DVLA Radically Altered

VIN number needs to be issued by your local office as it will end up on a Q plate and ONLY a LO issued number is acceptable to them for this purpose. You will need to complete BUI form

www.direct.gov.uk/en/Diol1/DoItOnline/DG_4017568

After inspection they will issue you with the number. Normally you will need to TRAILER the vehicle to them ,inspection often carried out at a VOSA station due to H&S but this is a DVLA inspection NOT the BIVA test.

When you ring Swansea , or Local Office , you get 'phone answerers' , the knowledge lays at several layers above far removed from where the general public can access it. Even at LO level each office is only as good as it's most knowledgable member of staff.

We, at ACE, deal with Swansea Policy Division, who actually make the decisions and have liaised between them, LOs and disgruntled customers to ensure the correct outcome.

Not necessarily
According to how i understand the process it comes under Kit car classifiation therefore if 2 major components are being used ie. engine,gearbox,suspension,steering or axles then as long as you know and can prove what the original registration number was then you may get an age related number plate although it will be different to the previous one.

Details here

Age related registration numbers

A vehicle will be given an age related number if two major parts from the donor vehicle are used with one of the following:

•a new monocoque bodyshell, chassis or frame from a specialist kit manufacturer
•a used or altered chassis, monocoque bodyshell or frame from an existing vehicleIn this case an IVA, SVA or MSVA certificate will be needed to register the vehicle.

The registration number will be based on the age of the donor vehicle. The date of manufacture will be shown as the date the IVA, SVA or MSVA certificate was issued.

Although further down it says this......

Kit converted vehicles will be given a 'Q' prefix registration number if:

•the original identity of the vehicle is unknown
•not enough parts are used from a donor vehicle
•the chassis, monocoque bodyshell or frame is cut (in certain circumstances)In this case an IVA, SVA or MSVA certificate will be needed to register the vehicle.

If the vehicle cannot pass IVA, SVA or MSVA, it cannot be registered.

If you are unsure if your kit converted vehicle needs a ‘Q’ registration number contact your local DVLA office.

Its seems to be down to the "local interpretation" as always

Details taken from DVLA's own website page here...

www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/BuyingAndSellingAVehicle/RegisteringAVehicle/Registeringakitcarrebuildorradicallyalteredvehicle/DG_190929

Which tells you the order it must be done in and how.

The information you give above is from an archive (ie not current) the DVLA website has been altered since that date 18.01.2011 The information I posted is from the current webpage..... might want to update your links



Who decides that them or you??

lets see i set up doobie t/a jag softtops

sell my convertible plans to (myself) for £1
i build said jag allocating it a new vin number lets say JC000000000000001
off to the dvla with my new "kit converted car" complete with plans, receipt for plans, IVA pass and details of the "donor car" = age related plate it seems to me
Would be great if someone would try it and suceed as it would make all our lives a lot easier and avoid all the problems a "Q" plate brings.

Laid down criteria as to which category a vehicle falls into ,you simply need to spend the time finding out .


Kit car = Kit of parts , all parts new execpt one reconditioned

Kit converted = list of part added to existing vehicle or added to supplied body/chassis

Radically altered = an already registeredvehicle whose appearances changes from that denoted on logbook ( as in rebodies, pick up conversion, van conversion , convertible).

Then the above points system comes into place an old monococque is always an old monocque UNLESS it comes with a receipt as new from the manufacturer .

Yeah yeah, I know " but I am the manufacturer ,as Doobie motors" , let me know how you get on with that arguement because DVLA have never heard it before of course


Not forgetting of course by next year , closure of DVLA LOs and inspections passed to those who know what they are looking at.

www.the-ace.org.uk/dvla-plans-to-close-local-offices.html

Another convert to Q ,no longer for shonky builds but a sign of Quality

Latest update... ...still waiting for the paperwork to land on the desk of somebody with a clue at DVLA.

All technical issues resolved with VOSA in pretty short order (Mark Vickers, who copied all the Swansea inspectors in on the correspondence)

Registration issues. Tried ringing the DVLA main site as above - the phone people don't know about these.

