Yes, but only sometimes, and it depends entirely on your device and subscription. Many Thatcham-grade systems need an authorised re-fit or a fresh subscription while some can be moved by an authorised fitter using your existing hardware. Before you do anything else, check your device model, serial number, and monitoring account details — these three things decide which route you’re on.
TL;DR:
- Many trackers can be transferred to a new vehicle only if the device model, subscription setup, and ownership documentation permit it.
- Providers often require proof of ownership and may have policies that permanently link some devices to the original vehicle, preventing transfer.
- The transfer process involves gathering serial numbers, vehicle VINs, and proof of ownership, then coordinating with an authorized installer for a proper refit.
- Insurers need documented proof of installation, such as a Thatcham certificate, before approving coverage for the new vehicle, and timing can be critical.
- If the device or subscription cannot be transferred, owners may need to opt for a new device and installation, with portable trackers being an easier but less insurable alternative.
Table of Contents
- How do you check if you can transfer your tracker to a new car?
- What’s the step-by-step process for moving a tracker to another vehicle?
- What do you need to tell your insurer, and when?
- What if your tracker or subscription won’t transfer?
- How does LRD Track handle transfers and professional installation?
- When does it make sense to transfer rather than replace?
- Ready to fit or move your tracker? Here’s what LRD Track offers
- Sources
- FAQ
How do you check if you can transfer your tracker to a new car?
Whether your provider will let you move a tracker comes down to three checks: the device itself, the subscription attached to it, and who owns what.
Start with the hardware. Your tracker’s model and serial number are usually printed on the unit or listed in your monitoring account, and you’ll need both before calling anyone. Next, check how the subscription works. Some suppliers link the monitoring plan to your vehicle’s VIN rather than to you as the account holder, which means the subscription itself may not follow the car. Others operate on an account basis, so the plan moves with you regardless of vehicle. Thatcham Trackers notes that verifying these details is the first real step in any transfer request.
Providers commonly ask for proof of ownership, usually your V5C or a bill of sale, before agreeing to any change.
- Confirm the tracker’s model and serial number against your account records
- Check whether the subscription is tied to the VIN or to your account
- Have your V5C or purchase documents ready for the provider
- Ask whether anti-tamper seals need breaking, which some suppliers treat as invalidating the original installation
Some suppliers simply won’t budge. Tracker states plainly that certain devices stay with the vehicle for security reasons and are never transferred to a new car, whatever the circumstances. That policy alone can end the conversation before it starts, so it’s worth asking directly rather than assuming.
What’s the step-by-step process for moving a tracker to another vehicle?
Once you know your device and subscription details, the transfer itself follows a fairly predictable sequence. Skipping steps is how owners end up with a gap in cover or a tracker that never actually activates on the new car.
- Gather your paperwork first. Pull together the device serial number, your policy or account number, the new vehicle’s VIN, and proof of ownership before you make contact with anyone.
- Call your monitoring provider. Ask directly whether transfers are permitted, whether there’s a fee, and whether the existing subscription balance carries over.
- Book an authorised installer if a physical refit is needed. A proper fitter will check the mounting point, wiring, and immobiliser circuit rather than just unbolting and rebolting the unit.
- Update or open the monitoring account for the new vehicle. Confirm activation with a live tracking test before you drive anywhere.
- Keep records for your insurer. Save the installer certificate, the device serial number, and written confirmation the activation worked.
Pro Tip: Ring your provider before you agree a sale date on the old car. Some suppliers need days, not hours, to process a transfer, and you don’t want to be stranded between two vehicles with no active cover on either.
Real-world accounts back up how variable this process is. Threads on MotorhomeFun describe owners getting a balance transfer sorted over the phone in one case, and being told to buy an entirely new subscription in another, sometimes for the same brand of device. The difference usually comes down to whether the unit was paid off, and whether an authorised engineer is available to re-seal it properly.
What do you need to tell your insurer, and when?
Your insurer cares about one thing: proof that the security equipment they priced your policy against is actually fitted and working on the vehicle you’re now driving. That proof takes the form of an installation or Thatcham certificate, and it usually needs to record the VIN, the device serial number, and the date of fitment.
Timing matters more than most owners expect. Some insurers allow a short grace period between changing vehicles and having the tracker refitted, but this is never guaranteed and varies by policy. Thatcham Trackers’ guidance on insurance proof makes clear that insurers increasingly expect documented proof rather than a verbal assurance that a tracker is “on its way.”
