Transferring a registration number to an A7

[Nigel Ricardo]

Hi Nigel,

That was my question at the tail end of my previous post. The ex-Morris 8 number is now on retention with its owner, as he has sold the modern car it was on. So I'm seeking to clarify if it can go from retention in its current ownership to retention under my ownership.

Yes, you can, just fill in the nominee (you ) on the retention form.

[Ian M]

It has been a while since I started this thread and I now want to explain how all of this has unfolded in the meantime, coupled with an unwelcome development yesterday. Certainly spoiled my evening when I arrived home from work and opened the letter from the DVLA.

In early January, I completed the V317 form, which represents the application to keep a number on retention. To re-cap, my plan was to first remove the existing number from the Seven, which was originally an age-related one in any case, keep it on retention, and to subsequently apply a number that used to be on a Morris Eight I once owned. The DVLA responded promptly, stating that an inspection would be required because "the vehicle was manufactured/registered before 1963". I thought this a bit of an odd statement, but of course had no actual objection to an inspection, hence I set about getting the car ready. Good clean-up, new battery, fresh petrol etc, as it had been laid up for some time, but with tax and insurance maintained at all times. No MOT, although no reference at all has been made to this in any correspondence.

In mid February, an inspector came from the DVLA's agent SGS, to inspect the car. He explained that the DVLA do not provide his organisation with any explanation as to why any vehicle is to be inspected, but added that the majority of his inspections involve expensive vehicles that have been imported to the UK. He took a few pictures, asked a few questions, but gave no indication of any concerns and said that his report would be submitted to the DVLA 48 working hours later.

Fast forward to yesterday evening an there's a letter from the DVLA waiting for me, the theme of which was both unwelcome and unexpected. Some highlights from said letter:

"Having inspected your vehicle an anomaly has been found. Before we can consider your request, we require further information"

"Please use the enclosed reply slip and 'Built up vehicle report' (V627/1)"

"Please advise what changes have been made to the vehicle, including any modification to the chassis or bodyshell. You must send photos of the vehicle before the changes, if possible, and after the changes. At least one of the photos must show the vehicle's registration number, [please also send a photo of the chassis/VIN plate"

What the hell....?! Built up vehicle?! My Ruby is very substantially original and I cannot even begin to imagine what is being alluded to by the DVLA. There is very definitely only one area in which the car differs from its original specification, which is that the sliding sunroof has been replaced by a fixed panel in the long distant past, which is quite common in any case.

It's frustrating that I will now need to wait until Monday afternoon before I can phone the DVLA to discuss all of this. Anyone else had any similar experiences?

[JonE]

I thought that age-related weren't transferrable? i.e. you might get it back if you ever took the Morris one off, but you couldn't transfer it elsewhere. In which case, should you have done the V317, when in fact you could have just asked to assign the Morris plate and "forgotten" about the other one?

I had to go through an arcane process for NOVA as a result of a similar pronouncement during registration (the car hadn't been imported, so b. knows why...)... I just breathed deeply and answered questions as you may have to do if you can't get around it on the phone.

Good luck - and try not to let it gnaw at you.

[Ian M]

My understanding is that age-related numbers are non-transferrable if the V5C actually says so. The number in question was issued in the early 1980s, hence the non-transferrable status for these numbers is something that might have been introduced some time later.

I was quite keen to retain the age-related number if I could, not least because it has been with me for 33 years. The result of my initial enquiries was that I should seek to put the age-related number on retention, then transfer the Morris 8 number onto the Seven as a separate transaction. Had I taken the other option, I agree that things might have been much simpler and easier!

[andrew34ruby]

..."Please use the enclosed reply slip and 'Built up vehicle report' (V627/1)"

"Please advise what changes have been made to the vehicle, including any modification to the chassis or bodyshell. You must send photos of the vehicle before the changes, if possible, and after the changes. At least one of the photos must show the vehicle's registration number, [please also send a photo of the chassis/VIN plate"

What the hell....?! Built up vehicle?! My Ruby is very substantially original and I cannot even begin to imagine what is being alluded to by the DVLA. There is very definitely only one area in which the car differs from its original specification, which is that the sliding sunroof has been replaced by a fixed panel in the long distant past, which is quite common in any case.

It's frustrating that I will now need to wait until Monday afternoon before I can phone the DVLA to discuss all of this. Anyone else had any similar experiences?

Yes I had a similar experience. Don't worry about it. DVLA have no idea whether the vehicle has been built up from parts, and they have no idea whether you have modified the car. So, they are asking you! Simply tell them that nothing has been changed. In my case I explained that many parts had been dismantled, cleaned, painted, oiled and put back together again. Many new nuts and bolts used, but nothing modified and almost all original parts re-used. They didn't quibble.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

That sounds to be very sensible advice Andrew.

[Steve Jones]

Yes I had a similar experience. Don't worry about it. DVLA have no idea whether the vehicle has been built up from parts, and they have no idea whether you have modified the car. So, they are asking you! Simply tell them that nothing has been changed. In my case I explained that many parts had been dismantled, cleaned, painted, oiled and put back together again. Many new nuts and bolts used, but nothing modified and almost all original parts re-used. They didn't quibble.

Yes, that's exactly it. Been there, done that. The DVLA don't have 'standard' letters for every possible situation so they tend to send the nearest they think appropriate. What they're actually asking you is has your car been substantially modified. Your car hasn't so tell them that by filling in their form saying all the elements they ask about are original. 

Steve

[Ian M]

I now have a red face! Oops! 

This afternoon, I spoke to an exceedingly helpful gentleman at the DVLA, who answered all of my questions and then went on to explain the background to the anomaly referred to in their recent letter. Seems that my chassis and engine number do not match what it says on the V5. Yep! I've owned the car for 33 years and genuinely never realised. He further mentioned that had I submitted the car for an MOT test at any time since the computerised system came into play, it would immediately have come to light. However, as the most recent MOT test for my car pre-dates the computerisation, that hadn't actually occurred.

Anyway, all is not lost, as I am now invited to submit all the information that I have about the car's history. All being well, the records can hopefully be put straight after all these years.

[Ian M]

Two very unwelcome developments to report, following the receipt of two separate communications from the DVLA today. This follows a letter and some forms that I submitted to the DVLA immediately following the above post from four weeks ago.

The first communication deals with my request to put the existing registration number onto retention. Not only has my claim been rejected, the DLVA have also stated that my V5C has been destroyed "for security reasons". So, I now no longer have a V5C in my name for the vehicle, which I have owned for the last 33 years.

The other communication opens up with the words "The chassis number differs from the DVLA record and so the vehicle will have to be re-registered. From the information provided, it appears that your vehicle could be considered for registration within the reconstructed classic scheme". Not only that, but I have also been allocated a new VIN (i.e. chassis number) consisting of 7 alpha and 10 numeric characters and I am instructed to arrange for "a franchised dealer or local garage to stamp this number on the chassis or frame of the vehicle".

I'm afraid that all of this is now causing me very considerable worry. 

[Hedd_Jones]

I wouldnt be overly concerned, other than you now have to apply for an age related plate via the club.