Number plate spacing?

AdrianC

Deastons wrote: »

...but it's not on any car but isn't available to buy.

Then it's probably been on a car that's now scrapped. If so, the plate is gone for ever, unless you find that car, restore it to roadworthiness, then transfer the plate off.


Alternatively, but far less likely, it may have been allocated to a car that's had another plate transferred onto it, which would leave that "on the shelf" ready for return if the other plate is ever transferred off.

Deastons

AdrianC wrote: »

Then it's probably been on a car that's now scrapped. If so, the plate is gone for ever, unless you find that car, restore it to roadworthiness, then transfer the plate off.


Alternatively, but far less likely, it may have been allocated to a car that's had another plate transferred onto it, which would leave that "on the shelf" ready for return if the other plate is ever transferred off.

I never knew that. I assumed when a car is scrapped the DVLA would take the plate back so that all plates could be accounted for.

It would be a 1993 plate, so that's entirely possible. Is there literally no way? I can't ask the DVLA to reinstate it or anything?

Car_54

Deastons wrote: »

There's a J-reg plate that would perfectly match my name without the need to change it! Annoyingly, can't find it anywhere. Been looking for years but it's not on any car but isn't available to buy.

You've just confirmed what I (and no doubt many others) were thinking.;)

[Deleted User]

When a car has been scrapped I don't think it's plate goes back into a pool to be used again. It's usually gone forever with the car.

When you take a number off to put a private reg on, the old reg is kept on the back burner and will be allocated back to the car if the private reg is taken off.

If you import an old car from another country and register it here, DVLA with allocate it an age related plate to match it's year of manufacture, but the reg will not have been on any car before.

Deastons

Car_54 wrote: »

You've just confirmed what I (and no doubt many others) were thinking.;)

I don't understand. What have I confirmed?

AdrianC

Deastons wrote: »

I never knew that. I assumed when a car is scrapped the DVLA would take the plate back so that all plates could be accounted for.

It would be a 1993 plate, so that's entirely possible. Is there literally no way? I can't ask the DVLA to reinstate it or anything?

Nope. Previously issued plates are never reissued, never have been, and I doubt they ever will be.

Deastons

AdrianC wrote: »

Nope. Previously issued plates are never reissued, never have been, and I doubt they ever will be.

That's a shame - but good to know.

plumber63

After 20 years of having my plate with no problem the boys in blue sent me a FPN of £100. My plate is H1 1T WT. The reason I am angry is this. Before I bought the plate I went into my local police station and told them what I wanted to do. They said ok because I wasn't putting bolts in the wrong place and they could read it ok. I have been past countless speed camera vans, had police cars follow me and my wife has passed this van on numerous occasions without problem. On this particular morning at 8 am it was pouring with rain, no one speeding, so lets have a go at number plates. So those wanting to do it be careful it just depends on plods mood at the time.

AdrianC

plumber63 wrote: »

After 20 years of having my plate with no problem the boys in blue sent me a FPN of £100. My plate is H1 1T WT.

No, your plate is H11 TWT

But I can see why you might want to try to rearrange that to deny the obvious bit of word-making...

The reason I am angry is this. Before I bought the plate I went into my local police station and told them what I wanted to do. They said ok because I wasn't putting bolts in the wrong place and they could read it ok.

They misinformed you. They're probably very sorry, an' all, but that doesn't change the law. Anyway, the plate's only been on that car for a year. I'd be surprised at the dealer supplying you with illegal plates for a brand new car - they aren't that easy to get these days - but I guess they didn't, and you went to the lengths of changing the correctly spaced ones for illegal ones post-delivery?

Nice simple explanatory leaflet as to what's legal and what's not:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/724689/vehilce-registration-numbers-and_number-plates-inf104.pdf

Actual legislation:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/561/contents/made

Illustrations within that of permitted layouts:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2001/561/schedule/3/made

Those regs would not have applied if the plate had never changed vehicle since before 2001 - the previous versions, which also forbade mis-spacing, would've - but since the vehicle it's currently on is so new, they most certainly do.

[Deleted User]

plumber63 wrote: »

After 20 years of having my plate with no problem the boys in blue sent me a FPN of £100. My plate is H1 1T WT. The reason I am angry is this. Before I bought the plate I went into my local police station and told them what I wanted to do. They said ok because I wasn't putting bolts in the wrong place and they could read it ok. I have been past countless speed camera vans, had police cars follow me and my wife has passed this van on numerous occasions without problem. On this particular morning at 8 am it was pouring with rain, no one speeding, so lets have a go at number plates. So those wanting to do it be careful it just depends on plods mood at the time.

No sympathy.