Key points
- You need one proof of identity and one proof of entitlement- the rule is the same at every DVLA-registered supplier.
- A driving licence or a bill/bank statement from the last 6 months proves name and address; a passport proves name only, so pair it with an address document.
- No V5C needed if you have a green new keeper slip (V5C/2), a V11 reminder, a V750 certificate or a V778 retention document.
- No accepted document at all? Apply to DVLA for a replacement V5C — usually £25, about 5 working days online or up to 4 weeks by post.
- Lease, company or hire cars: get a fleet operator letter of authorisation or an eV948 and show it with your own ID.
- Suppliers must record a traceable reference from your original documents, not a photocopy, and keep the record for 3 years.
- Show plates need no documents but are illegal on a public road.
Documents You Need to Get Number Plates Made
Every road legal number plate in the UK is made only after the supplier has seen two things: proof of who you are and proof that you are entitled to the registration. The rule applies to every supplier, online or on the high street, including our number plate builder. Below are the documents needed for number plates, what to use when you do not have a V5C, and how the rules work for lease cars, private registrations and new keepers.
The Two Documents Every Supplier Must See
You need one document from each table. These documents for number plates are the same at every registered supplier in England, Scotland and Wales.
Proof of identity
Confirms name and address | Confirms name only |
|---|---|
Driving licence | Passport (any country) |
Utility, Council Tax or rates bill from the last 6 months | Bank or building society debit or credit card |
Bank or building society statement from the last 6 months | Police warrant card |
National identity card | Armed forces identity card |
A document from the right hand column proves your name but not your address, so use it alongside one from the left hand column.
Proof of entitlement to the registration
Document | When you would use it |
|---|---|
V5C vehicle registration certificate (V5CNI in Northern Ireland) | You are the registered keeper and have the log book |
Green new keeper slip (V5C/2) | You have just bought the vehicle and your new V5C has not arrived |
V750 certificate of entitlement | You hold a private registration not yet on a vehicle |
V778 retention document | You have taken a private registration off a vehicle and kept it |
V11 tax or SORN reminder | The reminder letter for the vehicle has arrived |
V379 temporary registration certificate | DVLA has issued a temporary certificate |
V948 with DVLA stamp, or eV948 / eV948/2 | A dealer or fleet authorisation to make plates |
Fleet operator letter of authorisation | A company, lease or hire vehicle |
UK trailer registration certificate (VTRC) | A registered trailer |
The full official list is on GOV.UK.
Getting Number Plates Without a V5C
Missing the log book does not always stop an order. Check the entitlement table first: the green new keeper slip, a V11 reminder, a V750 or a V778 all work in place of the V5C.
If you have none of them, apply to DVLA for a replacement V5C. It usually costs £25 and arrives by post within 5 to 7 working days. You can apply online or by phone in most cases, but you must use the V62 form by post if your details have changed, you do not have the vehicle, or it is a fleet vehicle.
Documents for Common Situations
You have just bought the car
Use the green new keeper slip (V5C/2) the seller gave you, with your driving licence. If the seller kept the slip, you will need to wait for your new V5C. Our guide to car sale documents explains what you should receive when you buy a car.
Lease, company or finance car
If the leasing or hire company is the registered keeper, you will not hold the V5C. Ask the company for a fleet operator letter of authorisation or an electronic authorisation certificate (eV948), then show it with your own proof of identity.
Private registration
If the registration is already on your vehicle, the V5C showing it is enough. If it is on a V750 certificate or V778 retention document, use that, but only fit the plates once DVLA has confirmed the registration is assigned to the vehicle. The process is covered in how to transfer or retain a private number plate.
Stolen or lost plates
The same two documents apply. Report stolen plates to the police first and keep the crime reference number. Our guide to lost, stolen or damaged number plates covers the full process, and replacement number plates can be ordered for one side or both.
Trailers and Northern Ireland vehicles
A registered trailer uses its VTRC. Vehicles registered in Northern Ireland use the NI versions of each document, such as the V5CNI and V750NI.
Why Suppliers Check Your Documents
The checks exist to stop criminals getting plates made for a registration that is not theirs, which is how vehicles are cloned. A registered supplier must record your name and address, the registration and a traceable reference number taken from your original documents, not from a photocopy. Those records are kept for three years and must be shown to the police, DVLA, DVSA or Trading Standards on request, as the British Number Plate Manufacturers Association explains. A supplier that skips the checks risks a fine and removal from the register, so any seller that does not ask for documents is not one to use.
Only a DVLA registered number plate supplier can make road plates. Show plates are not registered plates and do not need documents, but they cannot be used on a public road.
Providing Your Documents When You Order
Have both documents in front of you before you start your order. At REGUP, you provide your documents during checkout and production starts only once payment and documents are approved. To avoid delays:
Use documents that show your current name and address
Check the registration on the entitlement document matches the one you entered exactly
Use a bill or statement dated within the last 6 months
Make sure every reference number on the document can be read clearly
Frequently asked questions
What documents do I need to get number plates made?
One document proving your name and address, such as a driving licence, and one proving you are entitled to the registration, such as the V5C, the green new keeper slip or a V750 certificate.
Can I get number plates without a V5C?
Yes, if you have another accepted proof of entitlement, such as the green new keeper slip (V5C/2), a V11 reminder, a V750 certificate or a V778 retention document. Otherwise apply to DVLA for a replacement V5C, which usually costs £25.
Is a passport enough to order number plates?
A passport proves your name but not your address, so use it with a document that shows your address, such as a recent utility bill or bank statement, plus your proof of entitlement.
Can I order plates for a lease or company car?
Yes. Ask the leasing or hire company for a fleet operator letter of authorisation or an eV948 authorisation certificate, and show it with your own proof of identity.
Can I use a photocopy of my documents?
A registered supplier must record a traceable reference number taken from your original documents, not from a photocopy. Have the originals to hand when you order.
Do I need documents for show plates?
No. Show plates are not road legal registration plates, so no documents are needed, but they must never be used on a public road.
How long does a supplier keep my details?
Registered suppliers must keep a record of each sale, including your name, address and the registration, for three years. It can be inspected by the police, DVLA, DVSA and Trading Standards.