V750 vs V778 — Plate Certificates Explained
Buy a plate without putting it straight on a car and it lives on a certificate. Two documents do that job: the V750 (unissued plates) and the V778 (previously-issued plates). Here's what each one means and how never to lose a plate to expiry.
V750 — Certificate of Entitlement
Issued when you buy an unissued registration (never previously assigned to a vehicle) — this is what you get when buying DVLA-stock plates. It names the grantee (the person entitled to assign it) and lets you add a nominee.
It's valid for 10 years and renewable indefinitely. The plate is yours; it just isn't on a car yet — which is exactly how gifting works.
V778 — Retention Document
Issued when a registration that was previously on a vehicle is taken off and held 'on retention'. Same 10-year validity, same renewability, same grantee/nominee mechanics.
The renewal trap
Certificates lapse if not renewed before expiry — and lapsed registrations revert to the DVLA. People lose five-figure plates this way. RegVault tracks certificate expiries with 90/30/7-day alerts and can manage renewals for you, which is why every RegBolt purchase includes RegVault membership.