DVLA & assigning a plate
Discussion
I absolutely give up with the DVLA online system when it comes to assigning a plate.
There ALWAYS seems to be a reason why they can’t do it.
So I had the plates made, ripped off my plates Inc the front plate (sticky one as it’s an Etype) and proudly affixed my new plates assuming it’s a breeze online.
Well blow me down.
The reason stated was that since it’s historic I need to do a voluntary MOT. Well, knowing this I had the car MOT’d 2 months ago.
So I call DVLA. 5-10 min wait it says. An hour later I’m still hanging on.
I do the call back, 3 times…nothing.
I message them through their chat system…nothing.
Now I have a car I cannot use because stupidly I assumed that with all my ducks in order it’d be a breeze.
Anyone shed any light on this absolute S@&t show that is the DVLA?
There ALWAYS seems to be a reason why they can’t do it.
So I had the plates made, ripped off my plates Inc the front plate (sticky one as it’s an Etype) and proudly affixed my new plates assuming it’s a breeze online.
Well blow me down.
The reason stated was that since it’s historic I need to do a voluntary MOT. Well, knowing this I had the car MOT’d 2 months ago.
So I call DVLA. 5-10 min wait it says. An hour later I’m still hanging on.
I do the call back, 3 times…nothing.
I message them through their chat system…nothing.
Now I have a car I cannot use because stupidly I assumed that with all my ducks in order it’d be a breeze.
Anyone shed any light on this absolute S@&t show that is the DVLA?
Can't help unfortunately but watching with interest as I have a 69 plate on retention which I'll be putting on my next car if it's of a compatible age. Knowing the abject misery of dealing with any organisation which requires you to pick up the phone (I'm thinking more insurance than DVLA) I would fully expect to get the admin sorted before attempting to swap the plates.
I'm in the same boat as I have just applied to allocate an existing plate to my new classic. I also had to apply by post as it's an Historic Vehicle. I insisted that the car had an MoT on purchase and have the plates already.
What I've done differently is not assuming the DVLA will be efficient and leaving the old plates on the car until I know the transfer is complete, meaning I can still drive the car.
I know it's frustrating but I've learned over the years that if you play DVLA's game their way, your life will be much easier.
Can you go to Halfords and get a quick and dirty set of plates made so you can still drive your car?
What I've done differently is not assuming the DVLA will be efficient and leaving the old plates on the car until I know the transfer is complete, meaning I can still drive the car.
I know it's frustrating but I've learned over the years that if you play DVLA's game their way, your life will be much easier.
Can you go to Halfords and get a quick and dirty set of plates made so you can still drive your car?
I have a historic age car.
I have never heard of the voluntary mot.
I was not asked last summer when I started using it and put my private plate on.
It's 43 years old but not had an mot for more than 10 years. It was laid up before me, not even on Sorn
If you do a voluntary mot and if fails what next?
I think I know the answer to that one
I have never heard of the voluntary mot.
I was not asked last summer when I started using it and put my private plate on.
It's 43 years old but not had an mot for more than 10 years. It was laid up before me, not even on Sorn
If you do a voluntary mot and if fails what next?
I think I know the answer to that one
Turbobanana said:
I'm in the same boat as I have just applied to allocate an existing plate to my new classic. I also had to apply by post as it's an Historic Vehicle. I insisted that the car had an MoT on purchase and have the plates already.
What I've done differently is not assuming the DVLA will be efficient and leaving the old plates on the car until I know the transfer is complete, meaning I can still drive the car.
I know it's frustrating but I've learned over the years that if you play DVLA's game their way, your life will be much easier.
Can you go to Halfords and get a quick and dirty set of plates made so you can still drive your car?
You are correct of course. What I've done differently is not assuming the DVLA will be efficient and leaving the old plates on the car until I know the transfer is complete, meaning I can still drive the car.
I know it's frustrating but I've learned over the years that if you play DVLA's game their way, your life will be much easier.
