Should I remove a private number plate before selling my car?

GOV.UK warns that you could lose the right to use a personalised registration if you sell or dispose of the vehicle before properly retaining or transferring the number.

Once DVLA processes the retention, the vehicle is normally assigned another registration and you receive updated paperwork. Wait until the process is complete and the V5C position is correct before finalising the sale.

Also tell your insurer when a registration number changes. If the number is used for tolls, clean-air zones or other automatic accounts elsewhere in the UK, update those accounts as well.

For 'Should I remove a private number plate before selling my car?', keep a written record of the exact vehicle, seller details and checks you relied on before payment. That evidence is far more useful later than relying on memory or verbal promises.