Recovering
Original Registration
Numbers.
Text to small.
The issue of Non Transferable Age Relate Plates.
Registration Numbers for Alpines imported from abroad.
The Sunbeam Alpine Owners Club
is able to process applications from owners who wish to retain their
original registration number or obtain an age related plate under the DVLA's scheme.
Presently there is no fee
payable by members for this service.
This service is available to non members when a fee of £25.00 (Twenty
Five Pounds) is payable.
In both cases we
reserve the right to charge reasonable travelling expenses if we are
required by the DVLA to inspect the vehicle.
Applications will only be processed if the Alpine has been registered with the club. This can be done by completing the Register Form on this site. Or by requesting a hard copy from the Registrar.
***********************
Some background taken from a DVLA leaflet.
In
the early 1970s DVLA began to take over and computerise
the records of vehicles previously maintained by
local vehicle taxation offices. This process involved the registration of new
vehicles and the "conversion" of the records
of vehicles already in circulation.
Because of abuse of the registration
procedures, the computer record was closed for old vehicles in 1983.
Vehicles which were undergoing renovation/restoration at
that time were issued with letters from DVLA.
These letters explained that the details of the vehicle had been noted
and the procedures to be used
Until 1990, original registration numbers were only reissued if the
vehicle could be shown to be rare or historically significant.
In November 1990,
however, new rules were introduced which allowed vehicles to claim back
their original marks on a "non-transferable" basis. "Non-transferable*
means that the mark cannot be transferred onto another vehicle, although it can
be replaced by a cherished number.
In December 1991, we extended non-transferability
to age-related numbers allocated to pre 1963 vehicles, where it was
not possible
to establish a link to a specific number, or where the original number had been transferred off.
How
do these new rules work? The following questions and answers should help.
How
can I register my vehicle under its original number? This number is not recorded
at DVLA because
it missed the 1983 deadline.
You
will need to complete an application Form V765 (available for download from www.direct.gov.uk/motoring
or from
one of DVLA's local offices). Also, you must be able to provide a documentary
link between your vehicle and the
number you are claiming. This can take the
form of an original "old-style" log book, pre 1983 tax disc or MoT certificate,
etc.
This must be accompanied by a recent photograph of the vehicle and either the current Registration Document/Certificate
(V5or V5/C) or a V55/5 "application for a first licence for a motor vehicle and
declaration of registration".
The V55/5 is available from a DVLA local office or DVLA Swansea.
If you do not wish to send your original documents through the post you may ask for authenticated photocopies to be made at any DVLA local
office, and these can then be used to accompany your application.
You
then need to send your completed application to the Registrar. Members and Non
Members see below.
The authenticated application can then, either be forwarded to DVLA or
returned to you for processing.
The Registration Number will be allocated on a non-transferable basis.
What
if the DVLA inform you that you cannot have the original number?
It may be that the
number has been re-allocated, or transferred to another vehicle some time ago.
In these
circumstances,
DVLA will allocate an age-related number to your vehicle - a number that is
appropriate for the age of the vehicle.
If this is a non-suffix or prefix it will also be non-transferable.
My
vehicle does not have a V5 but I have a restoration/renovation
letter issued by DVLA. What should I do?
You
will need to apply for the number from Vehicle Customer Services, DVLA, Swansea,
SA6 7JL A completed V55/5
(available from a DVLA local office or DVLA Swansea, see overleaf for contact
details) and a copy of the renovation/restoration letter will be required plus
copies of any available documentation. An inspection is necessary and will be
arranged. (I understand the DVLA may make a charge of £25.00 Ed..)
Provided the vehicle details are in order your vehicle will keep its original
number. Numbers assigned under these
procedures will be on a transferable basis.
The original number of my vehicle which was transferred off or lost some time
ago. I have no idea what my
current number should be. What can I do?
You
will need to provide proof of the year of manufacture, as long as the original chassis plate number is on the
vehicle this can be established.
If you do not have the original chassis number then things become a little
difficult but proof of approximate age can usually be proved by
personal inspection by an Official of the club.)
The club will supply a letter (contact the Registrar.) with all the details to
support a V55/5 application for an age-related number (non-transferable if the
vehicle was manufactured before 1963).
Claims for registration on this basis should be directed to a DVLA local
office..
What
if I have no information to support a claim?
If no dating or other evidence is available to support an application or if
your vehicle has been restored or rebuilt
using
a majority of used parts from different vehicles, it is likely that your vehicle
will be allocated a number from the "Q" series.
This Indicates that the origins of the vehicle are unknown. But if new
information becomes available at a later date
then you can apply for a
more appropriate number to be allocated.
Applications for numbers which fall into these circumstances can be made at any
DVLA local office.
Note Owners of a 'Q' plate are not allowed to change it for a personalised registration number. DVLA 3/8/2007.
What if I import a vehicle from abroad that has no documentation?
So
long as the vehicle has a chassis number, the club can identify the car and will
issue a letter with all the details
to present to the DVLA.
If you do not have the original chassis number then things become a little
difficult but proof of approximate age can usually be proved (by
personal inspection by an Official of the club.)
The DVLA have tightened up on
their requirements for proof of registration. Make sure your evidence states
both registration number and chassis number or it will not be accepted.
NOTE:
As we understand it, it is not possible to obtain an age related plate for a
pile of bits, even if the chassis number and engine numbers match and the car has a competition
history.
The car must be fully assembled, MoT'd, insured (use the chassis
number/engine number as recognition mark when obtaining a MoT and insurance if you do not
have a registration number) and roadworthy.
Don't panic though, there is no need to rush your restoration project and spoil the Alpine, your number is perfectly safe as long as it has not been transferred to another vehicle at sometime in the past. If it has, then it's too late anyway, because your Alpine will have been officially allocated a replacement number and the cars original number officially belongs to another car.
When you have collected all the documents:
MEMBERS
Should send the application and all documentation to the Registrar. See
committee list in Horn for address.
(Please include a SAE.)
NON MEMBERS.
Please email the Registrar
for the address to send the application, cheque and
SAE.
Please make cheque payable
to: Sunbeam Alpine Owners Club.
So what happens after you've sent us your application?
1. If we do not consider the application valid, we will return the documents to you with a covering letter explaining our reasons and also sending a copy of the letter to Swansea.
2. If all the correct documents are enclosed, arrangements will be made to have the vehicle inspected by an authorised member of the club, (if requested by the DVLA to do so) who will issue a report. If the claim is valid, the club will return the documents and report with a covering letter for forwarding to the DVLA.
3. If the DVLA refuse the application it is returned to us with a covering letter and we pass it back to you. If the application is successful we receive an acknowledgement slip and you receive the documents you sent in to support the application and a new V5. When you want to tax the car, you take that with your MoT certificate and insurance certificate or cover note to your local Post Office, fill in form V10, (see note below) and they will issue your road fund license.
Note. Since 1st February 2003, applicants without a V11 (Vehicle Excise Licence Reminder) can only obtain a tax disc at a licence issuing post office if they present a V5 or a V5/2 supplement with the V10 application. It is no longer possible to apply for a tax disc at a post office without either a V5 or a V11.
All Alpines qualify as 'Historic
Vehicles', so no road tax fee is required. However, the road tax disc must
be displayed
on the windscreen.
Useful links to the DVLA.
Register Old Vehicle Register Imported Vehicle
21/10/2007