Resurrecting a forgotten numberplate?

[Inky81]

This is a little unusual.

I'm wondering if I can purchase an old and apparently unused registration. It's nothing special to the ordinary punter, it's the registration of my parents car in the 80's.

I can see online that the last MOT was 1998, so it's fair to assume the car has gone to automotive heaven (the car, just like the registration was nothing special).

I've done some cursory checks with the usual online vendors (Reg Transfers/DVLA etc), but it doesn't appear readily available. Is there a way of resurrecting an old, ordinary reg number?

Thanks!

[wibble cb]

Nope, I think it has to attached to a car in order to transferred , so unless the car is also physically around, you may be out of luck

[aaron_2000]

If a certificate of destruction was issued then I believe you can buy the plate. Pay for a £2.99 history check on Vcheck and it will give you confirmation and a date that it was scrapped if one was issued.

[Inky81]

aaron_2000 said:

If a certificate of destruction was issued then I believe you can buy the plate. Pay for a 2.99 history check on Vcheck and it will give you confirmation and a date that it was scrapped if one was issued.

Thanks Aaron, I followed that trail to the site you suggested. A cert of destruction was issued in '98, any ideas on how to purchase the plate?

[Chubbyross]

wibble cb said:

Nope, I think it has to attached to a car in order to transferred , so unless the car is also physically around, you may be out of luck

That’s always been my belief too. Happy to be proved wrong though.

[South tdf]

Sorry but I believe under current rules once’s a car is scrapped the registration has gone.

[Pica-Pica]

South tdf said:

Sorry but I believe under current rules once’s a car is scrapped the registration has gone.

That seems crazy. There are many 3x3 plates that must have been scrapped then. I am sure that the DVLA could make good money from them, say £250 - £400.

Like the OP, I have looked for my Dad’s old reg number from the early 1960s, just for nostalgic reasons.

[South tdf]

Pica-Pica said:

That seems crazy. There are many 3x3 plates that must have been scrapped then. I am sure that the DVLA could make good money from them, say 250 - 400.

Like the OP, I have looked for my Dad’s old reg number from the early 1960s, just for nostalgic reasons.

As DVLA only computerised records in the early 80s there is a potential black hole of cars that could potentially be locked away in barns and put back on the road with their original reg numbers. DVLA only introduced the certificate of destruction system in the 2000’s and it’s still not used correctly so to avoid any issues they don’t reissue plates unless it’s after a retention.

You just need to look at the auctions to see the millions of unregistered pre suffix style plates available.

[aaron_2000]

South tdf said:

DVLA only introduced the certificate of destruction system in the 2000’s

I don't think that's right. I've done history checks on cars for people which have shown as scrapped prior to 2000

[Mr Whippy]

We’ve got an old V5 for LEO 123 (iirc), but no car/chassis able to be MOT’d to ‘bring it back to life’ and transfer off.

But equally the DVLA know no better so can’t sell this VRM because we may well resurrect the car.


Fair enough if a car is scrapped. Isn’t this how all those old VRM get released slowly by DVLA?
Ie, they did batches of F1 plates last year… obviously old stuff from ‘88 that’s been scrapped years ago or were never issued?

[Maxym]

The plates the DVLA offer for sale have never been issued.

[dhutch]

Maxym said:

The plates the DVLA offer for sale have never been issued.

So they do from time to time create special 'new' desirable plates?

[dhutch]

I've often wondered how it worked in the story where apprently J C Bamford bought then Scooters with the plates JCB 1 to JCB 10.

And why the plate DAN 13L isnt in existence.