If a car has a reg if must of passed an SVA, right or wrong.

Wrong

It may be an accident repair and have had its original reg removed and new Q reg assigned

wrong

you need to know the year the car was registered, and if it is registered correctly. ie still not down on the docs as a ford escort.

Unless it was registered before SVA came into force, or it's dodgy (taking the plate from a scrapped kit car).

Thanks all very interesting. I keep forgetting how some people out there are not as honest as us lot on here.