NEW DVLA REGS - Rule changes for historic license plates in '21

This week we've got an article courtesy of the FBHVC (The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs), which could be of great importance to our dealer network. It surrounds new legislation coming into effect from the 1st January 2021, relating to the use of the historic black and silver number plate on cars post-1980. You can read the full article below for more details and for more interesting classic news check out the FBHVC for more. This information was provided to the FBHVC from the DVLA:

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'This note is to tell you about important changes being introduced on 1 January 2021 that affect the ability of vehicles registered in the historic tax class to display the old style pre-1973 black and silver number plates.

Following the change in definition of a historic vehicle for vehicle tax exemption purposes in 2015, an issue was identified in the regulatory requirements for the valid display of a black and silver number plate. This resulted in an unintended consequence where any vehicle over 40 years old and registered in the historic tax class would be permitted to display an old style black and silver number plate. This was despite the law previously requiring all vehicles first registered after 1 January 1973 to only display the yellow and white number plates with black characters.

As this was never the intention, we have sought to rectify this through a legal correction which will shortly be implemented. The change seeks to prevent any vehicle constructed after 1 January 1980 from the ability to display the black and silver number plate despite being recorded in the DVLA’s historic tax class. Those vehicles with a construction date prior to 1 January 1980 will continue to be able to legally display black and silver number plates to avoid any undue costs of replacement.

Members may also wish to note that from 1 January it will no longer be permissible to fix a new number plate displaying a Euro symbol. Number plates already fixed to vehicles are unaffected. We will also be introducing a new British Standard for number plates produced from 1 September 2021 which will mean all current style number plates that are first fixed to a vehicle from that date must meet the technical requirements contained in that standard.'

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This article was written and published by the FBHVC (Source: https://bit.ly/3haypJz)