V750Can be checked
Certificate of Entitlement
The right to a private number that is not on a vehicle yet. You usually get one when you buy a number from DVLA or a dealer.
V750 Private number certificate check
Prove the V750 is genuine. Keep the number to yourself.
Selling a private plate? Run a live DVLA check on your Certificate of Entitlement and send the buyer a proof link. They see that it checks out. They never see the certificate number.
V750 only
Checks work with the V750 Certificate of Entitlement. V778 retention documents, issued when a number is taken off a vehicle, cannot be checked. Which one do I have?
Only the V750 can be checked.
DVLA's online checker accepts the Certificate of Entitlement and nothing else. Check which document you hold before you run a check, because a V778 will be rejected and still use a credit.
V778Cannot be checked
Retention Document
Issued when a private number is taken off a vehicle and kept on retention. DVLA's online checker does not accept it.
One check. Three people. One number kept private.
The seller types the certificate number once. Everyone after that sees the result, not the number.
- Seller
Enter the plate and V750 number once
Type the registration and the certificate number exactly as printed below the purchaser's name and address on the V750. Only you see this form.
- We
We ask DVLA, then discard the number
The details go to DVLA's live certificate checker. We keep the result, the time and the last 7 characters. The full number is thrown away, never stored as plain text.
- Buyer
The buyer opens your proof link
They see the plate, the DVLA result, when it was checked and the masked ending. You send a fresh passphrase so they can confirm the link came from you.
What the buyer sees, and what they never see.
On the proof page
- The registration number
- DVLA's validity result
- The date and time of the check
- How fresh the check is
- The expiry date, where DVLA returns one
- The last 7 characters of the certificate number
Never shown
- The full certificate number
- A photo or scan of the certificate
- The purchaser's or nominee's name and address
- Your account details
"Do not share a scan or photograph of the V750 or V778 document."GOV.UK advice for people selling a private number
Someone other than your buyer could use those details to put the number on another vehicle. A proof link gives the buyer the evidence without handing over the document. How to sell a private plate safely
Questions sellers and buyers ask
Can I prove my V750 certificate is valid without showing the buyer the certificate number?
Yes. You enter the registration and certificate number on Number Plate Validation, we run a live check with DVLA's certificate checker, and the buyer gets a proof link. The link shows DVLA's result, the check time and only the last 7 characters of the certificate number.
Can you check a V778 retention document?
No. DVLA's online certificate checker only accepts the V750 Certificate of Entitlement, so we can only check V750s. A V778 is the document issued when a number is taken off a vehicle and kept on retention. If you hold a V778, do not run a check here, because it will be rejected and still use a credit.
What is the difference between a V750 and a V778?
A V750 Certificate of Entitlement gives the right to a private number that has not been put on a vehicle yet, typically after buying it from DVLA or a dealer. A V778 Retention Document is issued when a number is removed from a vehicle and kept. Both must be renewed every 10 years.
Is it safe to send a buyer a photo of my V750?
No. GOV.UK advises sellers not to share a scan or photograph of a V750 or V778, because someone other than the buyer could use the details to put the number on another vehicle. A proof link lets the buyer see the certificate checked out without you sending the document.
Where do I find the certificate number on a V750?
DVLA says the registration number and certificate number are printed below the purchaser's name and address on the certificate. Enter them exactly as shown.
What does the buyer see on the proof page?
The registration, DVLA's validity result, when the check ran, a freshness label, the expiry date if DVLA returns one, and the last 7 characters of the certificate number. They never see the full number, the document itself, or the purchaser's details.