Age Related Number Plates

[Nigel was in Brittany]

I dont know Martin , my Ruby was originaly FWL 424 , as I didnt have the paperwork for the car when I bought it from Barry I had to get it re registered and was allocated VXS 456 which is acceptable .

[Martin Prior]

It's always seemed a great shame to me that the system is now so rigid. In the late 'seventies my father got registration re-issued to a veteran motorcycle on the basis of nothing more than a period photograph!

If a registration is not on DVLA's system at all and someone has reasonable grounds to claim it, I can't see why it can't be re-issued on a non-transferable basis with the proviso that DVLA can take it back if someone else turns up with conclusive paperwork.

[Ian Williams]

"If a registration is not on DVLA's system at all and someone has reasonable grounds to claim it, I can't see why it can't be re-issued on a non-transferable basis with the proviso that DVLA can take it back if someone else turns up with conclusive paperwork."

Thats what they did with one of my cars back in the mid 80's, I see no reason not to continue.

[Mike Costigan]

If a registration is not on DVLA's system at all and someone has reasonable grounds to claim it, I can't see why it can't be re-issued on a non-transferable basis with the proviso that DVLA can take it back if someone else turns up with conclusive  paperwork.

Unfortunately when that situation does arise, no-one wants to take responsibility to authorise the changes. Back in the 1990s I rescued an early Triumph Herald from a scrapyard; the registration and identity plates had been removed, but I found in the locked glovebox its logbook, original sales receipt and a handwritten daily log  for its entire life! On the basis of the paperwork I tried to retrieve the original number, and after several inspections including one from the Fraud Squad I was told that since the registration was  now on a Spartan kit-car which had changed hands several times it was not possible for me to claim the number; if I pursued the matter then both cars would be issued with new numbers and the original number would be withdrawn altogether!

A similar situation involved one of the original Works Spitfires; the registration number had been re-issued to a bitsa (made up from genuine Works parts) and when the original turned up in France complete with the ex-Works receipt and export documents the DVLA refused to do anything about correcting the situation and the genuine car now has a completely bogus registration.

[Hammo]

To the OP - This is very encouraging.

I have spent the last few days pouring over DVLA connected posts trying to gigure our if it’s worth trying to build and register my pile of bits.

Well done!

Chris