It was stolen in 1992 from a mates lockup but had a distinctive plate. Nothing special and I am no real fan of private plates but it came with the car. A 1971 Triumph spitfire. Insurance had lapsed and it was beyond repair so I didn't report it at the time.
Is it possible to somehow reclaim the plate???
Nope in short
But dont I still "own" the plate even though it and the car are lost forever? As the last registered keeper can't I just have a set made up then register to another vehicle??
Did you claim the theft on the insurance? If so, then the car belongs to the insurance company.
Logic and sensible reasoning do not apply when dealing with the DVLA.
It probably belongs to the scrote who stole it!
Do you still have the V5?
If not how can you prove that you own it?
(And if you did the DVLA could do you for not having SORN'd it!)
Bitd a vehicle had to have an MOT to be able to transfer the plate from it, can't remember what stipulations there are now.
My understanding and experience from 20+ years ago is that the car its been transfered from needs to have a valid MOT certificate to be transfered even if you own both vehicles. It may have changed since then
At a guess the dvla might know
Have you done a check to see if the reg is still in use with the government website to confirm a valid MOT?
Have you done a check to see if the reg is still in use with the government website to confirm a valid MOT?
Yes. I was the last registered keeper
Do you still have the V5?
If not how can you prove that you own it?(And if you did the DVLA could do you for not having SORN’d it!)
No, lost years ago. So as you say no way of proving it....
My understanding and experience from 20+ years ago is that the car its been transfered from needs to have a valid MOT certificate
It was borderline in 91 I think that is a non starter 🙂
Not long until it won't need one..
Sorry, I'm pretty sure you don't stand a chance on that one. To take the plate off the car you at least need the V5 and pretty sure an MOT certificate or if not those a certificate of retention that needs to be updated every couple of years else you lose the plate.
They changed the rules a good few years ago to stop people trading plates off cars that no longer exist if I remember right. On occasions they'd want to inspect the vehicle to make sure it exists. A friend of mine had that issue after his car got smashed up and he wanted to transfer the plate. I think he had to trailer the wreckage to the local DVLA office (not sure they even exist now though!)
No, lost years ago. So as you say no way of proving it….
Surly the DVLA will have records of...
Oh, no, wait, it's the DVLA. The organisation who notoriously missed off motorcycle entitlement when renewing licenses for loads of bikers and then insisted that they retake their tests to regain the qualification unless they still had the old test certificate.
Good luck. If you claim ownership as last legal owner, I wouldn't put it past them to come after you for failing to declare it SORN for a couple of decades.
