Confusing Government Guide To Kit Car Registration
 

Beware!

Currently there are at least two differing sets of guidance on Kit car registration to be found on Government administered web sites.

GOV.UK - Guidance
GOV.UK is the new name for the official Government Website.
On its website, which states it was last updated on 28th February, there is a "Guide" to registration, which states explicitly, any kit not using the donor chassis, or a new chassis of the same specification, will automatically be given a Q plate.

DVLA - INF26
The DVLA has a long established document, INF26, setting out the rules for kit car registration. The definitions of kit cars are set out, and the appropriate one for a chassis supplied by a specialist manufacturer, is now Section 5 - Kit Conversion. Under this section a kit conversion utilising a specialist manufacturers chassis, and using 2 major components from a known donor, will be awarded an age related plate (Not the donor's registration, but a new one from the same year).

It is clear these two documents conflict, and local DVLA officials may not be fully aware.

Ian Stent, Editor at Complete Kit Car magazine contacted the press office at DVLA to seek clarification, and had a quick response advising INF26 is still the current policy.

Quote from Ian's email reply to my plea for help:

Hi Mike

Had a very quick response from the DVLA, which confirms Age-related plates are still current policy.

All the best

Ian
Ian Stent
Editor
Complete Kit Car
W: www.completekitcar.co.uk
T: 01823 617908
M: 07595 021922


Therefore, if you are likely to be registering your kit in the coming months, and do not want a Q plate, please be aware that the local DVLA officers could produce the GOV.UK Guide and try to issue you with a Q plate. If you go armed with the INF26 document, you will be able to win the day, and avoid the unwanted Q plate.

Many thanks Mike. That's really useful.

I'm off to the local DVLA office in the near future (IVA test application posted yesterday :fear:) so I'll go armed with the documentation (assuming there is still a local DVLA office by that time.........................!!)

Hey Nigel !

That's really good news - Good luck, and let us all know how you get on - hopefully a First Time pass! :pray2:
(Have you booked an early morning appointment, so you can make any small changes required on the day?)

Mike

I hope this isn't an indication of a future change, about to be announced?

The DVLA reply is a little worrying just saying it is 'still current policy'!!

I have reported the issue on the GOV.UK website so we'll see if anyone replies??

Peter

Your new Avatar is going to take some getting used to..........a Sabre indeed!

Mike

I left a message on the GOV.UK website feedback section explaining that their website doesn't adequately reflect what is written in the DVLA INF26 leaflet.

This is the reply I got............

Dear Peter

Thanks for your message.

I'm afraid I can't answer individual enquiries concerning driving or vehicle licences, as we can't see specific records at GOV.UK.

However, if you contact my colleagues at DVLA, they should be able to help answer your questions.

You'll find information and contact details on driving licences or vehicle licence and tax discs on the page below:

https://www.gov.uk/contact-the-dvla

Best wishes,

Rhiannon B
User Support Lead
Government Digital Services

I'll let you all draw your own conclusions!! :smash: :mad2: :mad2:

At least you got an answer...........I had already sent an email when you posted your note, and I've heard nothing from them!

Mike

Did you get a ticket number? I didn't the first time but I did the second time I wrote? What really annoyed me was that they 'closed' the ticket as 'solved' based on this reply without even asking me if it answered my question!

...peter

Hi Peter

Yes, I received a ticket number.

I had the following amendment to my inquiry:

Dear Mike Garner,

Thanks for your feedback.

I have passed it onto our product managers who regularly review comments and suggestions for improving GOV.UK.

Regards,

Rhiannon B
User Support Lead
Government Digital Services

------------------------------

I have heard no more, so I've sent a reminder that the Guide is still not showing the correct information, and do they have plans to do anything about it?

But I think I am wasting my time..............!

Mike

After a number of exchanges with "Rhiannon B" I have eventually got her (?) to tell me that the GOV.UK website content is written by the Government Digital Services group but it is the responsibility of the the DVLA or the DFT to check that the contents are correct. (In my view a guaranteed way of not getting it right!).
I have been assured that my feedback has now been sent to the relevant departments for checking and feedback. (No timescales forthcoming)
I'm not holding my breath but I will follow up in a couple of weeks if I don't get a reply.

I reopened my case tonight as I have had no feedback since 10th April.
No contact,
No feedback
and no changes to correct the website!!!

Same subject, different theme............................

I think we've always been puzzled by the discrepancy that you are able to drive your vehicle to the VOSA test station for the IVA test, but that once its been tested, shown to be safe and to meet current standards, that you have to trailer it to the DVLA local office to get it registered.

I phoned DVLA Swansea earlier in the week, as no local office numbers are published, to ask for the local office number so that I could book an appointment to register the car. I assumed an inspector would have to be there as I need to prove the identity of the car - engine No, chassis No etc. After an extremely long and confusing conversation, Swansea tell me that the local office doesn't even need to see the car because the "inspection" has been done during IVA.

Now that would be great but it all sounds to "joined up" to be true. So I'm off to the local DVLA office to join the queue, because I'm not allowed to phone them directly, to see if their view is the same. Watch this space. And will I get an age related plate......................

How did you get on NigelB?

Fate conspired against me so I haven't got there yet.

But the forms are filled in and I plan to go tomorrow (Friday)

I was right. Far to joined up for DfT......................

DVLA need to check the identity marks that VOSA have already checked on the IVA and put on the IVA certificate, which DVLA have now got along with my original V5, and I need to trailer my car to the local DVLA office (at no small cost) for the privilege of getting them to check it all over again.

Crazy. And a real PITA

After some more badgering I got the GOV.UK writers to contact the DVLA...
And finally on the 4th February they have updated their website to cover age related number plates.

I haven't had to chance to check it all but it does look better now....

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-registrat...erted-vehicles

I still have a case number so if anyone spots anything still wrong let me know and I'll raise it with them.
It only took 10 months but they did eventually respond :rapture:

...peter

Well done Peter, persistence pays off sometimes :boink: