Re-registering a classic - off road since before 1983

[25th QV]

Can someone confirm the process for registering a car that has been off the road since before 1983 and is therefore not on the DVLA records?

I'm looking at buying such a car and would like to know the process before committing to purchase as the DVLA website isn't clear on a few areas.

Whilst the car wears its original dateless number plate, I assume this will have been lost and no longer available to this car?

If so, would it get an equivalent dateless (non transferable) number?

Would it need to be MOT'd despite being over 40 years old in order to re-register?

Any other pitfalls or things to look out for?

Thanks in advance.

[john2443]

Being off the road since 1983 doesn't necessarily mean it's not on DVLA system, if the owner in 83 applied for a V5 then it's kept the reg.

I'm not sure about the current regs; clubs used to be able to help you authenticate the vehicle and reg and you could keep the original reg. I'd check with the owners club and see if they have records and are able to help.

Even if you have to go for an age related plate I think you would still have to prove the age of the car; a recent photo doesn't count because you could put any plate on any car. If it's Austin/Rover/MG etc British Motor Heritage might have the records.

Edited by john2443 on Wednesday 12th August 11:03

[B'stard Child]

I bought a 1972 car that was last taxed in 1983 (had never been Sorn as it was taken off the road before Sorn existed) about 4 years ago - I applied for the reg doc and paid the fee as the previous owner had lost it and 2 weeks later I got a reg doc in my name

It’s still not on the road mind

[25th QV]

Thank you, this is a car from the 40's that has been off the road since the 60's.

[South tdf]

I helped put an old barn find back on the road last year. It was a late 50s Ford that had been off the road since the 70s.

The car had the original beige log book and after writing to DVLA the original plate has been re assigned but is now marked non transferable.

[B'stard Child]

South tdf said:

I helped put an old barn find back on the road last year. It was a late 50s Ford that had been off the road since the 70s.

The car had the original beige log book and after writing to DVLA the original plate has been re assigned but is now marked non transferable.

Had it been raped for a previous plate?

[B'stard Child]

25th QV said:

Whilst the car wears its original dateless number plate, I assume this will have been lost and no longer available to this car?

I have always been under the impression that if a plate has been issued to a car and died with it it can never be re-issued as one "for sale" by DVLA

Happy if proved wrong but it sticks in my mind for some reason

[25th QV]

Thanks everyone - I entered the original number into the usual DVLA search engines for MOT, Insurance and tax status and there is no record, so possible it might go back on the original plate.

Any info on whether it would need an MOT to be registered - DVLA site says yes, but not clear on whether MOT exemption rules could or would apply.

[B'stard Child]

25th QV said:

Thanks everyone - I entered the original number into the usual DVLA search engines for MOT, Insurance and tax status and there is no record, so possible it might go back on the original plate.

Any info on whether it would need an MOT to be registered - DVLA site says yes, but not clear on whether MOT exemption rules could or would apply.

It's always been the case that to get "historic tax" ie free it has to be MOT'd at that point it then gets it's tax status changed and also falls into the MOT exempt status from that point on

It's a way of ensuring that a basket case box of bits doesn't get it plate raped which is probably the main concern for DVLA

Same with my 1972 car - it's tax class is currently PLG - I can't get it changed without an MOT and insurance (ie on the road) at which point I can apply for historic tax status and then have no MOT requirement

[ruhall]

B'stard Child said:

I have always been under the impression that if a plate has been issued to a car and died with it it can never be re-issued as one "for sale" by DVLA

Happy if proved wrong but it sticks in my mind for some reason

That's what DVLA told me a few years ago. They would, however, consider creating a reversed version (of a dateless plate) anc putting it for public auction, obviously providing it hadn't ever been issued previously.

[Keep it stiff]

25th QV said:

Thanks everyone - I entered the original number into the usual DVLA search engines for MOT, Insurance and tax status and there is no record, so possible it might go back on the original plate.

Any info on whether it would need an MOT to be registered - DVLA site says yes, but not clear on whether MOT exemption rules could or would apply.

