Keeping records as a Registered Number Plate Supplier

As a Registered Number Plate Supplier in the UK, you are required by law to record the details of each customer you sell number plates to. This is to ensure you are only selling number plates to individuals with the right to use that vehicle registration, and so the DVLA or Police can trace the customer if needed. 

You must record the following from each customer:

• Vehicle registration
• Customer name
• Address & postcode
• A serial number from a document proving entitlement to the registration
• A serial number from a document proving the address/identity of the customer

The DVLA provides a form template for recording these details, though it means printing off this sheet multiple times and manually filling it in; not an efficient process by any means.

Plate Supplies recommends creating a digital spreadsheet to record these details, so that you have a digital record which can be searched and utilised as needed. You should take every effort to protect this spreadsheet, as you are subject to strict data protection laws in the UK. It would be wise to encrypt this spreadsheet, and ensure that access is only available for individuals who need access to it.

The DVLA and the Police have the powers to request to view your records at any reasonable time, and to take a copy of your records away for analysis. If you are found to be not keeping adequate records, you can be subject to a significant fine and a ban from producing number plates.

The following documents are acceptable in the eyes of the DVLA for the entitlement to the registration and proof of address/identity:

Identification

You can use the following to confirm the customer name and address:

• Driving Licence
• Utility bill, Council Tax bill or rates bill from the last 6 months
• Bank or building society statement from the last 6 months
• National Identity Card

The following will confirm the customer name only:

• passport (doesn’t have to be issued in the UK)
• bank or building society debit or credit card
• police warrant card
• armed forces identity card

Registration Entitlement

• vehicle registration certificate (V5C or V5CNI)
• new keeper supplement (V5C/2 or V5C/2NI)
• certificate of entitlement (V750 or V750NI) to the number
• retention document (V778)
• a renewal reminder for vehicle tax or SORN (V11 or V11NI)
• temporary registration certificate (V379 or V379NI)
• a number plate authorisation certificate (V948) with an official stamp from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) or Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA)
• an electronic number plate authorisation certificate (eV948)
• a letter of authorisation from a fleet operator (including lease or hire company) quoting the document reference number from the registration certificate
• if your fleet is in the new V5C on demand scheme (also called ‘V5C suppression’), a PDF of the vehicle’s details from the view vehicle record service