DVLA Call for evidence registering classic cars

[JonB]

Just going through the questions, it is clearly more than just historic vehicles. There are questions about radically altered, rebuilt, restored, restomodded, electric and kit cars in there. Very few questions pertain to additional safety and / or specific test regimes for these vehicles (although there are questions like that, they seem to be in the minority).

Some of them require careful thought .. example :

3.21. At what point should a chassis or monocoque bodyshell modification (or frame for motorcycles) affect the identity of a vehicle that has been restored? Please provide evidence and reasons to support your views.

Now, that would result in quite a debate... anyway, I answered what I could and submitted. My view is I'd like to see things continue as they are, but with a specific exemption from the 40 year rule for cars that can be proven to be innovative in some way; for example, the Lotus Elise S1 was the first production car to use a bonded extruded aluminium chassis, and it had novel MMC brakes as well. None of these are over 40 years old, but I'd argue they qualify as "historic vehicles" because of the innovation. To prevent new cars taking advantage of this, I proposed that the vehicle in question should also be out of production.

[IainP]

My view is as posted on the Tr register website some days ago

Personal I think the FBHVC should issue guidance on how to answer this. It’s a strange document with most answers in Freeform. How on earth is this going to be accurately summarised? Very much dependant upon the individual reading and making a judgement. In my opinion it’s has the potential to be used in any way the government of the time sees fit.

I believe the FBHVC met to discuss today.
Iain

[JonB]

As an aside, I thought I'd tax my car today, despite it being in pieces in the middle of a restoration. I confirmed it wasn't substantially altered (easy to forget that the definition of this term is pretty clear on the MOT exemption form) and expected it (the DVLA web site) to offer me a zero rated tx band. Not so! It tried to charge me £350 for a year's tax, despite it flagging the car is over 40 years old and may be MOT exempt. So it seems to me, I will have to go through the motions of declaring it an Historic Vehicle by taking the V5 and other forms down to a Post Office.

Thing is, last time I did this (for the Plus 2, which didn't say Historic Vehicle on its V5) it went through with no problems - £0 tax for a year..

[alanr]

Curious to hear why if the car is still off the road in a state of restoration why are you now bothering now trying to tax it? Why not just declare it SORN it until it is roadworthy.
If it road taxed your insurance company will charge you as if it is roadworthy wheras if declared SORN your insurance, if you decide to insure it all all, will be appreciably less.

Alan

[JonB]

Well Alan, I thought to get Historic status on the car before the rules change (if they change following the consultation). However, the DVLA website seems to have changed since I last taxed a classic car, and so it appears you only get zero tax banded if it says HISTORIC VEHICLE on the V5 (that is, if it is marked so in the DVLA database), which mine doesn't. I have to visit the Post Office to get that now. Wasn't required previously.

I also remembered that, as the car's not insured, a tax application would be declined anyway.