Registration numbers on classic cars sold off
It’s common practice for owners of classic cars to remove the original registration number, because of its value. It’s especially the case with dateless number plates, which will fetch at least a few hundred pounds for less popular letters. The actual value of a number plate depends on the actual combination of letters and numbers, and how many were originally issued (and how many are actually around). And, of course, the demand for that combination of letters.
So is OK to remove the original registration number from an old car?
Many classic car enthusiasts don’t like it – and the purists will set about trying to restore the original registration number to the car if possible. After all, it’s part of the original ‘character’ of the car.
So, if you’re the owner of a classic car, and the registration number has some value – is it OK to sell the car registration?
When a registration number is removed from any car, the DVLA allocates a replacement registration number as part of the number plate transfer. The replacement is normally issued on a non-transferable basis – so you can’t keep selling the registration numbers. But many would argue that replacing the original number compromises the car – and it’s just not the same.
These days, when an old car is registered with the DVLA, the registration number is officially recorded and allocated as non-transferable. Which means they cannot be removed from the car. But any cars that were put on the DVLA electronic register before 1983 will have registrations that can be sold. So many classic cars could (and have) lost their original registration.
What’s your view?
