Expired PCO plate
Plate lapsed. Still saleable.
An expired TfL licence doesn't make your vehicle worthless. We buy lapsed-plate private-hire cars and black cabs every working day. A real buyer makes a firm offer in 2 hours. Same-day payment on collection.
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- Same daypayment
- £0buyer fees
- FreeUK collection
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Get a real valuation
Reg + mileage. We come back within 2 hours.
Common scenarios
Four ways drivers end up here.
The advice and the offer shift a little for each. Find yours below, then start a valuation.
Licence lapsed but vehicle still eligible
You forgot to renew, or the renewal slipped during a busy quarter. The vehicle is under TfL age limits and otherwise meets private-hire standards. Option A: renew the licence and carry on. Option B: sell it now without renewing. Both are sensible. We will value it either way.
Past the 15-year age limit
TfL caps private-hire vehicles at 15 years from date of first registration (12 years if first licensed after 1 April 2023). Once you cross that line the vehicle cannot be relicensed in London. Resale options shift to: PCO markets in other regions, export, or onward private use.
Failed inspection or compliance
Plate pulled at a TfL inspection. Emissions, brake, or bodywork failure not economic to fix. You can sell the vehicle to us as it stands. We assess the cost of return-to-service and quote accordingly. No need to remediate first.
Just done with cab work
Plate still valid but you're leaving the trade. Drivers in this spot often try to sell privately and lose six weeks to no-shows. A real buyer makes a firm offer in 2 hours with the plate live, which usually beats the private sale once you count the lost earnings.
What we handle
The TfL admin you don't want to do.
Sell an expired-plate vehicle privately and the paperwork is all yours. We take it off your hands.
- Logbook (V5C) change of keeper sorted with DVLA
- Outstanding finance settled direct with lender
- Free collection across mainland UK
- Faster Payment cleared before keys change hands
FAQ
Common questions
Will I get less because the plate has expired?+
Sometimes, depending on resale route. A vehicle with a live PCO plate is worth more to a buyer reselling it back into the licensed market. An expired-plate vehicle goes either to other regions, to export, or private resale. The gap is usually £500 to £2,000 on a typical PCO Prius. We will tell you the number both ways if it helps your decision.
What about the surrendered TfL licence and roundels?+
Surrendering the licence and removing the roundels is handled directly with TfL, and any partial-year refund TfL issues goes to you. It does not hold up the sale, we buy whether the plate is still on the vehicle or already surrendered.
My vehicle is past the 15-year limit. Is it scrap?+
Usually no. PCO age limits only apply in London. Other licensing authorities have different ceilings and the export market for ex-London PCO vehicles is active, especially Ireland and parts of Eastern Europe. If the vehicle is genuinely end-of-life, see /scrap-vehicle.
Can you settle outstanding finance on an expired-plate vehicle?+
Yes. The plate status does not affect finance settlement. We pay your lender direct, positive equity to you, negative equity handled by negotiation. Detail on /finance-settlement.
How quickly can you collect?+
Same day in most cases for London. 24 to 72 hours for the rest of mainland UK. Collection is free, Faster Payment clears on the kerb.
Ready to start?
Reg + mileage. Offer back in 2h.
Plate status doesn't block the form. Type the reg as it stands and we'll work the rest out.