Replacement number plates need identity and entitlement documents
In short
- A registered supplier must see original identity and registration-entitlement evidence.
- A passport proves name only, so it does not by itself satisfy the address requirement.
- Common entitlement documents include the V5C, green new-keeper slip, V750 and V778.
- Buying a personalised registration, assigning it and making compliant physical plates are separate steps.
A plate supplier is checking two different facts: your identity and your right to use the registration. One document can sometimes help with both, but turning up with only a photograph of the V5C or only a passport does not meet the published process.
Which documents do you need for replacement number plates?
Bring original accepted evidence of your name and address and one original accepted proof of entitlement to the registration. A current driving licence can cover name and address. A V5C, green new-keeper slip, V750, V778 or another document on DVLA’s list can prove entitlement.
The exact combination depends on what each document proves. A passport proves name but not address in the GOV.UK list. A utility bill proves name and address but does not prove entitlement to a registration. Read both columns.
Must a replacement plate come from a registered supplier?
Yes. GOV.UK says a road number plate can only be made up by a registered number plate supplier. The supplier must inspect the required original documents, make plates to the applicable standard and retain specified customer and entitlement records.
Use the official supplier search before travelling. A business selling decorative signs or “show plates” is not automatically authorised to manufacture a plate for road display.
Registered suppliers record the registration, customer name and address, entitlement and traceable document numbers. GOV.UK’s supplier guidance says those records are kept for three years and may be inspected by relevant authorities.
Ask what original documents the supplier needs for your exact situation, particularly for fleets, imports or electronic authorisation. The official list is the authority when a seller’s website uses shorter wording.
Which documents prove your name and address?
An accepted driving licence can prove name and address. GOV.UK also lists a utility, Council Tax or rates bill from the last six months, a bank or building-society statement from the last six months, and a national identity card. A passport, payment card, police warrant card or armed-forces ID proves name only.
| Document | Name | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Driving licence | Yes | Yes |
| Utility, Council Tax or rates bill within six months | Yes | Yes |
| Bank or building-society statement within six months | Yes | Yes |
| National identity card | Yes | Yes under the published list |
| Passport or accepted service card | Yes | No, add address evidence |
Take the original, not a phone photograph, because GOV.UK states that the supplier needs original documents. Check that names and addresses are current and consistent enough for the supplier to trace the record.
The published six-month window applies to the listed bills and statements. Do not rely on an older document because it is the only paper copy to hand.
Which documents prove you may use the registration?
Common accepted entitlement evidence includes the V5C or V5CNI, green new-keeper slip, V750 or V750NI, V778, V11 tax or SORN reminder, V379 temporary certificate, stamped V948 or electronic eV948. Fleet and trailer routes have additional listed documents.
| Document | When it is commonly relevant | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| V5C or V5CNI | Registered vehicle | Registration and document details agree |
| Green new-keeper slip | Recently acquired vehicle | Correct vehicle and current slip |
| V750 | Certificate of entitlement | Valid right and grantee or nominee details |
| V778 | Registration held on retention | Valid retention and right to assign |
| V11 or V11NI | Tax or SORN renewal record | Current registration and keeper context |
| V948 or eV948 | DVLA authorisation | Official stamp or valid electronic certificate |
One accepted entitlement document is enough for that side of the check, but it does not remove the identity requirement. The supplier must be able to trace the document reference it records.
If a document is lost or the details changed, replace or update it through the relevant DVLA route. Do not alter a scan or reuse a superseded certificate.
What changes when the registration is private or retained?
A private registration may use a valid V750 or V778 as entitlement evidence, but the right to the number, assignment to a vehicle and manufacture of physical plates remain separate. Confirm the registration has been assigned before displaying it on the road vehicle.
A V750 records entitlement to assign a registration, while a V778 records retention. The V750 versus V778 guide explains the distinction without treating either document as ownership of acrylic plates.
GOV.UK says a private registration cannot make a vehicle look newer than it is. Check eligibility before buying or assigning. Once DVLA issues a replacement V750 or V778, previously issued documents are no longer valid and should not be used.
Spacing and typeface rules do not relax for a personalised combination. The intended word or initials must fit inside the lawful character order.
