Reg Question

[Bob the dog]

Hi everyone,

I am new to the forum and to Morris Minor ownership. I have recently bought a 1961 Minor on an A plate.

It didn't click with me until I got it home but how can it be a 61 on an A? At first I was concerned but after doing some checks I've calmed down, the V5 has the correct registration number and chassis number and says it is a 1961. I put the registration number in the dvla website and it comes back as 1961 and after giving the insurance company the registration number they said it is a 1961. So it seems legit

So can anyone shed any light as why this is?

Thanks
Jon

[liammonty]

Someone else will be able to shed more light on this than I can, but my understanding is that, for a period, DVLA (or DVLC then) issued 'A' suffix plates when the original, pre-suffix plate was removed from a pre-1963 car and allocated to a different car. Nowadays they issue an 'age-related' plate, but back in the 80s what you see on your car was not uncommon.

[simmitc]

Exactly. The plate might also have been transferred to the vehicle as a cherished plate by a former owner, but when he/she deceased, the Executors then just sold the car. As a matter of interest, is it noted as "non-transferable"? You can ask the DVLA for a history of the numbers allocated to the car (not the keepers, just transactions affecting the numbers). They do change their policies from time to time.

[ManyMinors]

If you contact the DVLA they will usually issue an "age related" registration for you if you prefer. It will make the car look a little more "correct".

[chrischris59]

I can understand your problem, my 1959 Traveller was on an A plate. But be aware after purchasing a Historical Certificate for proof of age I contacted DVLA in 2021 to obtain a pre-suffix VRN and was informed the only way to obtain one was to purchase it.

The DVLA explained by that any car which had not had a note of interest with DVLA prior to 1963 were allocated a number plate with and A or B suffix. They when on to say;-
"When records for old vehicles were closed in 1983, pre-963 vehicles presented for the first registration after this were allocated alternative VRNs from A or B suffix range on a non-transferable basis. This policy also includes those allocated a VRN from the A or B suffix range following a CT (private plate change) of a pre 1963 VRN.
When a pre 1963 vehicle underwent a Cherish Transfer (CT) replacement VRN's were allocated from the A or B suffix ranges on a non-transferable basis. the keeper at the time would have been made aware of this . The policy was in place to prevent vehicle keepers continually obtaining VRNs they could sell on via the CT process."

I hope this explains the whole situation re number plates.

For your information the DVLA have an auction of VRNs every month, but after working out the costs, I found the purchase of a age related VRN from a company was cheaper and they did all the work.

[Bob the dog]

Thank you all for your information and advice, it's very much appreciated and has put my mind at rest.

Jon

[ManyMinors]

The DVLA "explanation" given by Chris above makes no sense to me. In the 1990s I bought a 1950s car with an "A" suffix it had recently been given after the original registration had been transferred. Later, it was pointed out to the DVLA that it is illegal to display a registration which makes a car appear newer than it is and they then started to issue "age related" plates with 3 letters and 3 numbers in such cases. These, on a non-transferable basis, are an easy and straightforward solution to the problem. Mine was simply issued by the DVLA free of charge and I just had to purchase new number plates.
I am not aware of older cars in recent years being given these "A" suffix plates?

[Bob the dog]

Did the dvla not change the rules at some point so that re-registered cars were given an age related plate instead of a plate from the year they were re-registered?

[geoberni]

I can relate my car's history of registrations from the DVLA records I have.

Originally registered in 1955 as PKV708.
That plate was transferred in 1991 as a Cherished Transfer (it now resides on a Renault) and the car was issued AFE996A.
In August 1999, the then owner applied for an Age Related plate, and that's how BaSiL got his name...

Did the dvla not change the rules at some point so that re-registered cars were given an age related plate instead of a plate from the year they were re-registered?

So it's not a case of an A Plate being the year it was re-registered, they seeming gave out A Plates as recently as the early 90s to any car whose original plate was Pillaged, sorry, I mean 'Cherished Transferred'....

As ManyMinors says, the issue of an Age Related Plate is to correct an illegal practice carried out over many years by DVLA, whether it's a free service still, I have no idea.