How hard is it to get trade plates?

[warren t claim]

Does anyone here know how to get a set and what the limitations are with using them? Do you need premises? Can you use them at night?How much are they?I did have a set that I "found" in the back of a car I bought at auction once and they came in handy!

[Mr Lobster]

Not sure of all the details but I do know they are not easy to get.

[FredTransit]

You don't really need premises, I am told it's easiest to get them for stuff like valeting or fitting stereos, you don't really need premises for that. They cost the equivalent to private HGV, £165 a year. They run jan to dec too, so if you apply in june you only get half a year!

[Mr Lobster]

As I understand it, you'd need to be VAT registered at the very least. Plus, I would imagine that it'd probably attract the interest of HMRC as to whether you were declaring that you were a trader or at least if you had an income that would require trade plates and if this was declared.

[simmo]

Best to stick to the rules once you get them, when I got a tug on them the copper said sorry for the bother alls OK but we have a saying 'red on white stop on sight' nice

[meggersdog]

You need to go to your local DVLA office for the two page form.You need to be associated with the motor trade,delivering cars,valeting or even a part time trader.After filling out the form you will then have an interview.If trading in cars they will ask to see proof of trading.Sometimes they will ask to inspect your premises so if you are trading from home your driveway needs to be long enough to store vehicles.You do not need to be VAT registered and funnily enough they don't ask to see insurance.All the rules and regulations will be given to you from the local office.When you first apply you will only get six months on a probationary period so don't mis-use your trade plates as you will never get another set.Fred is right (at the time of writing) they cost 165 clams a year.

[icedmunkie]

alot of work to get them and you need to get a traders policy on top. What use were you thinking of using them for? it covers the fact you dont have mot or tax but cannot be used everyday and you cant take the piss they are temp plates and nothing more... with a trade policy you can get round insurance and mot and tax for test drives etc.. Ill try and dig more info out later on them

[FredTransit]

Trade plates don't cover you for MOT, but if you obscure the original plate with the trade plate, it's not possible for the lack of MOT be shown up on ANPR. Strictly speaking the trade plates only cover the road tax, not the MOT.

[dieselnutjob]

so don't mis-use your trade plates as you will never get another set.

What constitutes mis-use? How would they know you'd done it (whatever it is?

[icedmunkie]

Trade plates don't cover you for MOT, but if you obscure the original plate with the trade plate, it's not possible for the lack of MOT be shown up on ANPR. Strictly speaking the trade plates only cover the road tax, not the MOT.

We use them to collect cars that are coming for work or not been used in a long while. Ill look into it as don't want to be raped by police anymore!

[simmo]

so don't mis-use your trade plates as you will never get another set.

What constitutes mis-use? How would they know you'd done it (whatever it is?

Was a while ago when I used them but there were loads of ways of getting it wrong. Don't think we were allowed to carry passengers when moving new vehicles. Not allowed to collect new parts with a recovery truck (a lot these were MOT exempt). Can't use a recovery to take cars to race meeting. The cops will report you and they hate it when they aren't displayed properly.

[Cavcraft]

Don't you have to have premises registered to be able to get them? I'm sure that's what they told me yonks back now.

[Lankytim]

The plates cover you for no road tax BUT they only "work" if the car has a driver in. If you leave an untaxed car with trade plates on it parked in the road then you can still get done for no tax.

[Station]

Only recently found out what purpose these served! Sound very handy.

[Richard]

A lot of breakdown trucks used to run on trade plates all the time, often they weren't registered at all. There must have been a bit of a clampdown in the 80s because they all suddenly sprouted Q plates.