how to obtain private registration plate

Ukuser

I am after a private number plate - it is a bulk standard M Reg number plate which spells my surname - all i know it is out there on a car somewhere! because i have done a bit research by entering it on the HPI site and it throws up details of the car make model etc.

Question is there any way of finding out and contacting this vehicles owner - does the DVLA have any channels in place to entertain queries like this?

any advise welcome

thanks in advance

harveybobbles

Write to the DVLA "Information from Records" enclose £5 chq with a covering letter saying why you want to trace the owner of the car.

Or find a similar number plate on their website which is available to buy a few hundred notes.

M283RTY could read Mr Berty etc...

jimpix12

So if someone pays £5 to the DVLA they can then potentially find out the details of anyone with a number plate in the UK? I think that must be some sort of privacy guideline being broken there, otherwise it's a dangerous precedent.

You can contact NewReg or one of those companies and they may contact the owner on your behalf, but be prepared to pay extra for it.

Volcano

spunko2010 wrote: »

So if someone pays £5 to the DVLA they can then potentially find out the details of anyone with a number plate in the UK?

Yep.

I think that must be some sort of privacy guideline being broken there, otherwise it's a dangerous precedent.

DVLA try to cover their backs by saying you need to demonstrate 'reasonable cause' and if you lie they'll fine you lots of money. Given the myriad of examples of 'reasonable cause' and likely nil possibility of them investigating as to whether you are telling the truth or not, ("There's a car that keeps parking on my driveway, sometimes it's there, sometimes it's not" seems to be one desperately unproveable 'reasonable cause'...) then getting hold of someone's details doesn't appear too difficult:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/AdviceOnKeepingYourVehicle/DG_4022066

puddy

this is outrageous, i didnt know that, so in conjunction with the street view thing with google, anyone could find out where you live

maninthestreet

jenner wrote: »

this is outrageous, i didnt know that, so in conjunction with the street view thing with google, anyone could find out where you live

Yes, we know. But the DVLA makes money out of selling this information, so that makes it OK (well, sort of).

Ukuser

thanks for the reply guys - harvey and volcano are right - spoke to DVLA today after your responses and they told me exactly the same thing - so im going to do it and see what happens

thanks once again

flutterbyuk25

Ukuser wrote: »

thanks for the reply guys - harvey and volcano are right - spoke to DVLA today after your responses and they told me exactly the same thing - so im going to do it and see what happens

thanks once again

I am gobsmacked that you were told to do this by DVLA.

As an ex-DVLA employee (5yrs in customer enquires, left earlier this year) this was one of the questions that was clearly a NO answer to.

It was always drummed into us that information cannot be released to a person unless 'reasonable cause' was given, and wanting to buy a private registration mark is not classed as reasonable cause.

x

harveybobbles

Contacting the DVLA to issue a parking ticket to the reg'd owner is a reason that works. We often write to the DVLA for info on keepers if we have a multi-owner car in that we need to verify the mileage or ask about service history. It's not as easy as it used to be getting the info tho.