registering and putting a number on an imported car

[jjorj]

My E type is an older import and I only have a customs and excise 386 certificate of taxes paid. I will shortly want to MOT the car and put on an age related number I have on retention. What is the current procedure?
I presumably can't drive it for an MOT with no numberplate showing so is there a way of getting the number on the car without having it MOTd?
I was going to take it to France to get it painted and then ask for a NOVA on the way back in but this is not an option now.

[Alty Ian]

Hi jjorj (what is your name btw)

See this thread

viewtopic.php?t=8176&highlight=registering+dvla

You can MOT your car using its chassis number then apply for an age related plate, costs ?55 and takes about a week or so but you must provide a lot of evidence etc. See the thread above for details.

Ian

[jjorj]

Sorry should have added George at the end of initial post

Main problem is can I drive car to test on only its chassis number?

[Alty Ian]

Yes. I did, just ring the test centre and book your car in under its chassis number. Make usre you insure the car first also using the chassis number. You need insurance anyway to register and tax the car.

Tell the tester about this and he WILL be able to register it on the DVLA computer system using the chassis number. I know, I spent ages with my tester (who I know very well) while he did it.

Good luck George.

[chrisfell]

Sorry should have added George at the end of initial post

Main problem is can I drive car to test on only its chassis number?

....not just on the chassis number. The car must be registered and insured to be driven on the road. It can only be driven without tax and MOT if it is being driven to a pre-arranged MOT test.

So you must register the car first, then insure it, then MOT it, then apply for its tax/licence.

Or you can hire a trailer to get it MOT'd. No worry then if it fails.

[christopher storey]

I don't think Chris Fell is correct about registration before MOT. When I built my Westfield, it could not be registered without MOT and so was driven for MOT on Trade Plates

[tinworm]

Yes as already said - all you need is insurance on the chassis number drive it to mot appointment , drive straight back home and then you can register the car. This will be a (slightly) worrying time as you have to send by post all your original documents to DVLA (and hope they are not lost) you cannot go to a local taxation office as they have all been closed.

Barrie

[Alty Ian]

Chris F

A car cannot be registered without an MOT.

The process is;

1. Insure it.
2. MOT it
3. Apply for its registration and taxation at the same time

In that order.

It is perfectly legal to drive an unregistered car for its first MOT providing it is insured. I know I have done it and I checked with DVLA and police first. A trade plate is not essential unless the car is not being driven by its owner who its insured with.

With regard to the documents, you can request originals are returned but you have to send a self addressed postage paid tracked envelope and they wont guarantee to return them even then. In my case they never returned them at all despite my repeated requests. Fortunately, I took colour copies of the originals and sent them and they never noticed the difference.

[chrisfell]

I don't think Chris Fell is correct about registration before MOT. When I built my Westfield, it could not be registered without MOT and so was driven for MOT on Trade Plates

I got that wrong. I had forgotten the MOT before registration rule, which if memory serves was created to limit the transfer of registration numbers in the days before our government found a way to tax the transfers.

My point is that driving a car on the roads without visible number plates is likely to get a slapped wrist from the Feds regardless. Trailer or trade plates saves the bother.

I wonder, does the lack of properly displayed number plates, which would be a normal MOT fail, get any kind of mention if the car isn't registered?

[Alty Ian]

It is quite a rare occurrence and in reality the law allows the police to use some common sense thankfully.

The biggest problem was the DVLA MOT computer system which doesnt like classic car chassis numbers and it took a while for the tester to get it accepted.

[jjorj]

It is quite a rare occurrence and in reality the law allows the police to use some common sense thankfully.

And that is the worrying bit! I have had contact with a number of members of the police force where this less is than obvious. So no need to display the chassis number on the exterior of the vehicle. I have a trailer but MOT centre I use which is classic car friendly is in a small cul de sac with no hope of entry let alone exit with a trailer and the surrounding area would be impossible to load/unload in.

George