Can you go to Halfords and get a quick and dirty set of plates made so you can still drive your car?
But I’ll drive the car as is. I’m just so very bored of the forever changing regs. I’m sure they make it up as they go along.
What cheeses me off more is that there’s no response when I call etc
Postal applications seem to take about a week at the moment, I believe - the DVLA MOT checker website will tell you when it has swapped over, two or so days prior to the new V5C arriving, so you can ring the insurance company ASAP and advise them re: the changed plate / get it on the car / get driving.
king people to answer the phones, you cretins.Just by way of rounding this out / giving encouragement to the OP, I'm pleased to report that my plate transfer was completed today.
As a reminder, the number was on a Retention Certificate, the car is an historic vehicle with theoretical MoT / tax exemption but with a voluntary MoT and was imported from Italy in 2020. Application was denied online (I think due to it being an import and therefore failing to meet the DVLA's criterion of having been taxed / SORNed continuously for the past 5 years). I posted on Friday 2nd May, first class signed for Royal Mail, so total processing time is 7 working days as there was a bank holiday in the middle of it. I await return of V5 etc, but for the past few days I've been checking on HM Government's MoT History website as a quick and easy way to see if it had been completed.
Hope yours is progressing OP. Keep the faith!
As a reminder, the number was on a Retention Certificate, the car is an historic vehicle with theoretical MoT / tax exemption but with a voluntary MoT and was imported from Italy in 2020. Application was denied online (I think due to it being an import and therefore failing to meet the DVLA's criterion of having been taxed / SORNed continuously for the past 5 years). I posted on Friday 2nd May, first class signed for Royal Mail, so total processing time is 7 working days as there was a bank holiday in the middle of it. I await return of V5 etc, but for the past few days I've been checking on HM Government's MoT History website as a quick and easy way to see if it had been completed.
Hope yours is progressing OP. Keep the faith!
cliffords said:
I posted earlier re the mot requirement. It's because it was an import. As I wrote I got a plate put on my 43 year old car, on line, no paperwork, no delay and no Mot.
There are anomalies, though: the plate I've just transferred was put onto a 1971 Triumph GT6 two years ago. Not an import, MoT'd at purchase etc etc. BUT, it had been off the road for years prior to a restoration. I guess DVLA just need to be able to trace some history.Turbobanana said:
Just by way of rounding this out / giving encouragement to the OP, I'm pleased to report that my plate transfer was completed today.
As a reminder, the number was on a Retention Certificate, the car is an historic vehicle with theoretical MoT / tax exemption but with a voluntary MoT and was imported from Italy in 2020. Application was denied online (I think due to it being an import and therefore failing to meet the DVLA's criterion of having been taxed / SORNed continuously for the past 5 years). I posted on Friday 2nd May, first class signed for Royal Mail, so total processing time is 7 working days as there was a bank holiday in the middle of it. I await return of V5 etc, but for the past few days I've been checking on HM Government's MoT History website as a quick and easy way to see if it had been completed.
Hope yours is progressing OP. Keep the faith!
Nice work. As a reminder, the number was on a Retention Certificate, the car is an historic vehicle with theoretical MoT / tax exemption but with a voluntary MoT and was imported from Italy in 2020. Application was denied online (I think due to it being an import and therefore failing to meet the DVLA's criterion of having been taxed / SORNed continuously for the past 5 years). I posted on Friday 2nd May, first class signed for Royal Mail, so total processing time is 7 working days as there was a bank holiday in the middle of it. I await return of V5 etc, but for the past few days I've been checking on HM Government's MoT History website as a quick and easy way to see if it had been completed.
Hope yours is progressing OP. Keep the faith!
I tried again online Monday. I called and selected “call back” again to to avail. ABSOLUTELY useless.
I gathered all the docs together and sent it all of Tuesday.
I just don’t get it. Been taxed continuously for the last 9 years. Voluntary MOT etc. makes zero sense
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