DVLA trade plates advice

AdrianC

trader67 wrote: »

Many thanls for all your responses. I can acknowledge the car number plates were not obscured but does this invalidate the trade plates?

No, but...

Surely trade plates will exempt holders from Section 29 of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act (1994)?

Yes, but...

They have given me the 'photographic evidence' which only shows the car number but not the trade plates as it was already dark.

THIS is the important bit. Those photos were looked at by somebody sat in an office, and those photos ALONE were what they're basing this prosecution on. If you go to court, those photos ALONE will be what the magistrate bases the prosecution case on.

I sent a 'not guilty' response to the court but there was no option for me to explain my defence. Does anybody know what should happen next

You go to court, and present your defence case, whilst the prosecution present their case, then the magistrate decides who to believe.

Your defence is that you say you had trade plates displayed. Small problem with that - you admit that the photos don't show them. There is no evidence beyond your word to support your claim that the photographic evidence is wrong...

When you say "it was dark" - do you mean the photos JUST show a shiny rectangle of plate in an otherwise dark image? If so, that might help you. But if the car itself is visible, thanks to the camera's IR illumination, you might have a harder job.

harveybobbles

Think the trade plates are meant to cover the number plates up these days?

Daz2009

harveybobbles wrote: »

Think the trade plates are meant to cover the number plates up these days?

Which is easier said than done sometimes.
What you supposed to do where number plates are stuck on or are rectangular or are fixed to one side of the bumper ?

It's clear they hadn't thought of all eventualities when getting rid of the tax disc and the system has little or no flexibility in it.

Should the motor trade organisations be putting some kind of case forward ?

Nodding_Donkey

There is nothing in the guidance notes https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/359338/VTL301G_050814.pdf that says you have to cover up the normal numberplate.

AdrianC

Daz2009 wrote: »

Which is easier said than done sometimes.
What you supposed to do where number plates are stuck on or are rectangular or are fixed to one side of the bumper ?

http://www.directsupplyukltd.co.uk/trade-plate-holders-suction/p87

It's clear they hadn't thought of all eventualities when getting rid of the tax disc

What's the removal of the tax disc got to do with anything? Trade plates are used for vehicles without tax, or unregistered.

Daz2009

AdrianC wrote: »

http://www.directsupplyukltd.co.uk/trade-plate-holders-suction/p87



What's the removal of the tax disc got to do with anything? Trade plates are used for vehicles without tax, or unregistered.

Pretty obvious I would have thought.
With a displayed tax disc the trader could see at a glance whether the vehicle was taxed or not.If it was there was no need to use trade plates and if it wasn't trade plates in the windscreen usually sufficed.
With the new system the trader will have to use plates every time and now also cover up the reg plates in case of camera detection.

AdrianC

Daz2009 wrote: »

Pretty obvious I would have thought.
With a displayed tax disc the trader could see at a glance whether the vehicle was taxed or not.If it was there was no need to use trade plates and if it wasn't trade plates in the windscreen usually sufficed.
With the new system the trader will have to use plates every time and now also cover up the reg plates in case of camera detection.

So the only difference is that the poor lamb might want to do a little internet lookup before deciding whether to use trade plates or not.

The existence of the disc is nothing to do with whether the plates are covered or not.

Daz2009

AdrianC wrote: »

So the only difference is that the poor lamb might want to do a little internet lookup before deciding whether to use trade plates or not.

The existence of the disc is nothing to do with whether the plates are covered or not.

Well I've been in the motor trade for over 25 years and have never known anyone covering the number plates before.It's only come to light because of the change to the tax disc.
In the past some traders have used magnetic trade plates,the front one on the bonnet.
There has clearly been a ground shift in the way trade plates have to be used since the demise of the tax disc.
Your suggestion that the driver checks every car he gets into on the internet first would be a right royal pain in the !!! for some I would have thought.
Obviously any vehicle passing thru the trade would have no tax on it so trade plates would need to be used at all times but what about private customers ? There's no doubt plenty of untaxed cars out there being used every day by private individuals.You expect a garage for example to check every customers car for tax before they road test it,collect or deliver it ?
How many sets of trade plates do you suggest said garage to have ?

Altarf

Daz2009 wrote: »

How many sets of trade plates do you suggest said garage to have ?

A sufficient number to be able to operate their business.

forgotmyname

How many untaxed cars will your workers be using on the road at any one time?

If a vehicle is untaxed isnt that the owners problem rather than the driver though? Only takes a few seconds to check the DVLA website to see if a cars taxed and when the MOT runs out. If your a garage then maybe worth a check as you maybe able to get more work.

A gentle reminder to the customer did you know your MOT is up soon, Or did you know your MOTs expired.