DVLA numberplate law change
DVLA numberplate law change
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Discussion

jennybelford

Original Poster:

4 posts

158 months

Monday 1st July 2013
quotequote all
We have been trying to get back our cars original numberplate for some time through DVLA. We were told that the car it was transferred to 34 years ago has since been scrapped but that a change in their law soon has allowed us to express interest in it. Has anyone else heard this, they say we will hear through the motoring media, but cannot give us any idea of when. Anyone else heard about this new policy change?

Edited by jmbel on Monday 1st July 15:18

aka_kerrly

12,505 posts

239 months

Monday 1st July 2013
quotequote all
jennybelford said:
We have been trying to get back our cars original numberplate for some time through DVLA. We were told that the car it was transferred to 34 years ago has since been scrapped but that a change in their law soon has allowed us to express interest in it. Has anyone else heard this, they say we will hear through the motoring media, but cannot give us any idea of when. Anyone else heard about this new policy change?

Edited by jmbel on Monday 1st July 15:18
if this is anything like when I contacted the DVLA regarding a number plate they tell you to keep an eye on DVLA auctions but will give you no clue as to when it may/may not ever go on sale.

Annoys me a lot when you'd think that as a profit making activity they would want to sell as many private plates as possible!

Craigwww

853 posts

198 months

Monday 1st July 2013
quotequote all
Regt***fers inform me that they can request any unissued plate of my choice from DVLA who will release it for auction.

I asked why they have all the plates listed for sale then already and why if it was going to auction i would need them to buy it for me.

john2443

6,541 posts

240 months

Monday 1st July 2013
quotequote all
aka_kerrly said:
Annoys me a lot when you'd think that as a profit making activity they would want to sell as many private plates as possible!
Agreed, as long as the number is available they could make their own ebay style page, it could be a rolling page that they put everything on.

In fact, it could have a search, if the number you search for is available it gets added to the list. Easy (well it would be if it wasn't a government department!)

LaurasOtherHalf

21,429 posts

225 months

Monday 1st July 2013
quotequote all
i asked for a plate to be released & the dvla kindly sent me an email to let me know which sale it was included in-this was last year so yes, they do it.

they're trying to make money after all

eltax91

10,756 posts

235 months

Monday 1st July 2013
quotequote all
LaurasOtherHalf said:
i asked for a plate to be released & the dvla kindly sent me an email to let me know which sale it was included in-this was last year so yes, they do it.

they're trying to make money after all
Quite. I have just won one and am awaiting another to end today. I requested they both be included through the dvla site.

Now for the thread Hijack. Any sign of them relaxing the spacing rules yet? I plan to conform until they do, but my plates represent my first initial and surname, so they would look much better with a touch of spacing!!

M159V8

2,540 posts

175 months

Monday 1st July 2013
quotequote all
LaurasOtherHalf said:
i asked for a plate to be released & the dvla kindly sent me an email to let me know which sale it was included in-this was last year so yes, they do it.

they're trying to make money after all
Could you tell us who/what address you emailed?

aka_kerrly

12,505 posts

239 months

Monday 1st July 2013
quotequote all
LaurasOtherHalf said:
i asked for a plate to be released & the dvla kindly sent me an email to let me know which sale it was included in-this was last year so yes, they do it.

they're trying to make money after all
True they do have some auctions and do release some plates but seriously it shouldn't take years from when a request is made.

Plus why send it to auction if only one person has requested it, why can't they just give a valuation themselves. If I was told yes Sir you can have that plate it will be £X amount and you can purchase it now I'd be happy or at least why not just add it to the next upcoming auction?

To 99.9% of the population the plate I want means nothing plus it is a XXX 00X format so hardly likely to fetch huge amounts anyway.


ArmaghMan

2,791 posts

209 months

Monday 1st July 2013
quotequote all
M159V8 said:
LaurasOtherHalf said:
i asked for a plate to be released & the dvla kindly sent me an email to let me know which sale it was included in-this was last year so yes, they do it.

they're trying to make money after all
Could you tell us who/what address you emailed?
Jody.Davies@dvla.gsi.gov.uk

pobox205

209 posts

161 months

Monday 1st July 2013
quotequote all
eltax91 said:
Any sign of them relaxing the spacing rules yet?
No and I hope they never do.

eltax91

10,756 posts

235 months

Thursday 4th July 2013
quotequote all
pobox205 said:
eltax91 said:
Any sign of them relaxing the spacing rules yet?
No and I hope they never do.
Thanks for the useful input. rolleyes

CRA1G

7,241 posts

224 months

Thursday 4th July 2013
quotequote all
Under the current system you can only amply for a number that has never previously been issued and it will be then put into auction I think the possible change that's talked about is the release of old scraped numbers which at the moment all lay dormant and can not be reissued so at the end of the day it's just another cash cow for the DVLA to fill their coffers........!

jmbel

Original Poster:

4 posts

158 months

Thursday 4th July 2013
quotequote all
CRA1G said:
Under the current system you can only amply for a number that has never previously been issued and it will be then put into auction I think the possible change that's talked about is the release of old scraped numbers which at the moment all lay dormant and can not be reissued so at the end of the day it's just another cash cow for the DVLA to fill their coffers........!

