DVLA Registered old car as new

[Jaguar99]

I have been looking at used Defenders and came across one on eBay which looked good

Looking at it a bit closer I found something which I didn’t think could be done

It is a 2002 Defender on a 70-plate. It was imported and registered with the DVLA in 2020:



My understanding was if the year is known it should have an appropriate reg (so a 51-plate in this case) and if the year is unknown then a Q-plate

Anyone else come across something like this?

[InitialDave]

I know it used to happen a lot with imports and ex-military stuff, it'd be registered with a then-current plate as, well, that's its date of first registration.

Not sure if still common practice? From your post, I assume it must be.

[bimsb6]

We had something similar with a suzuki , can’t remember the details but we used it , sold it , never had a problem .

[Jaguar99]

bimsb6 said:

We had something similar with a suzuki , can’t remember the details but we used it , sold it , never had a problem .

Wasn’t expecting it to cause a problem tbh but with the way Defenders (don’t) age looks wise it’s an interesting way to have something that appears a lot newer than it is (especially as this Defender is in great nick cosmetically)

[BigRusko]

I had the very same with an Audi A3 back in 2003. The car was a '98 and imported from Jersey in 2001. DVLA for some reason put it on a 51 plate and even when I queried this with them I was told all was well. My insurance company at the time agreed to insure the A3 using the VIN instead of the registration as they were also unhappy with the 51 plate.

A good few months later I received a letter from the DVLA saying they had ballsed up and I had issued the wrong plate to the car. Then had the cheek to try and get me to pay for new plates.

Even with a letter from the DVLA do you know how difficult it is to get plates made without a V5???

It was a massive pain in the a$$ but all turned out ok in the end. Just keep hold of all paperwork/documents just in case....

[General Price]

Work bought an ex Red Cross Defender on a 51 plate,I think.

Turned out to be a mid 90's.

Got run into the ground so it wasn't a problem.

[Pastor Of Muppets]

Definitely happened with imports, I brought a DC2 over in 2007 and it got a 57 plate, didn't complain.

[Sheepshanks]

Pastor Of Muppets said:

Definitely happened with imports, I brought a DC2 over in 2007 and it got a 57 plate, didn't complain.

Did the V5 show the correct date of first registration, as in the OPs case?

[iDrive]

It looks to be a DVLA error and I wonder if they will seek to correct it (that would be my concern if looking to buy).

The seller tells the story...

Sold originally in Dublin and then he moved to Belgium and we imported it in November 2020 and it was registered by DVLA on a “70” plate making it truly unique and it has all the necessary importation paperwork to verify, originally registered new on 12/02/2002, this is an exceptional example having had 1 owner until November last year and a full Land Rover main dealer service history, Alveston Red Metallic with white roof top, 9 seats and cubby box, this is a facelift 2002 Model so has the later dashboard with factory fitted electric windows, original radio cassette, sunroof, ABS, remote central locking alarm with immobiliser, LED lights, side step bars, rubber over mats throughout, tow pack, boost alloy wheels with excellent matching set of General Grabber TR tyres, HPi clear, 2 sets of keys, V5 shows ourselves as the first keeper in UK then 1 owner since who we sold it to last year but due to unforeseen change of circumstances we purchased it back from him, 96,194 miles, full service history all Land Rover main dealer 16 services with receipts including original purchase invoice, last serviced at Land Rover main dealer on 24th June 2020 at 94,036 miles.

[Jaguar99]

iDrive said:

It looks to be a DVLA error and I wonder if they will seek to correct it (that would be my concern if looking to buy)..

That’s my concern too based on one commentator above plus me understanding it to be one of DVLA’s golden rules that you a reg no can’t make a car appear newer than it is…

[InitialDave]

It does seem odd, thinking about it, it's like they've treated it as an import never registered before, when it was.

On the other hand, would them correcting the registration year make the slightest difference to anything?

[Jaguar99]

InitialDave said:

It does seem odd, thinking about it, it's like they've treated it as an import never registered before, when it was.

On the other hand, would them correcting the registration year make the slightest difference to anything?

It wouldn’t make any tangible difference but it is a USP of this particular example that the DVLA may just remove at some point

[0ddball]

I remember someone doing it years ago with a qhite Escort Cossie years ago. Something about if you use a brand new shell and all new parts (with receipts) it can be registered as new.

Thought that was the only way it could be done.

Edited by 0ddball on Sunday 8th August 13:50

[InitialDave]

0ddball said:

I remember someone doing it years ago with a qhite Escort Cossie years ago. Something about if you use a brand new shell and all new parts (with receipts) it can be registered as new.

Yes, that's still true, but not quite the same situation.

[Riley Blue]

Jaguar99 said:

iDrive said:

It looks to be a DVLA error and I wonder if they will seek to correct it (that would be my concern if looking to buy)..

That’s my concern too based on one commentator above plus me understanding it to be one of DVLA’s golden rules that you a reg no can’t make a car appear newer than it is…

One of my previous cars, a Mercedes 320 Coupe, was first registered in the Channel Islands. When it arrived on the mainland three years later and was re-registered it was given a registration for that year. That's how it works, breaking your 'DVLA golden rule'.

[GayBidet]

Looks to me that twelve months VED will be priced at £155.00 in error, when it should be £600.00.
I might be wrong though as I'm out of touch with taxing different vehicles.

[Jaguar99]

GayBidet said:

Looks to me that twelve months VED will be priced at £155.00 in error, when it should be £600.00.
I might be wrong though as I'm out of touch with taxing different vehicles.

Depends whether DVLA have done the reg correctly or not I guess. £600 would be correct for a 2002 car @ 299g/km. £155 would be correct for 2020.

Something else that would change for the worse if the DVLA change their mind….

[E36Ross]

Come up as 299 g/km and a Euro 3..... So assume it's actually taxed correctly for a 2001?


I wouldnt be paying an extra for it, but be nice to have.

[Turbobanana]

I wonder whether the clue here is the similarity between "2002" (the Defender's real age) and "2020". That would be an easy typo to make, surely.

Years ago I looked at a 944 that had been imported in 1998 and registered with a then-current R plate. DVLA had been informed but were happy to let it slide as there was no way it would increase the value of the car because everybody knew there were no R reg 944s.

[832ark]

BigRusko said:

Even with a letter from the DVLA do you know how difficult it is to get plates made without a V5???

Nowadays any number of websites will supply plates with no documentation required. Back then I just used my local show plate supplier, again no docs required.