Tried writing to the Swansea local office (there are no contact names or departments, no phone number, no email listed on the web, so it went to the snail mail address) describing all the alterations in detail, and asking how I get this inspected/registered. (included suggested routes from the Directgov site, Mark Vickers, and Kev) Still no response to date.

Gave up waiting and sent the V5 off to DVLA main with '4 door convertible' in the body style field, along with a covering letter that once again detailed all the alterations. The letter also stated that the DVLA local office in Swansea were informed of these alterations on X and have not requested an inspection. (at this point I wouldn't be fussed if the clerk just amended the V5 and sent it back for use without an IVA/Q-plate)

Received a response on the 5th August (but dated 28th July - is there such a thing as third class post?!?) from DVLA main which states that an inspection will be required due to the change/discrepancy in the V5, and the details have been passed to the Swansea local office who will contact me with a date and place for the inspection.

Good job we're not in any sort of rush...

Kev - any chance of putting together a 'list of people who deal with this' at DVLA whom we can contact directly? One at DVLA main, one at each local office perhaps? It'd keep the postie out of a job, but surely help the DVLA as well as us!

Hi Mark, Mark Vickers is one of our contacts at VOSA and very knowledgeable and FAIR.

I could tell you who to deal with at DVLA but then I'd have to kill you ...seriously ! It appears that all 'inner circle' contact is restricted . We had to use a Freedom of Information request to get the details we needed. We know liaise directly with Policy officials regularly though so can help achieve the correct outcome by liaising between LO, Policy and customer (you).

This should all be dealt with at LO level , even if you send paperwork to Swansea they will still send to LO to deal with. The system is curse word ( as you may have noticed!) and it is hoped that the forthcoming closing of LOs will enable a more streamlined effective registration system ...though slower.

My suggestion is contact LO and go from there .If they examine and just change your logbook without BIVA that is THEIR decision ( though wrong according to their own regs) so you can chose to accept that or press on to get them to use the correct procedure which is
1) Issue vin number
2) pass BIVA
3) Register with Q .

I'm here to provide iaiason betwwen LO / Policy if you have any problems feel free to contact me via PM .

If you only need it for part ordering then either add it to the paperwork or put it somewhere wherer it wont be seen! no need to confuse people at MOT time!!

And it looks like it just landed on the right desk - the correspondence is shown here:

www.cosic.org.uk/MarkoStuff/xj8/XJ_DVLA/


The correct procedure, straight from the DVLA:


-----
Thank you for notifying the Radical Alteration to your vehicle. I now write to advise you on the procedure to have the vehicle correctly registered.

As the vehicle has been radically altered by converting the monocoque body shell to a convertible, you are now required to re-register the vehicle and it will be allocated a 'Q' mark.

I have enclosed the VIN Allocation Letter, which you will find self-explanatory. Please follow the instructions given in the letter, carefully paying attention to the location of the VIN. This VIN cannot be used on any other vehicle.

Once you have had the VIN stamped into the vehicle metalwork, please contact me to arrange an inspection at Swansea Local Office. The vehicle cannot be driven to DVLA as it is not yet road legal so you will need to transport it.

When you have obtained the IVA (Individual Vehicle Type Approval/contact VOSA on 0300 123 9000), you can submit your application to DVLA at the above address.

Your Application should consist of the following:

•V55/5 Application Form (enclosed)

•V5 Registration Certificate for the altered vehicle R32 FND)

•VIN Allocation Letter (stamped/signed by garage in confirmation)

•IVA ( from VOSA / Vehicle and Operators Services Agency)

•V627/1 Built-Up Report

•Invoices/Receipts for major parts and steel used in the alteration

•Certificate of Insurance (this must show the new VIN, not R32 FND)

•Identification Documents (see INF148 enclosed)

•This letter
-----

Simples. Consider this a Retro Rides INF### brochure. ;-)


To get this response, you need to send a letter detailing the modifications to "The Inspection Officer" at your local office. (Mike Jackson for Swansea LO)

Send everything recorded delivery.

They can/will issue the new VIN based on the photographs and a signature alone.

Don't send your V5 anywhere (you hand in the modified one when you re-register it). We've got to try get ours back from Swansea main office now.