14 replies to this topic

[E.L.M.O]

Hi everyone,

I remember hearing a while ago that if you own a 1972/3 registered car that isnt tax excempt, it is still possible to legally get the car tax excempt status. I think It was due to the car being built during the tax excempt period, but registered just after.

So, if this is the case. How should I go about finding out what month and day the car came off the production line and if possible, changing it over to tax excempt status.

[olds_kool_lews]

get a heritage certificate, this will give you a build date, which should prove it was built in the tax exempt period, so you should be able to get it changed to tax exempt with this prof (correct me if im wrong!)

[Guess-Works.com]

If it is registered on or after 1st Jan 1973, then you need to get evidence that it was MANUFACTURED before the 1st Jan 1973, the only way of doing this is to contact Heritage and get a certificate ( costs about £30 ) that will then have the manufacture date on it.... Take this to the DVLA and request a change of the vehicle class from PLG to Historic. If you go with an MOT and Insurance you will also get a shiny new TAX disk

[E.L.M.O]

Sounds good , thanks people!
Are you sure its the 1st Jan 1973 though? I thought there was a cut off date during 72?

[mini-man-dan]

Last day of 1972 is the cut off date, so before 1st Jan 73 really!

[E.L.M.O]

Last day of 1972 is the cut off date, so before 1st Jan 73 really!

Fair enough!
Strange, because I thought this car was a 72 reg car, but it isnt tax excempt... it must be a 73. I need to look into this further!!!

[Guess-Works.com]

You mean someone has not bothered to go to the DVLA and change it's tax class, unless you go they will be quite happy to relieve you of the £100+ each year for the tax, it's not an automatic type change...

[E.L.M.O]

You mean someone has not bothered to go to the DVLA and change it's tax class, unless you go they will be quite happy to relieve you of the £100+ each year for the tax, it's not an automatic type change...

The guy who currently owns it seems to be under the impression that it was registered 10months AFTER the cut off date, but it IS a 1972 registered pick up.

I really dont understand it. Further investigation is needed! I think your right, it IS in fact tax excempt and he was mis informed (most likley by some DVLA employee who just didnt know who to do it so said it couldnt be done)

I am certainly encouranged and integiued further by this pick up!

[Dan]

It might be the cutoff for black and silver plates that is confusing you. That is during 1972, or was. They might have changed it to make it less confusing.

[GraemeC]

Thought the original cut off for black and silver plates was 31 July 1973 but was 'amended' to run in line with the slightly older historic vehicle status cut off?

(Leaving those with cars registered between 01.01.73 - 31.07.73 and still wearing original black and silver plates in somewhat of a grey area as you shouldn't need to retrospectively upgrade your car to meet these type of standards.)

[Dan]

Oh you might be right, I can't remember which way around it was. I know they moved it in-line with historic status but I thought it was moved from earlier, not from later.

[E.L.M.O]

It might be the cutoff for black and silver plates that is confusing you. That is during 1972, or was. They might have changed it to make it less confusing.

Nope thats not confusing me. It might be confusing the owner, but I doubt it.
He does own a genuine 1972 pick up (as far as I know.. this is what I need to confirm that it is actually a 72) he pays road tax. He has looked into getting it tax excempt but was told that its registration date just missed the cut off.

If it is truely a 72 then I dont know how this can be. I personally think it was someone at the DVLA mis-informing the owner because they didnt know or coulnt be bothered.

[Dan]

It's certainly odd, you should definitely check with DVLA. It's unusual that anyone would state the registration missed the cutoff because the date isn't based on the registration at all, it's based on manufacturing date as said above. There is one possibility which does relate to the registration directly though, if there has ever been a question over the car's identity or history it might be barred from historic class. Cars that have been radically altered or rebuilt, registered as re-constructed classics (that's a registration class), privately imported, have failed a VIC and been given an age related plate, were added to the DVLA system late or have been otherwise messed around with are sometimes given non-transferrable registrations that cannot be made historic. It's worth checking out though.

[jayare]

Do you know the reg number? If so, you can try putting it into the DVLA Car Check website to find the date of first registration. If it is in 1972, you just need to get the status updated at your local DVLA office. If it is in early '73, you can get a dating letter from the Heritage Motor Centre to confirm build date, which if it was built in '72 you can get the status updated to Historic. If it was registered later than mid '73 it's unlikely (but possible) that it was built in '72,

JR

[E.L.M.O]

It's certainly odd, you should definitely check with DVLA. It's unusual that anyone would state the registration missed the cutoff because the date isn't based on the registration at all, it's based on manufacturing date as said above. There is one possibility which does relate to the registration directly though, if there has ever been a question over the car's identity or history it might be barred from historic class. Cars that have been radically altered or rebuilt, registered as re-constructed classics (that's a registration class), privately imported, have failed a VIC and been given an age related plate, were added to the DVLA system late or have been otherwise messed around with are sometimes given non-transferrable registrations that cannot be made historic. It's worth checking out though.

I am confident the guys not telling porkeys, when i first spoke to him over a year ago we were just mini fans having a chat, so he had no reason to lie. I am pretty sure DVLA havent classed the car as a recontruction class and it just a mix up. Hopefully at DVLAs end and if i do buy it I can get it sorted.

Do you know the reg number? If so, you can try putting it into the DVLA Car Check website to find the date of first registration. If it is in 1972, you just need to get the status updated at your local DVLA office. If it is in early '73, you can get a dating letter from the Heritage Motor Centre to confirm build date, which if it was built in '72 you can get the status updated to Historic. If it was registered later than mid '73 it's unlikely (but possible) that it was built in '72,

JR

I cant remember it right now but will look into it soon (going skiing sat so will most likely be when i get back)