Last updated: October 2026
Personalised plates often mean more to the owner than the car does. If you are selling and want to keep yours, the key is timing: sort out the plates before the car changes hands. VPlates says that if the plates are sold with the car, ownership of the plates goes with it. Here are your options and the order to do things in.
Your Three Options
| Option | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Swap to general issue plates before the sale | Remove your plates and fit general issue plates from a VicRoads Customer Service Centre | Selling a registered car while keeping your combination |
| Move them straight to your next car | Reassign the combination to another vehicle | You already have the next car lined up |
| Keep them off a vehicle for now | Hold the plates without assigning them | You are between cars or not buying another one yet |
Option 1: Swap to General Issue Plates
VPlates says you can remove your custom plates and keep or sell them, but you will need to replace them with General Issue plates from a VicRoads Customer Service Centre. The car can then be sold and transferred normally on its new plates. VPlates also notes you can sell the car unregistered if you want to keep the plates.
Option 2: Move Them to Your Next Car
If the next car will be registered in your name, VPlates says to call 1300 660 417 and pay a reassignment fee. If the vehicle is registered to someone else, including a company, there is a Transfer of Rights form to complete. Admin fees apply. VPlates lists them separately, so check the current amounts before you go.
Option 3: Keep Them Off a Vehicle
You do not have to put the plates on another car straight away. VPlates says you can call 1300 660 417 to keep them off a vehicle and store them securely until you are ready.
The Order That Avoids Problems
- Decide whether you are keeping the plates before you advertise or book a buyer.
- Tell the buyer up front that the car will be sold on general issue plates.
- Arrange the plate swap or reassignment before pickup day.
- Check the registration details match the new plates on the transfer form.
- Lodge the notice of disposal within 14 days of the sale.
Plates on a Car You Inherited
If you are selling a car from a deceased estate and it carries custom plates, the plates can be dealt with separately from the car. VicRoads has a process and form for transferring or keeping the custom plates of someone who has died. Sort the plates out first, then sell the car. Our guide to selling a deceased estate car explains the rest of the paperwork.
Selling the Plates Instead of Keeping Them
VPlates says that once you have paid for a combination, it is yours unless you transfer or sell it, and that you can remove plates and sell them. If you decide you no longer want them at all and will not sell them, VPlates says to return them to a VicRoads Customer Service Centre to release the combination.
Common Mistakes With Personalised Plates
- Advertising the car with the custom plates showing in every photo, then changing your mind after a buyer has seen them
- Leaving the swap to pickup day, when there is no time to visit a service centre
- Forgetting that the transfer form must show the plates actually on the car
- Throwing out old plates instead of returning them, which leaves the combination unresolved
- Assuming a buyer will hand plates back later if they were included in the sale
What If You Forget?
If you hand over the car with the personalised plates still registered to it, the plates go with the car. Getting them back then depends on the new owner agreeing, which is not something to count on. A two minute check before the sale saves that conversation.
Plates are one of several things to sort before the car goes. Our checklist of what to remove before selling a car covers the rest, from toll tags to garage remotes.
If the Buyer Lives Interstate
If you sell to someone in another state, VicRoads recommends cancelling the registration and removing the plates. If they are custom plates, that is also your moment to keep them. The buyer then registers the car in their own state.
Pickup Day Checklist for Plate Owners
- General issue plates fitted, or the car sold unregistered as agreed
- Your custom plates removed and stored somewhere safe
- The transfer form showing the registration number actually on the car
- Any reassignment to your next car booked or completed
- The buyer told about the plate change before they arrive
Selling to Us With Personalised Plates
Tell us about the plates when you ask for a price. We can plan the pickup around your plate swap, and the price for the car itself does not change because of the plates.
Get a price from photos through our cash for cars service across Victoria, then keep your plates for your next car.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep my personalised plates when I sell my car in Victoria?
Yes. Remove them and fit general issue plates before the sale, or reassign them to another vehicle. If they are sold with the car, ownership goes with it.
Where do I get general issue plates?
VPlates says general issue replacement plates come from a VicRoads Customer Service Centre.
Can I store my plates without a car?
Yes. VPlates says you can keep them off a vehicle by calling 1300 660 417 and storing them securely.
Is there a fee to move plates to another car?
Yes. A reassignment or admin fee applies. Check the current amount with VPlates before you go.
Does keeping my plates change the price of my car?
No. The car is valued on its own condition, age and kilometres.
Sources
Related Guides
About the author: Written by Steve, owner of Victorian Car Buyers, a licensed motor car trader (LMCT 12395) based in Delahey, Melbourne.