Number plates for imported cars: age-related, Q and private plates

Nobody imports a 1990s classic hoping to drive it around on a plate that makes it look new, or worse, on a Q plate. Both worries come up a lot. The good news is that the DVLA's rules are fairly predictable: the number your car gets depends on the evidence of its age, and that evidence can usually be found.

How the DVLA picks a number

When the DVLA registers an import, it gives the car a registration number appropriate to its age, based on the evidence sent with the application. It does not hand out the current year's plate to every import. A 2009 car gets a number that reads as 2009.

The DVLA's import leaflet, INF106, sets out how it decides. If the foreign registration document shows the full date of first registration, the DVLA uses that. If it only shows part of the date, you need evidence of the month and year of manufacture so the number can be allocated more accurately. If the car's age cannot be evidenced at all, it gets a Q number.

For reference, the current British format has been in use since 2001: two letters for the region, two numbers for the age and three random letters. Older cars get the prefix or suffix style numbers that match their year.

1. 1

   Before shipping

   Gather the papers

   The original foreign registration document is the key one. If it is missing, we look for dating evidence early.

2. 2

   Registration

   V55/5 goes in

   We send the application with the original documents. The DVLA keeps the foreign registration certificate.

3. 3

   DVLA decision

   A number by age

   The DVLA allocates a number appropriate to the evidence of age, or a Q number if there is none.

4. 4

   Once registered

   Plates made up

   A registered number plate supplier makes the plates against proof that you can use the number.

The foreign registration document

GOV.UK says an imported car's application must include the original foreign registration certificate, to show when the car was made. You do not get it back. Photocopies and faxes are not accepted.

So keep the original safe from the moment you buy the car. Our guide to the paperwork you need lists the key document from each country, such as the export certificate from Japan or the title from the USA.

Dating certificates for classics

Classics are where the date gets harder to prove. Old foreign documents may be lost, replaced or vague, and some only show a year. That is when a dating certificate comes in.

GOV.UK says that without the original foreign registration certificate, the DVLA might accept other proof of the manufacture date, such as a letter from the manufacturer or a vehicle enthusiast club. The DVLA's V55/5 guide asks for a letter explaining why the original is not available, sent with a dating certificate from the manufacturer or another acceptable source.

We source dating evidence for our customers, and it is often what gets a classic its age-related plate. Expect classics to take longer to register than newer cars, because the DVLA may want VIN checks or an inspection too. Our guide to importing a classic car goes further into the paperwork.

Q plates, and how to avoid one

GOV.UK says the DVLA issues Q registration numbers to vehicles whose age or identity is in doubt. To get one, the vehicle has to pass a type approval process. Any original registration number becomes invalid and must not be displayed again.

A Q plate is more than cosmetic. GOV.UK says you cannot put a private number on a Q-registered vehicle, and you cannot keep or transfer a Q number either. For most owners, that is a lasting nuisance, which is why the evidence of age is worth chasing before the application goes in.

Cars that were British once

A car that was registered here, exported and is now coming back is a slightly different case. GOV.UK says it still has to be registered again. For old vehicles, it describes a route to register under the original number using form V765, endorsed by an owners club, with evidence linking the car to that number. Our guide to bringing a UK car back home covers the returning car route.

Getting the plates made

Once the car is registered, plates must come from a registered number plate supplier. The supplier has to see proof of your name and address, and proof that you can use the number, such as the V5C. GOV.UK says the V5C itself can take up to 6 weeks to arrive.

The plates also have to meet the display rules. GOV.UK says they must:

• Be made from reflective material
• Show black characters on white at the front and on yellow at the back
• Have no background pattern
• Show who supplied them, and carry the British Standard mark BS AU 145e if fitted after 1 September 2021

Getting it wrong can mean a fine of up to £1,000 and an MOT failure, so it is worth using a proper supplier rather than a novelty plate from the internet.

Cherished and private plates

Plenty of people want a private number on their import. That is possible once it is registered with the DVLA, within a few rules. You buy the number from the DVLA or a dealer and receive a V750 certificate of entitlement, or a V778 if you are moving a number from another car you own.

GOV.UK's rules include these:

• The number cannot make the car look newer than it is
• It cannot go on a Q-registered car
• For a used car you have just bought, wait for the V5C in your name before applying
• The car must be taxed or have a SORN in place, and be available for inspection
• A historic vehicle needs a current MOT, even if it is normally exempt

Read GOV.UK's full eligibility list before you buy a number, as there are other conditions. Once it is assigned, tell your insurer, and update any accounts for the ULEZ, Congestion Charge or Clean Air Zones. Our ULEZ guide explains why.

Questions people ask

Importing a car and want the right plate on it first time? Start with the quote form and we will tell you what evidence to gather.