Yes that is the policy change that we have heard of, one of those scrapped numbers is our old car original number plate and has laid dormant for 34 years

LuS1fer

43,504 posts

274 months

Thursday 4th July 2013
quotequote all
I think the issue with dormant plates is that at any point, the vehicle could turn up as a barn find and then you have a fight as to who owns it.

My first moped in 1975 had VEM 4M on it. It died a very long time ago but bikes rarely get scrapped per se (often broken and sent for scrap metal) so I doubt they would ever re-issue it. So it sounds like a bit of a nightmare checking a particular plate is not still out there somewhere.

jmbel

Original Poster:

4 posts

158 months

Thursday 4th July 2013
quotequote all
LuS1fer said:
I think the issue with dormant plates is that at any point, the vehicle could turn up as a barn find and then you have a fight as to who owns it.

My first moped in 1975 had VEM 4M on it. It died a very long time ago but bikes rarely get scrapped per se (often broken and sent for scrap metal) so I doubt they would ever re-issue it. So it sounds like a bit of a nightmare checking a particular plate is not still out there somewhere.

We have been all through this with dvla, and they confirm to us now that the car in question was scrapped due to an accident so it no longer resides in a barn. We knew if it did it would be a nightmare trying to fi d out where it was otherwise thanks for the input
Jenny

mcflurry

9,189 posts

282 months

Thursday 4th July 2013
quotequote all
If the plate was sold when transferred 34 years ago, then why would it be reissued?

LuS1fer

43,504 posts

274 months

Thursday 4th July 2013
quotequote all
jmbel said:
LuS1fer said:
I think the issue with dormant plates is that at any point, the vehicle could turn up as a barn find and then you have a fight as to who owns it.

My first moped in 1975 had VEM 4M on it. It died a very long time ago but bikes rarely get scrapped per se (often broken and sent for scrap metal) so I doubt they would ever re-issue it. So it sounds like a bit of a nightmare checking a particular plate is not still out there somewhere.

We have been all through this with dvla, and they confirm to us now that the car in question was scrapped due to an accident so it no longer resides in a barn. We knew if it did it would be a nightmare trying to fi d out where it was otherwise thanks for the input
Jenny
Yes, I understood that but the point is that a change in legislation really requires a broader, less specific brush. Personally, I see no real reason why the DVLA could not re-issue any dormant plate after writing to the last known keeper and then revoking the plate should it ever turn up (as long as they then issued an age-related plate to replace it).

In cases where the vehicle has been scrapped, I don't see that any change in the law is required because plates revert to the DVLA and it would be entirely at their discretion, surely? I can see that might be problematic if, for example, a car was scrapped last week and they re-issued it next week and the question of dual identity re past offences etc might arise but in cases where it hasn't been used for 34 years, you might think common sense would be sufficient.

nsa

1,704 posts

257 months

Thursday 4th July 2013
quotequote all
I emailed som.dvla@gtnet.gov.uk last year to put an unissued 1981 W reg in an auction. They did about two months later and emailed me when it came up. I didn't win it.


jmbel

Original Poster:

4 posts

158 months

Thursday 4th July 2013
quotequote all
LuS1fer said:
Yes, I understood that but the point is that a change in legislation really requires a broader, less specific brush. Personally, I see no real reason why the DVLA could not re-issue any dormant plate after writing to the last known keeper and then revoking the plate should it ever turn up (as long as they then issued an age-related plate to replace it).

In cases where the vehicle has been scrapped, I don't see that any change in the law is required because plates revert to the DVLA and it would be entirely at their discretion, surely? I can see that might be problematic if, for example, a car was scrapped last week and they re-issued it next week and the question of dual identity re past offences etc might arise but in cases where it hasn't been used for 34 years, you might think common sense would be sufficient.
Yes i agree and we now have a letter from dvla stating that they are allowing us to register our interest. So if their policy at present does not allow transfer of a plate from a scrapped then by allowing us to show interest this policy must be changing. I read elsewhere that itvwas sooner rather than later and to keep an eye on the motoring press









aeropilot

40,609 posts

256 months

Thursday 4th July 2013
quotequote all
How do you go about finding out whether a plate was ever issued or not...........?