Legality of the use of Trade Plates

[MJK 24]

I have two sets of trade plates. Can I use them to drive an untaxed but insured and MOT'd car registered to me personally 'around the block' to keep it ticking over through the winter months or is that not permissable?

I would take it a couple or junctions up the motorway and straight back home without interruption my journey. 12 miles approx.

All advice great fully received!

[paintman]

Not permitted. This is from https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...
A motor trader:
may use the trade licence on mechanically propelled vehicles only if they are
temporarily in their possession in the course of their business.
A motor trader who is a manufacturer:
may also use the licence on a vehicle kept only for research and development
purposes,or on vehicles that are submitted to them for testing by other manufacturers.
A vehicle tester:
may use the trade licence only on vehicles submitted to them for testing (including the vehicles trailer,its accessories or equipment).

[Butter Face]

Yes.

You can use them for road testing, which is what you would be doing.

[ging84]

essentially no, you are allowed to use it on the road on test drives, and moving between premises and places of inspection or repair.

However the rules are quite vague and easily abused. If you are testing it yourself, on behalf of a customer that should be fine, so say the car has been sitting on the lot for a couple of weeks, someone wants to test drive it, it would be reasonable for you to test it yourself first to ensure it is still all in good order.

[ging84]

actually forget that, registered to you personally rather than in trade i don't think you can use them at all

[Butter Face]

ging84 said:

actually forget that, registered to you personally rather than in trade i don't think you can use them at all

You're right, I didn't read the 'registered to me personally' bit TBH.

So, no, you can't use them.

[xuy]

The cars are registered and Mot'd by the holder of the trade plates....

So the plates could be "owned" by a business

[xuy]

The cars are registered and Mot'd by the holder of the trade plates....

So the plates could be "owned" by a business

[MJK 24]

Seems that it's a no no which I kind of suspected!

Thanks everyone for the help

[Spangles]

I wonder which is the riskier, improper use of trade plates or driving untaxed?

[MJK 24]

Spangles said:

I wonder which is the riskier, improper use of trade plates or driving untaxed?

Ha! I won't do either! Two cars are stored at my work premises which had a large yard of a couple of acres. They can be run around there. The third, in my garage at home, that will have to wait until 1 March or 1 April before it sees the Queens Highway again!