Can i "reclaim" a licence plate from a dead/lost car?

[rider73]

Long story short - a car I owned many MANY years ago i want to buy again. the MOT website has the car details but no MOTs - i'm wondering if i can buy the same car / model / colour of one existing today, and somehow get the old plate transferred to it or "buy" it from the dvla and put it on the one i buy?

I know its first world problems, but I'd like to try.....

[RazerSauber]

My understanding of that situation is you need to own the vehicle with the number plate you want to buy and it has to have a valid MOT. Only then can the plate be removed and applied elsewhere.

There might be other ways of getting the reg off a car but you'd need to speak with the DVLA. They'll tell you 18 different ways that won't work given the current state of some of their staff.

[B'stard Child]

No - it’s dead along with the car - even DVLA can’t sell the plate even if they wanted too.

Obviously if you found the car, purchased it, got it through an MOT you could then transfer off the plate but you’d have the original car then anyway