Hoot guide to changing number plates
If you've got a burning question about motoring, turn to the experts at Hoot for help. Besides cheap car insurance, we know all about driving law, vehicle maintenance, keeping your car safe and how to reduce the costs of motoring - pretty much all there is to know about cars, in other words. All this info has been condensed into a series of invaluable documents called the 'Hoot Guides', bitesize chunks of motoring wisdom on everything from road signs to secondhand car sales. And if you're looking for help with motor insurance small print or tips on what you can do to find cheap car insurance premiums, you'll find all the answers you need in the guides, too. We're often asked about changing car number plates and registration marks, and with good reason - it can be a pretty baffling process for some drivers. Hopefully the following guide can clear up all those queries. Changing plates
Every car in the UK can be uniquely identified by its registration mark, which is displayed at the front and rear of the vehicle on its number plates. Many of us never need change these plates, but there are several good reasons (as well as several nefarious ones) for doing so.
For some, that reason is straightforward and practical: the existing plates have become damaged or illegible, thanks to a minor accident or old age, and require replacement. Others want to transfer a different number from an old car, or a personalised registration they've bought at an auction or received as a gift (more on this later). In any case, replacement number plates are only available from certain approved suppliers, and will only be issued to you if you can produce the correct paperwork. Plates are made up on the premises of many different motor-related businesses, such as garages, car dealerships and accessories shops, and also by some city or county councils. For a list of certified suppliers in your area, visit http://www.direct.gov.uk and follow the links to their motoring section.
Once you've found a supplier, you'll need proof of your identity and address (your driver's licence is ideal, but your passport and a utility bill with your current address on are also acceptable), and proof that the registration number belongs on your car. The latter can be confirmed either with your vehicle registration document (in the case of a straight swap) or with what's called a 'certificate of entitlement' if the number is new. Plates are usually made up while you wait and cost about £30 for a set. Personalised registration marks
Some people love the thought of having their initials or nickname on their numberplate, and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has made this possible by allowing us to bid for, buy and transfer personalised registration numbers onto our cars.
Several different formats are available, some closely resembling the two letters, two figures, three letters style (i.e. AB51 ABC) that's in use on regular UK plates, and others diverting from it totally. In the case of personalised registrations which preserve the standard single letter or two-figure age identifier (the '51' in the example above, meaning September 2001), owners are only permitted to make their vehicles appear older than they already are. This is to prevent you passing the car off as a younger model if you decide to sell it. Registrations in the standard style can be bought over the telephone, directly from the DVLA. Approximately 25,000,000 of them are currently available, with prices starting at £250. For a more unique plate, however, you'll have to attend one of the DVLA's registration auctions. Held about six times a year at various locations throughout the country, they're the only way to get your hands on that elusive, date-free combination you're after. As it's an auction, sale prices can still be as low as £250 - but winning bids of £5,000 or even £10,000 aren't that unusual for a sought-after plate. Transferring a registration mark
In some cases, you can move a personalised registration number from an old car onto a new one. In fact, you can also do this with regular plates - it's called a 'cherished' transfer.
For a fee of £80, the Cherished Transfer Scheme allows successful applicants to overwrite the registration mark on one car they own with the mark from another. The original number is voided in the process, and the donor vehicle is left unregistered. If you can't make a transfer directly (for instance if you need to sell the donor vehicle on before purchasing the new one) you can also keep a registration mark independent of an assigned vehicle. Under the DVLA's Retention Scheme, you can preserve a plate like this for as long as you need to find it a new home. Retention costs £105 for the first twelve months, and an extra £25 a year thereafter. For further details and an application for either of these schemes, visit http://www.dvla.gov.uk.
Try cheap car insurance from Hoot
You might not be able to afford £10,000 for that perfect personalised numberplate without cutting back on a few other motoring expenses - and top of that that list should motor insurance.
Switching to cheap car insurance from Hoot could save you in the region of 30 percent on your old car insurance policy. It might not be all £10,000, but it's a good start! Hoot can afford to offer such cheap car insurance rates because we don't waste any money on expensive TV ads and other marketing like most car insurance companies. Instead, we plough that money right back into our motor insurance quotes. To find out how much you could save by switching to Hoot Car Insurance Services, just click below for a cheap car insurance quote. 
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