Private plate confusion

[Thomas.944.2014]

Hello all, I do apologise if this post is in the wrong area, I am still getting used to the forum!

Last year I purchased a 1986 944 2.5 N/A as a restoration project to complete with my dad. It had been stored in a salvage yard for 15 years, with the previous owner purchasing it with the intentions to restore her. A newborn forced him to sell as he would have no time for it, so I used my saved up money to purchase the car for just £350!
The only documentation he gave me during the sale was a bill of sale, no V5 etc.
I purchased the car with a set of private plates on, but paid for the new registration on the original plates as I was not too sure who owned the others. The V5 came through with no issues, so I am now the registered keeper of the car.

Am I entitled to the Private plates as nothing in the bill of sale, for both me and the previous keeper, mentioned retaining the previous plates? They were just left on the car. I did some research and found that the private plates are still registered to the porsche and have not been transferred to a new car...

any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

 

[JagdHamster]

Those private plates, how can they be registered to the Porsche separately from the V5C?

 

[944Scott]

Im pretty sure if its the number registered on the V5 then they are yours to change (as long as the car is mot'd and taxed)

 

[944 man]

And with a gap of 15yrs between last MOT and tax disc, theres no way that the previous owner can retain the number. Its called a cherished number btw, not a 'private' number/plate

 

[Thomas.944.2014]

I entered them into different number plate register websites and also did a car check, both said that the plates are still registered to the car.
The V5 also says the date they were added but doesn't say anything about them being removed?
When i came around to registering it, it said to use the original plates for registering.

I take it that with the 15 yr gap, the plates have been placed for sale again?

 

[944Scott]

I don't understand what you mean about the plates being placed for sale again. If you have applied for a replacement V5 document and it has come through with this the registration number still on it then provided the car has mot and tax this number can be transferred (sold) to another car.

 

[Thomas.944.2014]

oh I see what you mean, Sorry for all the confusion.
Thanks for all the help!

 

[944 man]

Now Im confused.

Read the rules on cherished transfers and you will see that a car that was parked untaxed/MOTd for 15yrs cannot have its registered number transferred. When you MOT and then tax the car you can transfer/sell the number if you wish, but no one else can do this to your car.

 

[PSH]

I agree with Simon...you can't transfer a number plate without an MOT...I only found this out recently although can't remember how ,where or even why?......

Pete

 

[white944]

This is very confusing, but basically, if you have applied for a replacement V5 for the vehicle, whatever registration number is on the V5 you receive, that is the registration mark currently allocated to the vehicle. This is the only registration mark it has, regardless of what plates are on the car. As the registered keeper, you can retain or transfer this registration mark as long as it is not designated as non transferrable, and that the vehicle it is cuttently allocated to is, or has recently been taxed and MoT'd.

 

[Lancerlot]

You cannot own a registration number. It is allocated to a car for as long as the car is registered. When registration lapses, you lose the right to the number unless it is placed on retention.

If you then re-register the car, the DVLA will try to allocate the same registration number if it is available. If not, they will provide an entirely number from the same year.

If you have a cherished number and do not use it, you lose it unless you place it on retention and keep up the annual payments.

Regards,

Clive.

 

[John Sims]

So, in summary, a car registration number (irespective of the type) is the number registered to the car. That number will remain registered to that car unless the car is written off. If the car isn't SORN it is assumed written off and will require re registering when it gets a new number. This number may be the same as the original if still available.

If you have a cherished registration on reserve, ie not on a registered car, you need to maintain the reservation fees until such time as you register the number to a car.

You can only change the registration of a car with an MOT. This is so you can't buy an old wrecked Honda moped with a cool registration for £20 and transfer that registration to your car.

This is how I understand it - which doesn't mean it's right.

Based on the above, what ever registration your car now has belongs to your car. The previous owner of the car can't claim the registration because he didn't own the registration. You don't own the chassis number of your car, you own the car with that chassis number. The registration number is the same but for the whole car not just the chassis.

 

[JagdHamster]

Some good stuff, there, John.

important to remember to get a private plate on retention/transferred beforehand if there's any chance your car could be written off by insurance, otherwise you could well lose the plate.

Russ

 

[Thomas.944.2014]

Right I see, makes a lot more sense now! Thank you everyone for your help.

 

[Mike_Pollock]

If the car is written off, you should NOT lose the registration number, unless the MOT was expired at the time. However, you can lose the No if the car is stolen and not recovered