Board logo

Possible to find number plate from vin number?
luke2152 - 19/9/20 at 07:42 PM

I owned a track day bike for a couple of years. I knew the previous owner and the one before so I wasn't bothered about having it with no paperwork but now I'm looking to sell it and would be good to have a v5 (if it was indeed ever registered for the road). I have no idea what number plate it might have had and the two previous owners I know don't either. Is it possible to look it up from the vin number?

steve m - 20/9/20 at 09:11 AM

Only an idea, but if you know an Mot tester, perhaps they can check, as one of the mot items is to check that the v5 matches the vin number,
perhaps they can check the other way round

steve

obfripper - 20/9/20 at 02:52 PM

It may show up on hpi if you know a motor trader with an account to search by vin, gdpr may have broken this function though.

The mot system will only let you register a test against the vin on an unregistered vehicle, it won't give a reg number for that vin.

Before gdpr you could fill out a v888 form and obtain the dvla history from the vin/details, however that no longer exists as an option.

Dave

gremlin1234 - 20/9/20 at 05:58 PM

I think its possible to find the original number plate from vin for ford uk cars registered since about 2000, via the Etis system etis.ford.com

but you would need to be a dealer or 'IO / independent operator' [ie local garage] to log in.

I registered as an IO, a few years ago, since I maintain my own vehicles. (and I am an information systems geek/nerd...)

bizarrely, it will also give a (ford vehicles) vin from a UK number plate

trextr7monkey - 20/9/20 at 11:36 PM

I went through this with a bike and after I had sold it for spares was told that there’s a bloke on eBay can do it -you send the details and if he can provide the relevant number plate you then pay his fee. No idea who it is though
.

SteveWalker - 21/9/20 at 12:01 AM

I don't know, but as you are sure of the legitimacy of the bike, can you not contact the DVLA, explain that you have bought it without a V5C and that as both you and the previous owners have only used it on tracks, there is no numberplate and no record of the number and quote the VIN to them? It may be that you can fill in a V62, missing out the registration number and enclosing a covering note.

trextr7monkey - 21/9/20 at 12:28 AM

I tried that with mine they returned the cheque in cashed saying that they had no trace of it

nick205 - 21/9/20 at 04:11 PM

May not be the way you want to go, but if you give the DVLA the VIN will they not tell you if it's ever been registered?

I'd imagine you'd have to go through a process of declaring it SORN to get it back in the loop.

Rich J - 21/9/20 at 09:44 PM

quote:

It may be that you can fill in a V62, missing out the registration number and enclosing a covering note.


I'm in the process of doing this with a "barn find" Mini I recently bought.

Sent the form and covering note with photos to the DVLA and got a reply after a good number of weeks - longer now obviously due to the current situation.

Had a tidy letter back saying that they had no record of the particular chassis number I'd quoted and that I should check my facts and re-submit the form.

They also returned with the letter my cheque for the fee.

Needless to say that I think I have indeed misread one of the numbers so have resubmitted the form and am waiting for a reply.

[Edited on 21/9/20 by Rich J]