Anyone registered a 1974 vehicle (built 1973) for historic tax?

I was wondering if anyone has tried getting a 1974 (or later) registered vehicle, but which was built in 1973, changed to historic tax status?

I have got the van's birth certificate from Germany, which confirms that she was built in Oct 1973, however because she was first registered in May 1974, I can't simply go down the Post Office and ask them to change her to historic tax.

I submitted a query on the DVLA website, asking how to change her to historic tax status, and what information I should send to them, and I received the following reply:


The taxation class Historic Vehicle applies to any vehicle constructed before 1st January 1974.

As the qualifying date is not on the V5C for your vehicle you must apply by post to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1DZ with dating evidence that the vehicle was manufactured prior to this date.

The following documentation will need to be submitted:

V5C Registration Certificate - The keeper will need to write ‘Historic’ in the change to taxation class field in section 7 of the V5C and sign section 8.
V10 Tax disc application form
valid MOT Certificate (if applicable)
dating evidence
Acceptable dating evidence can be obtained from:

• An extract from the manufacturer/factory record - these will have the chassis number of the vehicle against the month and year of production*
• An extract from the 'Glasses guide'- which is a comprehensive guide on production dates and includes chassis numbers
• If the vehicle has been imported and already registered, the original foreign registration certificate.

*A certified copy of the factory record (with the embedded stamp) will be acceptable only from the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust (BMIHT)

You will receive your tax disc within 2 weeks if making a postal application.

An updated V5C will be returned within 4 weeks.


Now, until now, I was hoping the birth certificate was all I would need for proof, however the above seemed to suggest otherwise. So I replied asking them if I sent the birth certificate would that be ok? I simply received the same paragraph about the required documents as a reply.

I'm therefore not exactly sure what to do, and was wondering if anyone has already gone through this process, and if so, what they did? If she was registered in 1973 then I know this would be easy, but has anyone done it for a vehicle registered after 1st Jan 1974?

If the DVLA still had local offices then I would pop down and see them, but now its all centralised its like getting blood out of a stone!

As ever, thanks for any help\support!

 

Wilma W's registered 74, but she is a late crossover and we could id that from the body, bits of weirdness, m code etc. We contacted vw Milton Keynes and they found the original importation card and we used the vw letter with the data to be registered as tax exempt. Had no problems then or since. Good luck.

 

I wonder, did the Milton Keynes dealer import her back then (and therefore could find the records), or was that just your local dealer and they looked into it for you? Thanks for your help!

 

Surely the birth certificate being stamped by VW and authenticated from their records of the chassis number / mplate will be acceptable with the other already available documents?

 

Use the m-code tool and print it off, shows date of assembly and all the options etc for the bus, it's origin and it's destination. Best thing is it's free.

 

Sorry, just read you have a Wolfsburg birth certificate. Just send them a copy if that with the correct form filled out

 

They only accept original documentation

 

No she was imported by Gilders in Sheffield, but be Milton Keynes hold the original importation cards from their end.

 

I sent all my docs off in march and received on the 5th april my 'free tax' disc....I had to send my amended V5 (write HISTORIC in said part)...form V10 (application for tax disc) again write HISTORIC in said part...and ORIGINALS of 'MOT & 'INSURANCE CERTIFICATE'...and I done a PHOTOCOPY (wasn't gonna send original!!) of the BIRTH CERTIFICATE.
I had no problems...and was all sent back to me,although I got my New V5,and docs first..then Tax disc .

 

P.S....don't bother writing and asking Milton Keynes for 'proof' of build date...I done that and after 2 weeks got a letter saying they don't hold archive records and directed me to Germany!!

 

That's great to know! At least I know someone has been able to do it that way, I'll give it a try and see what happens. Thanks!

 

And yet we got ours, it was the importation not build proof we received, it just happened to haven't build date on it.

 

I've got a letter in my bus's history folder, addressed to a previous owner, from VW UK in Milton Keynes, confirming the build date of the bus. They can do it, they just probably don't want to, but instead prefer to get you to apply for the birth certificate instead.

 

so what is the original registration document if it's been imported, mine was imported 9 years ago from Oz,..Will it be relevent next year when mine will be eligible...

 

You should have a registration document from Oz. If not, then you'll have to just get the Birth Certificate and hope that suffices. It should do.

 

It took about 3 weeks for the man that's banished to the basement at vw to find the card. I don't know who was more excited him or us when we had Wilma confirmed as tax exempt. He kept shouting, "I've found it!"

 

I taxed my construction date 20/12/73 van which was registered April 1974 on April 1st at the Post Office historic vehicle status. I had the date of construction on my V5 however so it was accepted without question.

 

why are things so difficult.doh. thanks anyway.

 

good luck

...it should be all fairly straight forward for the DVLA now,and I had no problems..let us know how you get on

 

just sent for certificate mate.....least it's something to show people.....I I'm doing a sponsored walk to raise 50 euros too.