False number plates....
Discussion
This is the subject of an argument/discussion at the moment between me and a pal - does anyone know the law?
He says - you can put false plates on a car and only be subject to a minimum fine if the cars actual plates are underneath or in the boot of your car. Nothing more.
I say - yer mad! Deliberately putting false plates on your car is a serious offence, you'd be quite rightly arrested. Secondly Kens congestion charge people would pick the car up - charges would go to the owner of the number (whoever that might be) and sooner or later there'd be a knock at the door!
However he insists he's right!
Plotloss said:
Having false plates is worse than having no plates...
(I think)
(I think)
MUCH worse.
At least you can explain that away - someone must have stolen them whilst you were in the PUB.
Actually this happened to my Father in Law - On the way home from the pub (sober but over the limit as all good people of his generation) gets stopped by the police who ask him to tell him the number of the car. He tells them and they ask him how they are supposed to know. They tell him as his car is VERY ordinary they think the number will be used on a stolen car for a while. And tell him to drive to the police station to report it stolen (Never got why they couldn't do it before tea break)
Someone that I used to know has a motor bike with one digit out. I think that's a bit silly.
Someone else I worked with had 2 identical VW beetles (IN EVERY respect including numberplate) Strange I thought.
False plates really are not a wise thing to have (unless you fancy a spell inside and a huge fine). A broken front plate is another matter. I do know someone who puts a snapped plate on the front of his Mondeo whenever he does a long journey out of his local area. In fact just half of it is fitted and he tilts it down at a slight angle. He's never been stopped and if he was to be he would deny knowledge of it. You know, some people never look at the front of their cars. They park against a wall or garage door at home and do the same at their place of work. They use a car wash and are unlikely to notice a broken plate when checking the oil unless they check specifically for number plate damage.
Another acquaintence of mine had his front plate stolen, or broken off, and he does not know when that happened, only that he noticed it when cleaning the car by hand which he had not done for 6 weeks prior. It then took him a couple of days to get a new plate.
In fact, if you were away from home, you would be unable to get a new plate until your return as you must now produce the V5 which not many carry in the car with them, so if your plates got stolen at the beginning of, say, a two-week touring holiday, you would be unable to replace them immediately and would risk a £30 fine for failure to display. Before the new regulations you could just go into a car spares shop and have them made whilst you waited, but no longer. Apparently this cuts car crime (er, how?). Crims will just steal plates and it's unlikely that any crim will go into a shop and try to buy new plates when they are available on-line from 'Fancy Plates' in 24 hours. A complete farce really.
Another acquaintence of mine had his front plate stolen, or broken off, and he does not know when that happened, only that he noticed it when cleaning the car by hand which he had not done for 6 weeks prior. It then took him a couple of days to get a new plate.
In fact, if you were away from home, you would be unable to get a new plate until your return as you must now produce the V5 which not many carry in the car with them, so if your plates got stolen at the beginning of, say, a two-week touring holiday, you would be unable to replace them immediately and would risk a £30 fine for failure to display. Before the new regulations you could just go into a car spares shop and have them made whilst you waited, but no longer. Apparently this cuts car crime (er, how?). Crims will just steal plates and it's unlikely that any crim will go into a shop and try to buy new plates when they are available on-line from 'Fancy Plates' in 24 hours. A complete farce really.
A frind of mine has a flip plate which has attacted a little interest from the law, mainly to enquire how the plate functions. Very James bond. I beleive he has told them its on there for track days. It always makes me laugh when you see a gleaming motor that has just been polished for hours with a plate that looks like it been dragged through the mud for miles.
Judging by the various Polish and other East European vehicles seen one wonders about the widespread abuse of the temporary import rule 6 months use in any 12 months rule.
I mean it's all very well for the law and DVLA to say stuff like:-
Temporarily importing a vehicle
There are international agreements which provide for the temporary use of a vehicle in a foreign country for a limited time, usually six months in a 12 month period. A visitor to the UK may use a vehicle displaying foreign plates, provided that all taxes (including vehicle excise duty) are paid in their country of origin.
