Cherished plates

Question 1

What is a cherished plate?

ald · Accepted Answer

A Cherished Plate is a personalised or specially selected vehicle registration number that carries sentimental, aesthetic or investment value. These plates often feature initials, names, memorable numbers or meaningful words.

Question 2

How can I add a cherished plate to my vehicle if I have the log book (V5C)?

ald · Accepted Answer

You’ll be able to add your cherished plate to your vehicle directly with the DVLA. You’ll need to notify us of your change of registration number by emailing us at [maintenance.admin@aldautomotive.com](targetSelf:mailto:maintenance.admin@aldautomotive.com) or calling us on [03700 011 181](targetSelf:tel:03700011181). Please include the below information in your email or have these details to hand when you call:

- The current registration number (i.e. age-related plate) on the vehicle
- The cherished plate that has been added to the vehicle
- Your account reference number. You can find guidance on how to find your account reference number here.

You can[ find out who holds the V5C for your vehicle here](targetSelf:https://www.aldautomotive.co.uk/en-gb/faq/q/managing-your-agreement/vehicle-log-book/).

Question 3

How can I add a cherished plate to my vehicle if I don't have the log book (V5C)?

ald · Accepted Answer

You’ll need to contact us to request that we start the process of adding your cherished plate to your vehicle, by emailing us at [maintenance.admin@aldautomotive.com](targetSelf:mailto:maintenance.admin@aldautomotive.com) or calling us on [03700 011 181](targetSelf:tel:03700011181). Please include the below information in your email or have these details to hand when you call:

- A scanned copy of your signed retention document or certificate of entitlement for your cherished plate
- The current registration number (i.e. age-related plate) on the vehicle
- Your account reference number. [You can find guidance on how to find your account reference number here.](targetSelf:https://www.aldautomotive.co.uk/en-gb/faq/q/contract-queries/account-reference-number/)

If you'd prefer to post your signed retention document or certificate of entitlement, we recommend you send the documents via recorded delivery to:

FAO Maintenance Admin Department,
ALD Automotive Ltd,
Oakwood Drive,
Emersons Green,
Bristol,
BS16 7 LB

Once we have all the necessary information, we'll contact the DVLA to make the required changes.

Question 4

How will I know when my cherished plate has been added to my vehicle?

ald · Accepted Answer

You’ll receive an email of confirmation for the plate transfer from the DVLA. You’ll have three days from receipt of this email to arrange for the new number plates to be made, added to your vehicle, and to notify your insurer.

Question 5

How much does it cost to add a cherished plate to my vehicle if ALD hold the log book (V5C)?

ald · Accepted Answer

An ALD administration fee of £48.00 (including VAT) is applicable to cover the service of processing and adding a cherished plate. This fee is payable within 28 days from the date of invoice.

Question 6

Do I need to remove my cherished plate from my vehicle before collection?

ald · Accepted Answer

Yes, you’ll need to remove your cherished plate before booking your vehicle collection. We recommend contacting us at least 8 weeks before the end of your agreement to allow enough time to remove your cherished plate.

Question 7

Can I remove my cherished plate online?

ald · Accepted Answer

Yes, the online process allows your plate to be removed within 5 working days and the retention document will be returned to us within 14 days of being actioned (these timescales are set by and dependent on the DVLA, so may vary).

We’ll be named as the ‘grantee’ on the retention document, which means that the plate will be registered to our name. We have no financial or personal interest in the plate and all rights to the plate will remain yours. If you’d like us to provide a letter stating we have no financial or personal interest in your cherished plate, please let us know.

We’ll return the retention document to your confirmed address via recorded delivery, with the grantee section signed to enable you to assign the plate to another vehicle. You’ll then be able to fill out a V317, which will put the plate back in your name.

There’s also the option to add your name to the ‘nominee’ section on the retention document. If you’d like us to add your name as the nominee, please let us know. We can send the retention document to the DVLA to add your name once received. Please be aware that this will delay the retention document being sent to you due to the DVLA’s timescales.

Question 8

Can I remove my cherished plate using the paper V317 form?

ald · Accepted Answer

Yes, by completing the ‘grantee’ section of the V317, the retention document can be put into your name rather than ours. This process does take longer than the online process and the DVLA have been working to an 8-week lead time. If you’d prefer this process, we recommend contacting us 8 weeks before the end of your contract to ensure we don't need to delay the collection of your vehicle.

