DVLA News
Classic Car owners are banging their heads against a wall because the DVLA, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is refusing to add more than 40 missing marques to its online database.
The DVLA are currently spending £2m on revamping their internet service facilities but despite being approached by both the Standard Motor Club and the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs the DVLA have declined to update its online Vehicle Enquiry System to include classic car names such as Standard, Alvis and Gilbern.
The names do not appear on the standard drop-down menu so customers are having to physically type the car marques in.
Car owners are also facing problems with VOSA, MOT’s, Insurance and DVLA Motor Tax at the DVLA.
The full list of the 43 missing marques that are still not recognised by the DVLA, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency database are as follows:
ALLARD
ALPINA
ALPINE
ALVIS
AMC
ARIEL
ARMSTRONG SIDDELEY
AUTOBIANCHI
CONNAUGHT
CROSSLEY
DARRACQ
DELAGE
DELAHAYE
DELOREAN
DESOTO
DKW
DUESENBERG
FACEL VEGA
FRAZER NASH
GARNER
GAZ
GILBERN
GOGGOMOBIL
HEALEY
HEINKEL
HINDUSTAN (FULLBORE)
HISPANO-SUIZA
INVICTA
ISO
LISTER
MATRA
MESSERSCHMITT
NASH
PANHARD
PEEL
RADICAL
ROCHDALE
STANDARD
TATRA
TROJAN
TAZZARI ZERO EM1
ULTIMA
The DVLA are aware of the issue with the Vehicle Online System and have said that the list is kept to the most popular makes and models of vehicles but are looking to improve based on feedback that they have received.
If you experience problems with the DVLA online database please get in contact with the FBHVC, they are a very good active group and will be able to hopefully help you.
If you have any queries or need help regarding any of the following- Cherished Number Plates / DVLA Online Transfers /Cheap Number Plates / Wanted Number Plates then please contact us on 0116 235 0116 and we will be happy to offer our help and advice.
The way car tax is calculated is changing and those affected will be anyone that purchases a brand new car after April 1st 2017. Vehicles that are registered prior to this date will not be affected and the tax rates will remain as they are.
If you decide to buy a brand new car after April 1st 2017 you will pay the first vehicle licence based on your vehicle’s CO2 emmissions and the majority of vehicles will move to the new standard rate of vehicle tax which is £140 a year, however if you buy a brand new car that is over £40,000 at first registration you will pay £450 a year after the first vehicle licence then after 5 years the vehicle tax will revert to the standard rate of £140 a year.
The DVLA have been working with the Motor Industry to ensure that the changes are introduced in a timely way and that the effect will be minimal on customers.
This is the first of many updates that the DVLA are introducing and I will keep you up to date on the progress.
From 3rd December 2015 for a limited time there is the availability to purchase the new’ 16′ series registration numbers. Remember that these registration numbers can only be transferred onto brand new vehicles from 1st March 2016 but can be supplied on a 10 year retention certificate.
If you have a particular ’16 ‘ series cherished registration number that you would like to see is available please contact one of our sales staff on 0116 235 0116 where we will be able to check availability for you.
On our earlier blog posts we informed you about the new changes regarding the vehicle tax laws that came into force on 1st October 2014 yet it seems that some motorists still do not fully understand when they need to tax a vehicle.
The new ruling which came into force on 1st October 2014 was the removal of the paper tax disc. The DVLA stopped issuing the paper discs when you taxed your vehicle although they do still issue you with a reminder when your vehicle tax is due.
The mistake some motorists are still getting confused by is that the Vehicle Tax or SORN no longer transfers over to you when you purchase a vehicle.
Even if the vehicle still has road tax on it this no longer transfer to the new owner, you have to tax the vehicle afresh.
The message that the DVLA want to get out is ‘Vehicle Tax or SORN cannot be passed on when a vehicle changes hands’.
Please click on the link below that will take you direct to the DVLA webpage where you can read and view all the necesssary information.
Vehicle Tax Rules
Non-reflective number plates are now permitted on classic cars built before 1st January 1975, as long as the vehicles have been registered with DVLA as Historic Vehicles. Since April this year (2015) vehicles manufactured before 1st January 1975 could display the older style number plates provided that they applied to DVLA Swansea and are recorded within the historic taxation class. Previously only vehicles built before 1st January 1973 could show these type of number plates.
A senior press officer within DVLA said that by law vehicles recorded as being in the historic taxation class can display the black and white or black and silver style plates, vehicles that were not in this historic taxation class by DVLA should only display registration plates in the current standard.