If a vehicle bearing foreign plates is stopped by the police, it is the responsibility of the keeper to demonstrate that he or she is eligible to use the vehicle in the UK without registering and taxing it.
Non European Union (EU) vehicles
The drivers of vehicles from outside the EU will need to demonstrate via HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) that they are eligible to use the vehicle here on a temporary basis. If this is achieved a HMRC Notice 3 is issued, which will be date stamped with the date the vehicle should leave the country. The decision lies with HMRC whether a visiting vehicle, from outside the EU can be granted visitor status. HMRC will decide whether an extension to the six month period can be granted, if not they will issue status certificates (forms C&E 386 or C&E 388). The vehicle must then be registered at a DVLA local office.
European Union vehicles
It is the responsibility for the driver to prove how long the vehicle has been in the country. This can be achieved by producing ferry tickets. Used or unregistered vehicles brought into the UK will be allowed to circulate freely for six months in any 12 month period without the need to register. Certain vehicles will be required to display a temporary ‘Q’ plate. Temporary visitor status is not appropriate to these vehicles.
But if they are never bloddy well stopped. I can point to several PL registered that have been here continuously to my knowledge.
I mean it's all very well for the law and DVLA to say stuff like:-
DVLA said:
Temporarily importing a vehicle
There are international agreements which provide for the temporary use of a vehicle in a foreign country for a limited time, usually six months in a 12 month period. A visitor to the UK may use a vehicle displaying foreign plates, provided that all taxes (including vehicle excise duty) are paid in their country of origin.
If a vehicle bearing foreign plates is stopped by the police, it is the responsibility of the keeper to demonstrate that he or she is eligible to use the vehicle in the UK without registering and taxing it.
Non European Union (EU) vehicles
The drivers of vehicles from outside the EU will need to demonstrate via HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) that they are eligible to use the vehicle here on a temporary basis. If this is achieved a HMRC Notice 3 is issued, which will be date stamped with the date the vehicle should leave the country. The decision lies with HMRC whether a visiting vehicle, from outside the EU can be granted visitor status. HMRC will decide whether an extension to the six month period can be granted, if not they will issue status certificates (forms C&E 386 or C&E 388). The vehicle must then be registered at a DVLA local office.
European Union vehicles
It is the responsibility for the driver to prove how long the vehicle has been in the country. This can be achieved by producing ferry tickets. Used or unregistered vehicles brought into the UK will be allowed to circulate freely for six months in any 12 month period without the need to register. Certain vehicles will be required to display a temporary ‘Q’ plate. Temporary visitor status is not appropriate to these vehicles.
But if they are never bloddy well stopped. I can point to several PL registered that have been here continuously to my knowledge.
In the 70's when I was rallying with Datsun we had an estate car on Belgian plates. The UK duty had been paid, but the Belgian plates were retained for a couple of years.
Then again, under EU law relating to businesses, there must be no artificial barriers to trade and this includes the use of business assetts anywhere. So if you have a motor vehicle and you have an EU company, you could easily use a vehicle registered to your company in, say, Belgium, for a few months here, a few months in France, back here for a few months, then in Belgium for a few months, then back here, etc, etc., all completely legally so long as the vehicle was registered, taxed and insured somewhere in the EU. I checked this with DVLA and they confirmed that it's correct. It's only if the vehicle is permanently,i.e. for a continuous period exceeding 6 months, in this country that it must be registered. Take it out every few months for a spell and all is OK. My friends who live in Spain have had a UK registered Renault there for 4 years and it's still on UK plates. There are even companies out there offering insurance in ex-pat papers for UK vehicles permanently in Spain.
So, there is nothing to stop you from starting a company in Dublin, buying a used car there, insuring it there, bringing it here for 6 months, then taking it back and trading it in for a new one and bringing it back here for 6 months. That's entirely legal and, maybe, the thing to do if you get to 9 points.
