By FREDA LEWIS-STEMPEL, MOTORING REPORTER
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has confirmed major updates to the way classic and historic vehicles are registered, after years of campaigning by the classic car industry against an outdated process with deep, 'systemic' issues.
Two huge changes include like-for-like repairs and restorations no longer requiring notification to the DVLA, and vehicles that have been subject to significant structural modifications now being able to keep their original Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and registration number.
The updates come with additional requirements but bring much needed 'clarity' to the historic vehicle registration process which hasn't changed since the 1980s.
Lilian Greenwood, Minister for the Future of Roads, made the announcement in response to a review of the 'once-in-a-lifetime' Call for Evidence last year - where classic vehicle industry, owners, and enthusiasts had their say on the previous outdated DVLA system. Some 1,350 responses were received in less than eight weeks.
The Historic and Classic Vehicles Alliance - the classic car alternative to the Countryside Alliance - says the 'new policy will help to safeguard the future of the UK historic vehicles industry' worth £4billion annually.
The updates policies will come into effect 26 August 2025.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has confirmed major changes to how classic cars are registered for the first time since the 1980s making it significantly easier for classic vehicles to be repaired, restored and modified
The DVLA reviewed the call for evidence responses in depth and has rung in two new sets of guidance that will apply to all vehicles, regardless of age.
The first change is that like-for-like repairs and restorations will no longer require notification to the DVLA, providing the vehicle's appearance is the same as when it was originally manufactured and there are no changes to the log book (V5C).
The second change is that vehicles that have been subject to significant structural modifications will be able to keep their original VIN and registration number, but the registered keeper must notify the DVLA of the changes.
A third change addresses the popular increase in electric conversions of classic cars.
Vehicles that have been converted to electric will also be able to retain their original identity, but the registered keeper must notify the DVLA of the changes.
Dale Keller, CEO of the HCVA says: 'The positive impact these changes will have should not be underestimated in how they will support specialists and owners in protecting the UK's historic vehicle industry, enabling over three million historic and classic vehicles to be kept roadworthy, relevant, and enjoyed by future generations.'
Minister for the Future of Roads, Lilian Greenwood, comments: 'These changes are about cutting red tape and making life easier for enthusiasts, whether you're restoring a vintage gem or converting it to electric. It's all about celebrating the UK's amazing motoring heritage and helping the industry thrive well into the future.'
On 9 May 2024 then Secretary of State for Transport, Mark Harper, announced a classic car Call for Evidence while speaking at an HCVA event at Bicester Motion. It got over 1,300 responses from enthusiasts, owners and industry players
Dale Keller, CEO of the HCVA says: 'The positive impact these changes will have should not be underestimated in how they will support specialists and owners in protecting the UK's historic vehicle industry'
Why are these changes so important to keep classic cars on the road? Why was there a Call for Evidence?
On 9 May 2024, then Secretary of State for Transport, Mark Harper, announced a Call for Evidence while speaking at an HCVA event at Bicester Motion.
It was brought in because of growing calls from the classic car industry 'to streamline every aspect of historic vehicle registration'.
Since the eighties, the way classic cars have been registered has been an issue, former HCVA Guy Lachlan told Daily Mail last year.
Prior to this period, local DVLA offices would look at each classic car, talk to the owner and make an informed decision as to whether the car's changes or modifications should alter the registration of the vehicle.
But from the 1980s onwards, cost cutting measures meant local offices were closed and the DVLA system was centralised, with decisions made about modifications, repairs and registrations that 'operated to rules not published anywhere', according to Lachlan.
Former board member of the HCVA, Paul Griffin, told us that simply undertaking standard repairs on your classic car could result in it being slapped with a Q-plate - when a vehicle's history is deemed unverifiable - or subject to a new VIN.
Griffin added that 'appeals to the DVLA fell flat' and that the process was ambiguous, lengthy, expensive and unlikely to warrant a change.
So, the changes announced today make it significantly easier for classic vehicles to be repaired, restored and modified. They ensure that treasured cars are no longer losing their original identification after restoration or even refused registration all together.
Dale Keller, CEO of the HCVA commented: 'The policy changes by the DVLA encapsulate how industry and government working collaboratively can deliver better outcomes.
'It is testament to the hard work of the HCVA, and others, that the government has listened and acted with pragmatic changes that place the retention of historic identity at the forefront of registration policy, a move that will be welcomed by all historic vehicle specialists, owners, and historians.'
The classic car industry in the UK supports over 115,000 jobs and brings in a yearly revenue of over £4billion
The vibrant UK classic vehicle industry not only keeps classic vehicles on our roads to be enjoyed by everyone, it keeps valuable skills alive in a sector supporting over 115,000 jobs - the same staff size as the nation's ports and twice that of the whisky industry.
The classic car industry is also a huge export success story.
Specific skills that classic car maintenance and restoration workers possess are estimated to be worth at least £335million per annum to the UK economy.
The HCVA estimates that the classic car industry brings in a yearly revenue of £4billion a year, and there are 3.1 million classic and historic vehicles in the UK, the Centre for Economics and Business Research found.
DVLA Chief Executive, Tim Moss, said: 'These updated policies support historic vehicle keepers, and the wider industry, with clearer registration processes that reflect modern restoration and modification practices, helping safeguard the UK's rich and wonderful automotive history.
'These changes will allow enthusiasts to focus on what they love most: preserving and enjoying these remarkable vehicles.'