Question 9

Are there any costs to remove my cherished plate?

ald · Accepted Answer

We won't charge an administration fee for removing your cherished plate, but the DVLA charge an £80 fee for placing cherished plates on retention.

If you choose for us to remove your plate online, we’ll pay the £80 cherished plate retention fee to the DVLA and send you an invoice.

If you choose for us to remove your plate using the paper V317 form, you can either provide us with a cheque for £80 payable to DVLA Swansea, or we can issue the cheque on your behalf and send you an invoice.

Question 10

How do I start the process of removing my cherished plate online?

ald · Accepted Answer

Please either call us on [03700 011 181](targetSelf:tel:03700011181) or email us at [maintenance.admin@aldautomotive.com](targetSelf:mailto:maintenance.admin@aldautomotive.com), stating that you’d like to remove your cherished plate using the online process.

Please have the below information to hand when you call or include these details in your email:

- Your vehicle’s registration number
- The address for your retention document to be sent
- If you’d like us to arrange for the DVLA add you as a nominee once we receive your retention document

Question 11

How do I start the process of removing my cherished plate using the paper V317 form?

ald · Accepted Answer

You can fill out the [V317 form here](targetSelf:https://www.publishing.service.gov.uk/).

Fill out the part labelled ‘Option B’ on the V317 form, noting the private plate registration at the top and the Grantee details in section 4.1. The Grantee details will be the name and address for the retention document to be assigned to.

You can email this to us at [maintenance.admin@aldautomotive.com](targetSelf:mailto:maintenance.admin@aldautomotive.com).

Please include the below details in your email:

- Your vehicle’s registration number
- A scanned copy of your V317 form

If you'd like to pay the retention fee by cheque, please write your cheque out to DVLA Swansea, ensure you write your vehicle’s registration number on the back of the cheque and forward your V317 and cheque to:

Fleet Support, 
ALD Automotive Ltd,
Oakwood Drive,
Emersons Green,
Bristol, 
BS16 7LB

Question 12

How will I know when my cherished plate has been removed?

ald · Accepted Answer

We’ll notify you to advise when you should add your age-related number plates back onto your vehicle. You’ll then have three days to arrange for the age-related plate to be added to the vehicle.

If you no longer have the physical age-related plates, you’ll need to have new plates made. To do this, you’ll need a copy of the authorisation certificate or a copy of your vehicle’s log book. You can [request a copy of your vehicle’s V5C document here](targetSelf:https://www.aldautomotive.co.uk/en-gb/v5-authority-letter/).

Question 13

I no longer want my cherished plate, can I leave it assigned to the vehicle when it's collected?

ald · Accepted Answer

Yes, but you’ll need to notify us by email that you want to relinquish your rights to your cherished plate. We won’t be able to book a collection for your vehicle until we have received email confirmation that you want to relinquish ownership of the cherished plate.

We recommend removing your cherished plate from your vehicle before handing it back to us, even if you no longer want to use the cherished plate. Once the cherished plate is removed and on retention, you’ll have the rights to the plate and can sell it or hold on to the retention certificate in case you’d like to use the plate again in the future.

We won’t purchase your cherished plate from you or your company.

To advise us that you wish to relinquish ownership of your cherished plate, please email us at [customerrelations@aldautomotive.com](targetSelf:mailto:customerrelations@aldautomotive.com). You’ll need to include your vehicle registration number (your cherished plate number) and account reference number in your email. You can find guidance on how to [find your account reference number here](targetSelf:https://www.aldautomotive.co.uk/en-gb/faq/q/contract-queries/account-reference-number/).

Question 14

I don't want to lose my cherished plate, but there’s not enough time left to remove it before my end of contract date, what should I do?

ald · Accepted Answer

If you’re not able to remove your cherished plate from your vehicle ahead of collection, please email us at [customerrelations@aldautomotive.com](targetSelf:mailto:customerrelations@aldautomotive.com) or call us on [03700 011 181](targetSelf:tel:03700011181) so we can discuss the available options.

You’ll need to include your vehicle registration number (your cherished plate number) and account reference number in your email or have these details to hand when you call. You can find guidance on how to [find your account reference number here.](targetSelf:https://www.aldautomotive.co.uk/en-gb/faq/q/contract-queries/account-reference-number/)

We won’t be able to book a collection for your vehicle until your cherished plate has been removed.

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