C1 BHA makes a good point, I went overseas for 3 years and put my own plate on retention for that time, you just have to make sure that you remember to keep renewing it each year. I bought mine for 250 quid in early 2000, it is now on the second car which I am about to sell as I am heading off again until the end of the year, will re-allocate it when I get back. Like him I can't imagine having any other registration on my car and am happy to cough up the allocation fee each time I change vehicle, which isn't that often anyway.