What documents apply to lease, hire or fleet vehicles?
A fleet operator can provide a letter of authorisation quoting the V5C document reference. GOV.UK also lists a PDF from the view-vehicle-record service for fleets using V5C on demand, known as V5C suppression. Confirm the supplier’s exact original or electronic evidence process.
A driver may not hold the V5C because the leasing or fleet company is the registered keeper. That does not justify ordering from an unregistered supplier. Obtain the correct authorisation from the keeper.
Do not share a full V5C reference more widely than the process requires. It is a sensitive key to vehicle services. Give it to the registered supplier through the appropriate channel.
UK trailer registration certificates also appear on the entitlement list for applicable trailer plates. Trailer rules are a separate vehicle context and should not be inferred from car guidance alone.
What should you do if a plate is lost, damaged or stolen?
Use the same registered-supplier identity and entitlement process to replace a lost, damaged or stolen plate. If theft is suspected, record and report the circumstances through the appropriate police route because the registration may be misused. Keep the report details with your vehicle records.
Check both plates and their fixings, then verify that no other vehicle or identity evidence is missing. A clean break, drilled fixing or adhesive failure can suggest a different event from deliberate removal, but do not invent a conclusion.
Monitor official correspondence and parking or traffic notices that do not match your journeys. Follow current police and DVLA instructions for a suspected clone, and keep copies of reports and notices without publishing personal references.
Do not display a handwritten substitute on the road. Obtain a compliant replacement through the registered process.
Do the documents make any replacement plate legal?
No. Documents establish identity and entitlement. The physical plate must still meet the applicable material, British Standard, character, size, spacing, margin, supplier and manufacturer-marking rules. A supplier cannot legalise altered spacing merely because the customer proved entitlement.
Use the spacing guide and typeface guide for the current display distinctions. Motorcycles, imports and historic vehicles can have specific dimensional or eligibility questions.
Check the finished plate before leaving: every character, background, spacing, supplier detail and standard marking. A single transposed character creates a plate for another registration.
Decorative plate artwork on a print is not a road plate. It does not replace the registered supplier or prove entitlement.
Can you preview a replacement registration on a car print?
Yes. Once the exact registration is confirmed, type it into a matching live car builder and inspect the preview. The artwork helps check characters and how the car looks with the registration, but it is not a DVLA assignment, identity document or road-plate order.
Choose the exact model and year range first. A correct registration placed on the wrong facelift still creates the wrong portrait.
Open the current lead builder or browse the live catalogue. The commercial route is resolved from published products rather than a stale plate-manufacturer link.
Which official sources list the required documents?
The current GOV.UK “Getting number plates made up” page lists accepted identity, address and entitlement documents. DVLA leaflet INF136 repeats the customer-document requirement, while supplier-registration guidance explains record keeping and standards. These sources were checked on 9 August 2026.
Read GOV.UK’s current document list, INF136 and the supplier obligations.
The process and accepted documents can change. Check the live official page and the registered supplier before travelling.
Questions people actually ask
- What documents do I need to get number plates made in the UK?
- Take original documents proving your name and address, plus one accepted document proving entitlement to the registration. A driving licence can prove name and address. Common entitlement evidence includes a V5C, green new-keeper slip, V750 certificate of entitlement or V778 retention document.
- Can I get number plates made with the green new keeper slip?
- Yes. GOV.UK lists the green new-keeper slip from the V5C or V5CNI as accepted proof that you may display the registration. You must also provide accepted original identity and address evidence, and use a supplier registered for number-plate manufacture.
- Can I use a passport to get a replacement number plate?
- A passport is accepted as proof of name only. The supplier also needs proof of address, so bring a separate accepted address document where required. GOV.UK lists options such as a recent utility, Council Tax, rates, bank or building-society document.
- Do I need a V5C to get a private number plate made?
- Not necessarily. DVLA’s accepted entitlement list also includes a V750 certificate of entitlement and V778 retention document, plus other defined documents. The right document depends on the registration’s status. Assignment to the vehicle and physical manufacture remain separate processes.
Written by Jonathan in Derby. Last updated .