Historic Vehicle Tax Exemption

[capt jack]

Last month and after 2 years of work, my ES (Monica) hit the road again. With a new MoT, insurance and the requisite V10 and old V5 I queued for ages in the DVLA office to establish Historic Vehicle status and hence free road tax. Although registered in Feb 73, I'd found found old valuation certificates, insurance paperwork and MoT certificates going back 20 years, all of which categorically state a manufacturing date of 1972. I've also found that quite a few components are date stamped - all for 1972, and the wheels are stamped with legend 'IMPORT 11-72'.

The DVLA official cheerfully (well, what I think passes for cheerfully in those places) issued a free tax disc, took photocopies of my documentary evidence, and gave me a copy of my old V5, sayin he'd send the original to Swansea to be re-issued.

6 weeks later - and as yet no new V5, so I called them this week, and got through to a lovely lady who said that there 'is a case outstanding', but could give me no further information. Her advice was just to wait and see what happens.

Has anyone here got any experience of how long this process takes, and what danger there is that someone at the DVLA could reverse the decision by the local office to grant Historic Vehicle status?

Cheers

Jack

[gillberry]

If I remember rightly the cut off date is april 1973 the same as for black and white number plates so registered before this date is fine .

[chris67bug]

Hmmm- I could be wrong but I thought JAN '73 was the cut off date for tax exempt statis- and that would explain why you are having problems.

Basically what you need is proof of date of manufacture of your car, perhaps from the owners club or from Volvo themselves.

I know Volkswagen do provide 'birth certificates' if an owner can provide chassis no- perhaps Volvo may do something similiar. The DVLA should be able to advise you on what they will accept as proof.

chris

[gillberry]

No I was wrong just checked the dvla site and it says jan 1973 .

[Citizen.Agfa]

If I remember rightly the cut off date is april 1973 the same as for black and white number plates so registered before this date is fine .

The cut-off date for black and white/silver number plates was August 1st 1973 (M registration); vehicles registered after that date cannot (legally!) be adorned with non-reflective number plates.

Reflective Sid Agfa.

[capt jack]

Thanks guys.

The tax rules are that a car manufactured before 31st Dec 1972 is tax exempt, regardless of when it was first registered. Not sure about the rules on black and silver plates. Monica's are the original ones but are the 'new' (for 1973) white and yellow style.

Monica was registered in Feb 73.

I've been in touch with Volvo, but they told me they don't have any records back that far. I was able to get some information from a Dutch owners club website, but nothing definitive.

When I bought Monica, she came with 20 years worth of old insurance paperwork MoTs, service receipts etc etc. On many, many documents the date of manufacture is clearly given as 1972. The official at the local DVLA office immediately accepted this and issued the free tax disc. It's only since he sent the V5 to Swansea that it became 'a case'.

If I have to pay then so be it, but I reckon - I hope - I've got a pretty strong case!

Cheers

Jack

[NewVolvo]

You say you have contacted Volvo, was that Volvo Sweden??

They have all records.

[capt jack]

I was in touch by phone and e-mail with Volvo UK, and with Volvo Sweden by e-mail.

Volvo UK said over the phone that they had no records, but suggested an e-mail enquiry but help them turn up more information, and then never responded to the e-mail, Sweden did not reply to the e-mail.

I guess it probably comes down to the definition of 'manufactured on'. A car is made up of lots of bits, and so is the car 'manufactured' when it rolls off the production line on say December 5th, or is it officially 'manufactured' when the importer cleans off the protective wax and connects up the battery a month later?

In the end I reckoned that old service receipts, MoTs and insurance documents dating back 20 years were about as good a provenance as I'm likely to get.

Thanks again to all contributors.

Jack

[Steve and his 244]

The cut-off date for black and white/silver number plates was August 1st 1973 (M registration); vehicles registered after that date cannot (legally!) be adorned with non-reflective number plates.

Reflective Sid Agfa.

Sorry to threadjack slightly, but is that definitely 'non reflective', or is it just that they have to be white and yellow? Which years had the aluminium pressed white and yellow number plates? I was thinking of fitting them on my car if it's legal to do so...

Steve

[Citizen.Agfa]

Hey Steve.

Prior to the relevant date the style of registration plates was optional, leaving it up to the owner whether to hang white/black and yellow/black (reflective) plates or the more conventional black/silver or black/white; subsequent to the law change of Aug 1 '73, any vehicles registered after that date had to carry reflective plates with, as far as I know, no exceptions.

Hth, Nick H.

[Steve and his 244]

Thanks Nick....id take the risk normally, but getting 3 points at the age of 17 wouldnt be too kind to my insurance. So ill stay within the law and keep my plates. I suppose it means ive got the original rear plate aswell....

[Citizen.Agfa]

Don't forget, of course, that on private land (shows, run car parks etc) you could always hang the plates for exhibition purposes...

Then, on the way home - "I'm sorry, officer, I forgot I had them on..." lol.

N.

[Steve and his 244]

Nah, to be honest id rather just stay within the law. After all it is only a very minor change and not worth the risk tbh.

Which years did have the yellow and white pressed aluminium plates?

[Citizen.Agfa]

Which years did have the yellow and white pressed aluminium plates?

Sorry, don't follow you; the pressed alloy plates were black and silver, the black and white plates were usually black background with white stick-on or rivet-on raised letters and numbers. I don't recall any pressed alloy reflective plates, but that doesn't mean there weren't any.

N.

[NewVolvo]

I was in touch by phone and e-mail with Volvo UK, and with Volvo Sweden by e-mail.

Volvo UK said over the phone that they had no records, but suggested an e-mail enquiry but help them turn up more information, and then never responded to the e-mail, Sweden did not reply to the e-mail.

I guess it probably comes down to the definition of 'manufactured on'. A car is made up of lots of bits, and so is the car 'manufactured' when it rolls off the production line on say December 5th, or is it officially 'manufactured' when the importer cleans off the protective wax and connects up the battery a month later?

In the end I reckoned that old service receipts, MoTs and insurance documents dating back 20 years were about as good a provenance as I'm likely to get.

Thanks again to all contributors.

Jack

I see what you mean..... I had this with my 780.

Manufacturered (rolled of the production line) 24/02/1987

First Regged: 05/03/1987

DVLA went with the later date and thus, gave me a "D" plate.