>> Home > Press office > Press releases > Archive from 2007 > Press release 19:DVLA gains additional powers to combat the supply of illegal number plates
New powers gained under the Road Safety Act 2006 mean that DVLA Number Plate Enforcement Officers will step up the enforcement effort against number plate suppliers who break the law.
The existing requirement is for all number plate suppliers in England and Wales to register with DVLA, request sight of specific documentation from customers and keep records for 3 years following a sale. This will apply to traders in Scotland and Northern Ireland later in the year.
Failure to request evidence of entitlement to a particular registration mark through the production of suitable documentation (e.g. registration certificate) and proof of identity (e.g. photocard driving licence) is an offence.
DVLA officials now have the authority to enter premises, seize records and prosecute offenders. This will supplement the powers used by police officers and trading standards officials.
Police spokesman Superintendent John Wake said: "The police welcomes this DVLA initiative. It increases the pressure on rogue number plate suppliers who provide criminals with the raw material to clone motor vehicles.
"We fully support DVLA bringing their own prosecutions and we will continue to work closely with DVLA to cut off the supply of illegal number plates and bring those involved in car cloning before the courts."
Jonathan Hartley of the British Number Plate Manufacturers Association (BNMA) said: "The vast majority of number plate suppliers who comply with the requirements of the law have nothing to fear. The BNMA fully endorses measures taken by DVLA to bear down on illegal number plate suppliers, who undermine legitimate trade and take business away from BNMA members."
Notes to editors:
A Register of Number Plate Suppliers was set up in 2003 which required all businesses in England and Wales involved in the sale of number plates, to register with DVLA. Over 34,000 businesses have been registered. It is an offence to supply number plates whilst unregistered or without requesting entitlement to a registration mark and proof of identity. The Road Safety Act 2006 provided the power to extend the scheme to Scotland and Northern Ireland and gave the Secretary of State the means to appoint persons, other than police and trading standards officials, with authority to bring offenders to court for offences under the Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001.
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