So there is no paperwork with the car at all, you just have the registration plates? Have you looked for a chassis and engine number?

I suggest you hook up with a club for the type of vehicle concerned, you don't mention what it is but the chances are that a related club will have a historian who can assist you verify the car. DVLA are usually happy to accept a statement from an official club to verify the authenticity of the car and accordingly if there is enough information to satisfy a club historian there is a good chance that DVLA will accept it per the original date. This will make it MOT exempt and eligible to a period plate.Take lots of pictures of the car as it is now, these may assist in establishing authenticity. As someone else mentioned, it could be that use of the registration was transferred to another vehicle even if the actual plates are still attached to the car. The fact that the registration is not listed now is positive, either the registration does still belong to the car or after being transferred it became dormant and in which case DVLA might re-issue.

[25th QV]

Thanks everyone.

The car is being sold with a certificate of authenticity - whatever that is.

To be fair, I'm not bothered about whether it gets it's original plate back, as long as it gets an appropriate dateless plate once re-registered.

[South tdf]

B'stard Child said:

Had it been raped for a previous plate?

Believe it was the original Hampshire issue, probably worth about £4k.

[aeropilot]

25th QV said:

Any info on whether it would need an MOT to be registered - DVLA site says yes, but not clear on whether MOT exemption rules could or would apply.

You said it was a 1940's car, so no MOT needed - but if it hasn't been on the road since the 1960's its clearly going to need quite a bit of work, so sensible once done to get a MOT check done as a 2nd set of eyes over the restoration or recommissioning work.

[B'stard Child]

aeropilot said:

25th QV said:

Any info on whether it would need an MOT to be registered - DVLA site says yes, but not clear on whether MOT exemption rules could or would apply.

You said it was a 1940's car, so no MOT needed - but if it hasn't been on the road since the 1960's its clearly going to need quite a bit of work, so sensible once done to get a MOT check done as a 2nd set of eyes over the restoration or recommissioning work.

I think it will have to have one MOT before being classed as MOT and Tax exempt

My logic is simple

You find this and the owner sells it to you for £50



It has a dateless plate (lets say it has a value of 5K)

You'd need to spend a lot more on the car to get it to MOT std so you can transfer the plate

But it's older than 40 years so MOT and tax exempt so doesn't need an MOT

So you apply for the reg doc and a week later it's in your name

You don't need an MOT and it's 40 plus years old so doesn't need Tax and you can transfer the plate off and pocket the 5K easy money rinse and repeat - easy money

Except KFO 357 is "untaxed" - DVLA records on line clearly show it



ie the car hasn't been on the road for a long while the reg doc but still has tax class PLG on it

To transfer the plate you need it to be insured and taxed - the taxed bit is the killer you can't get tax without an MOT in the first time and then paying for Tax and then class changes to "historic" and you get a refund and don't need an MOT any more.

The issue is getting to that point you can't claim historic class tax without paying for Tax and then changing tax class from PLG to Historic at which point it can not need to be submitted for MOT every year

Edited by B'stard Child on Thursday 13th August 23:06

[aeropilot]

Yes, but this vehicle mentioned by OP isn't even on the DVLA database having not been on the road since the 1960's....?
But, yes, it will likely need to have a first MOT to be deemed roadworthy, as DVLA won't either issue a new dateless plate to it or grant issue of its original if enough evidence presented.
DVLA won't be granting a reg number until its roadworthy IIRC, in same way that they now won't do so for a non-roadworthy 'historic' status import?

[B'stard Child]

aeropilot said:

Yes, but this vehicle mentioned by OP isn't even on the DVLA database having not been on the road since the 1960's....?
But, yes, it will likely need to have a first MOT to be deemed roadworthy, as DVLA won't either issue a new dateless plate to it or grant issue of its original if enough evidence presented.
DVLA won't be granting a reg number until its roadworthy IIRC, in same way that they now won't do so for a non-roadworthy 'historic' status import?

Exactly my point - the fact that it falls into an age where it’s MOT and tax exempt doesn’t mean that it can be put back on the road without one (at the very minimum)