Then again, under EU law relating to businesses, there must be no artificial barriers to trade and this includes the use of business assetts anywhere. So if you have a motor vehicle and you have an EU company, you could easily use a vehicle registered to your company in, say, Belgium, for a few months here, a few months in France, back here for a few months, then in Belgium for a few months, then back here, etc, etc., all completely legally so long as the vehicle was registered, taxed and insured somewhere in the EU. I checked this with DVLA and they confirmed that it's correct. It's only if the vehicle is permanently,i.e. for a continuous period exceeding 6 months, in this country that it must be registered. Take it out every few months for a spell and all is OK. My friends who live in Spain have had a UK registered Renault there for 4 years and it's still on UK plates. There are even companies out there offering insurance in ex-pat papers for UK vehicles permanently in Spain.
So, there is nothing to stop you from starting a company in Dublin, buying a used car there, insuring it there, bringing it here for 6 months, then taking it back and trading it in for a new one and bringing it back here for 6 months. That's entirely legal and, maybe, the thing to do if you get to 9 points.
Flat in Fifth said:
Judging by the various Polish and other East European vehicles seen one wonders about the widespread abuse of the temporary import rule 6 months use in any 12 months rule.
I mean it's all very well for the law and DVLA to say stuff like:-
Temporarily importing a vehicle
There are international agreements which provide for the temporary use of a vehicle in a foreign country for a limited time, usually six months in a 12 month period. A visitor to the UK may use a vehicle displaying foreign plates, provided that all taxes (including vehicle excise duty) are paid in their country of origin.
If a vehicle bearing foreign plates is stopped by the police, it is the responsibility of the keeper to demonstrate that he or she is eligible to use the vehicle in the UK without registering and taxing it.
Non European Union (EU) vehicles
The drivers of vehicles from outside the EU will need to demonstrate via HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) that they are eligible to use the vehicle here on a temporary basis. If this is achieved a HMRC Notice 3 is issued, which will be date stamped with the date the vehicle should leave the country. The decision lies with HMRC whether a visiting vehicle, from outside the EU can be granted visitor status. HMRC will decide whether an extension to the six month period can be granted, if not they will issue status certificates (forms C&E 386 or C&E 388). The vehicle must then be registered at a DVLA local office.
European Union vehicles
It is the responsibility for the driver to prove how long the vehicle has been in the country. This can be achieved by producing ferry tickets. Used or unregistered vehicles brought into the UK will be allowed to circulate freely for six months in any 12 month period without the need to register. Certain vehicles will be required to display a temporary ‘Q’ plate. Temporary visitor status is not appropriate to these vehicles.
But if they are never bloddy well stopped. I can point to several PL registered that have been here continuously to my knowledge.
I mean it's all very well for the law and DVLA to say stuff like:-
DVLA said:
Temporarily importing a vehicle
There are international agreements which provide for the temporary use of a vehicle in a foreign country for a limited time, usually six months in a 12 month period. A visitor to the UK may use a vehicle displaying foreign plates, provided that all taxes (including vehicle excise duty) are paid in their country of origin.
If a vehicle bearing foreign plates is stopped by the police, it is the responsibility of the keeper to demonstrate that he or she is eligible to use the vehicle in the UK without registering and taxing it.
Non European Union (EU) vehicles
The drivers of vehicles from outside the EU will need to demonstrate via HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) that they are eligible to use the vehicle here on a temporary basis. If this is achieved a HMRC Notice 3 is issued, which will be date stamped with the date the vehicle should leave the country. The decision lies with HMRC whether a visiting vehicle, from outside the EU can be granted visitor status. HMRC will decide whether an extension to the six month period can be granted, if not they will issue status certificates (forms C&E 386 or C&E 388). The vehicle must then be registered at a DVLA local office.
European Union vehicles
It is the responsibility for the driver to prove how long the vehicle has been in the country. This can be achieved by producing ferry tickets. Used or unregistered vehicles brought into the UK will be allowed to circulate freely for six months in any 12 month period without the need to register. Certain vehicles will be required to display a temporary ‘Q’ plate. Temporary visitor status is not appropriate to these vehicles.
But if they are never bloddy well stopped. I can point to several PL registered that have been here continuously to my knowledge.
Too much effort and paperwork for the BiB, and that's assuming they get the right UK address in the first place. Not accusing BiB of being lazy, just overworked, and not accusing all immigrants of being (insert epithet here), just some of being cute enough to avoid any legal issues...
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