changed.

 

Hmm just checked on the GOV UK site and those Halford's plates are illegal, all plates must have BS number, plate manufacturer identifier and postcode........I am amazed how a supplier the size of Halfords can get it so wrong!

Then again it is Halfruads

 

I have also been charged in the past for swapping registrations by I think LV.

Been with LV for a while. They have never charged me for swapping plates...

 

Hmm just checked on the GOV UK site and those Halford's plates are illegal, all plates must have BS number, plate manufacturer identifier and postcode........I am amazed how a supplier the size of Halfords can get it so wrong!

Then again it is Halfruads

If you see how many plates are out there with non-BS fonts and illegal spacing then thats the least of your worries. I go to a lot of trouble making sure my plates are legal and there is all and sundry going about with illegal plates because they want to spell their name etc. How they pass their MOT is anyone guess.... or do they just change their cars before they're 3 years old. I suppose the government don't want to discourage this as its a nice little earner for them....

 

Hmm just checked on the GOV UK site and those Halford's plates are illegal, all plates must have BS number, plate manufacturer identifier and postcode........I am amazed how a supplier the size of Halfords can get it so wrong!

Then again it is Halfruads

If you see how many plates are out there with non-BS fonts and illegal spacing then thats the least of your worries. I go to a lot of trouble making sure my plates are legal and there is all and sundry going about with illegal plates because they want to spell their name etc. How they pass their MOT is anyone guess.... or do they just change their cars before they're 3 years old. I suppose the government don't want to discourage this as its a nice little earner for them....

If you buy online from Halfords there is a link to the Number Plate Expert site. Close examination of that site shows "Number Plate Expert" in very small writing with the BS number on their plates costing a reasonable £9.99 each. Oddly they don't require the V5 or identification which is required if you buy over the counter.
Edited by: Mike88

 

I know a few MB owners who have hmmm "dubious" plate layouts and come MoT time they just swap over to legal plates, the rest of the year they just run the gauntlet and hope not to be give a tug.

I was just surprised that Halfords would make and sell illegal plates over the counter.

 

Any other on-the-highstreet type people who make and fit number plates? I'm a stickler for the law so don't want to pay £40+ for Halfords plates to be made and fitted if they're not even legal...

 

Most small accessory shops don't bother as they have to be registered to make plates and if they make any mistakes with spacing and manufacturer it leaves them open to prosecution, too much trouble for them.

If I was you I'd pop into my local Halfrauds and ask the question in front of them.

 

Hmm just checked on the GOV UK site and those Halford's plates are illegal, all plates must have BS number, plate manufacturer identifier and postcode

I've just had a closer look at my Halfords plates, it appears that the word Halfords and the BS number is etched into the plastic and is hardly noticeable so I assume it does conform to the law (I didn't notice a post code) - quite clever really.

 

Hmm just checked on the GOV UK site and those Halford's plates are illegal, all plates must have BS number, plate manufacturer identifier and postcode

I've just had a closer look at my Halfords plates, it appears that the word Halfords and the BS number is etched into the plastic and is hardly noticeable so I assume it does conform to the law (I didn't notice a post code) - quite clever really.

That'll do it.......

 

Thanks for all your help folks - my current, outgoing car is now looking very sad with his new plates on. Turns out the little garage in our village, which I thought only fixed horse boxes and buses, does plates for £9.95 each and £5 to fit