- Notify your insurer before you drive the new car, not after
- Send the installation certificate as soon as the fitter issues it
- Keep a copy of the device serial number alongside your policy documents
- Ask your insurer directly what temporary cover, if any, applies while the refit is arranged
Statistic Callout: Reviews on Trustpilot’s page for Tracker show a genuine split between customers who transferred smoothly over the phone and those refused outright and told to book a fresh install, which underlines why confirming your own supplier’s stance early beats assuming it’ll be straightforward.
What if your tracker or subscription won’t transfer?
Not every device is built to move, and it helps to know your options before you’re stuck between two cars with no cover on either.
If the subscription itself is non-transferable, you’re usually choosing between a new subscription on the existing hardware (where the supplier allows it) or a completely new device and installation. Portable consumer trackers, the kind that pair to an account in minutes, are built to be redeployed easily, but they don’t carry the Thatcham approval that insurers on high-value vehicles typically want.
- A refit onto existing hardware is usually the cheaper option, where the device model allows it
- A new device and installation costs more but resets the certification cleanly
- Ask your insurer whether a temporary alternative, such as a portable tracking device, is acceptable while you arrange the permanent fit
- Get any interim arrangement confirmed in writing before you rely on it
How does LRD Track handle transfers and professional installation?
LRD Track fits Thatcham-approved S5 and S7 trackers across the UK, and every installation comes with the certificate your insurer will ask to see. Certain vehicle models feature specific wiring and immobiliser configurations, so experienced fitters familiar with these vehicles reduce installation errors.
A proper refit checklist looks like this:
- Verify the device serial number against provider records before touching anything
- Remove tamper seals carefully rather than forcing the unit free
- Test wiring and immobiliser circuits for continuity
- Refit, reseal, and run a live tracking test before signing anything off
- Issue an installation certificate recording the VIN and serial number
Pro Tip: Ask your installer to photograph the mounting position before they close the panel back up. It’s a small step that saves an argument later if an insurer ever queries where the device actually sits.
When does it make sense to transfer rather than replace?
Transferring makes sense when the subscription still has meaningful time left and the hardware is compatible with the new vehicle. Replacement makes more sense when your insurer demands a fresh certificate anyway, or the old device simply isn’t built for the new car. My rule of thumb: confirm transferability before the sale completes, not after. For a vehicle worth protecting properly, a certified installer beats a DIY guess every time.
— Will
Ready to fit or move your tracker? Here’s what LRD Track offers
LRD Track gives Land Rover owners a direct route to compliant, insurer-recognised tracking without the back-and-forth some suppliers put you through. Where other providers might refuse a transfer outright or leave you chasing a call centre for a straight answer, LRD Track fits Thatcham-approved hardware nationwide and hands you the installation certificate your insurer needs on the day of fitting.
Before you call, have three things ready: your vehicle’s VIN, your insurance policy number, and the serial number of any existing device. From there, LRD Track’s team can confirm whether your current tracker suits a refit or whether a new S5 or S7 unit is the cleaner option for your model. Browse the Thatcham-approved options built for Land Rover and request an installation slot to get your new vehicle covered before you need it most.
Sources
- Can I transfer my Thatcham tracker to another car? – Thatcham Trackers
- Moving trackr to another vehicle | MotorhomeFun
FAQ
Can I transfer my tracker to another car?
Sometimes, depending on your device model and how your subscription is structured. Some suppliers allow a refit onto the new vehicle, while others, as Tracker.co.uk confirms, keep the device tied permanently to the original car.
Do dealerships fit trackers to brand new cars as standard?
Most mainstream new cars leave the factory without a Thatcham-approved tracker fitted, though some dealers offer it as a paid extra. High-value or theft-target models, including many Land Rovers, are the ones where owners most often add one themselves after purchase.
How much does a tracker subscription cost?
Costs vary by device and provider, so it’s worth checking directly rather than assuming a flat rate. LRD Track’s DEFEND tracker subscription runs from £6 per month, while the DEFEND-Plus subscription runs from £10 per month.
Are new cars fitted with trackers as standard?
Not typically. Most new vehicles rely on manufacturer-fitted telematics rather than an insurer-approved Thatcham tracker, which is why many owners of high-value models add a certified system separately after buying the car.