For many classic car clubs this ruling is very appealing and evocative to classic car enthusiasts to have these type of plates displayed on their vehicles.
Cherished Number Plates love them or hate them there is no escaping them. Personalised Registration Numbers have now become a must have car accessory and prices have become more affordable and you can buy a cherished number plate for as little as £30 plus vat. DVLA have various cherished number auctions throughout the year and prices achieved are getting stronger all the time especially if they are single numbers or word related. Below is a list of the Top 10 Registrations with the hammer prices (excluding VAT,buyers premium and ct fee) they achieved at auction.
1. 25 O Sold £400,000 November 2014
2. 1 D Sold £285,000 March 2009
3. 51 NGH Sold £201,000 April 2006
4. 1 RH Sold £196,000 November 2008
5. K1 NGS Sold £185,000 December 1993
6. KR15 HNA Sold £180,000 May 2015
7. 1 O Sold £170,000 January 2009
8. 1 A Sold £160,000 December 1989
9. 1 OO Sold £156,000 April 2006
10. 2 O Sold £115,000 March 2009
If you would like to purchase a cherished number plate click here or if you would like to view the latest Auction Numbers see our Auction page
The new 65 series registration number plates was introduced in the UK just over a week ago. All new vehicles registered between 1st September and 1st March 2016 will use the new registration plates. New vehicle sales are set to take off as the new 65 series number plates are introduced.
Why are we getting new 65 series number plates? Each year two sets of new registration plates are introduced into the UK via the DVLA at Swansea. The first new release each year is 1st March and the second release is 1st September. The plates are used to identify any vehicles built during that period, and helps drivers calculate the age of a car/vehicle.
What do the letters and numbers mean on the new 65 series registration plates? The first two letters on a registration plate indicate where the vehicle was registered, not where it was built. The first letter stands for the region the vehicle was registered and the second represents a local DVLA office. The next two letters are the same for every vehicle registered in that time period. The new registration plates will use 65, while registration plates from 1st March 2015 use 15. The final three letters are random and give the vehicle a unique identity.
If you would like to purchase a new 65 series number plate click here and view our huge database of cherished number plates.
Update on new law on smoking in cars and other vehicles with someone under 18.
From 1 October 2015 it will be illegal to smoke in a car (or other vehicles) with anyone under 18 present. The law is changing to protect children and young people from the dangers of secondhand smoke.
Both the driver and the smoker could be fined £50. The law applies to every driver in England and Wales, including those aged 17 and those with a provisional driving licence. The law does not apply if the driver is 17 years old and is on their own in the car.
Every time a child breathes in secondhand smoke, they breathe in thousands of chemicals. This puts them at risk of serious conditions including meningitis, cancer, bronchitis and pneumonia. It can also make asthma worse.
The law applies to any private vehicle that is enclosed wholly or partly by a roof. It still applies if people have the windows or sunroof open, have the air conditioning on, or if they sit in the open doorway of the vehicle. The law won’t apply to a convertible car with the roof completely down.
For more information click guidance on new rules about tobacco, e-cigarettes and smoking
In May the DVLA informed members of the public about the new Share Driving Licence service, which puts British driving licence holders firmly in control of who they share their most up to date driving licence information with.
The service allows users to generate a check code which they can share with a third party in order to prove their entitlement to drive – for example in response to a request from their employer, or when hiring a vehicle.
Since the abolition of the counterpart driving licence on 8th June 2015, the service has been in public beta. This means it is fully functioning and being used by the public whilst still being tested. The service is proving really popular – it’s been used over 1.4 million times since 8 June and currently has a customer satisfaction rating of 87.2%.
Some of the feedback the DVLA have had highlights that for some, the 72 hours validity period when you generate a check code is not long enough. It’s clear that some users want the check code to last longer – particularly those who need it when they are travelling and so the DVLA have listened.
Starting from 10th July 2015 they have extended the validity period to 21 days. Car hire companies or employers will still need the last eight digits of the driver’s licence number to redeem the code. Of course, it can be cancelled at any time, putting the user in control of when their record can be accessed and by whom.
DVLA plan to review this in three months once they have had sufficient further feedback from users and industry.
As informed in previous posts as from today June 8th 2015 the Driving Licence Counterpart is no more. It’s GONE
As part of the government’s Red Tape Challenge initiative to remove unnecessary burden, DVLA will no longer issue the paper counterpart to the photocard driving licence. This means that from today, existing paper counterparts will no longer be valid and should be destroyed. The photocard remains valid and should be kept safe.
If you still have any queries or want further information you can email the DVLA at abolitionofcounterpart@dvla.gsi.gov.uk
