DVLA records

[fixitflav]

I recently sold a car, went through the paperwork and got a letter from DVLA saying ownership transferred. I was curious to know whether the new owner had got it through MOT, due around end of Feb. But when I looked on the DVLA website, to my surprise it did not recognise the reg. When I tried it with cars I drove in the 1970s and 80s, long since scrapped, it recognised them, tax and MOT expired about 1983!
Anybody know how the car could disappear from DVLA records? Even if it has been SORNed I'd have thought they would know about it.

 

[Mottie]

I'd guess it's either been written off, been stolen or had a private plate put on it.

 

[johnny2007]

Private plate.

 

[fixitflav]

Showing my ignorance, but what's a private plate? Does that mean it disappears from the DVLA system? And isn't picked up by ANPR cameras?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

A private number plate, I think it just take a while to show up on the DVLA system but should do eventually.

 

[fixitflav]

OK thanks all

 

[Mottie]

Once the number plate has gone off of a car, it'll be gone from the system forever unless it gets reissued by the DVLA or the owner sells the car, takes the private plate off and the original plate is often reassigned to the original vehicle.

 

[fixitflav]

Once the number plate has gone off of a car, it'll be gone from the system forever unless it gets reissued by the DVLA or the owner sells the car, takes the private plate off and the original plate is often reassigned to the original vehicle.

Perhaps I'm being slow, but how does a number "go off of a car"?

 

[Mottie]

Perhaps I'm being slow, but how does a number "go off of a car"?

For example, you have a car with the registration number AB11 CDE. Your name is 'Roy'. You see a registration number for sale for sale, ROY 55. You buy that plate. You have it assigned to your car. AB11 CDE now ceases to exist and will now no longer show on any vehicle tax, insurance and MOT records or databases.

In a few years time, Roy buys another car. He has ROY 55 taken off of that car to go on his new one. DVLA will then reassign AB11CDE back on to the car it came off of providing nobody else has bought that registration from DVLA.

 

[fixitflav]

For example, you have a car with the registration number AB11 CDE. Your name is 'Roy'. You see a registration number for sale for sale, ROY 55. You buy that plate. You have it assigned to your car. AB11 CDE now ceases to exist and will now no longer show on any vehicle tax, insurance and MOT records or databases.

In a few years time, Roy buys another car. He has ROY 55 taken off of that car to go on his new one. DVLA will then reassign AB11CDE back on to the car it came off of providing nobody else has bought that registration from DVLA.

Thanks for the explanation. Not relevant here, but I believe Roy has to buy the car with ROY 55, can't buy the reg alone.

Could be that's what's happened here, but it seems unlikely anybody would put a cherished reg on the car I sold, 2004 Mondeo, 210000 miles on the clock! But you never know

 

[Mottie]

Thanks for the explanation. Not relevant here, but I believe Roy has to buy the car with ROY 55, can't buy the reg alone.

You really don't. You buy the reg on a retention certificate. https://dvlaregistrations.dvla.gov.uk/

Could be that's what's happened here, but it seems unlikely anybody would put a cherished reg on the car I sold, 2004 Mondeo, 210000 miles on the clock! But you never know

I'd imagine it may have been stolen or written off in an accident in that case.

 

[fixitflav]

You really don't. You buy the reg on a retention certificate.

OK, we live and learn! Thanks again

 

[Avocet]

Try looking for it on here:

https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history

 

[Mottie]

Try looking for it on here:

https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history

I doubt if it will be on there. When a reg number is issued, a replacement mot certificate is issued for the same vehicle with the new number on and the old one is removed from the system. Same with the tax and insurance databases.

 

[EFLImpudence]

AB11 CDE now ceases to exist and will now no longer show on any vehicle tax, insurance and MOT records or databases.

In a few years time, Roy buys another car. He has ROY 55 taken off of that car to go on his new one. DVLA will then reassign AB11CDE back on to the car it came off of providing nobody else has bought that registration from DVLA.

Does that not mean that AB11CDE must still be recorded somewhere and 'remembered' for that specific car?