RobMS

Does anyone know what the restrictions are with having passengers, especially children, in a vehicle driven on trade plates. Sometimes when I'm moving cars between compounds/garages my young lad (8 year old) wants to come along, but I never take if I'm on plates Obviously wouldn't drive him in any unknown vehicle - eg, vehicle just bought and unaware of it's full condition

I'm in York and thankfully we have very few fixed ANPR cameras, plenty of cars though (although never ever been stopped on plates). I think I'll carry on as before and see if it becomes an issue. Apart from the odd main dealer doing a test drive, I've never seen anyone here covering plates - they've all been on the dashboard. Regarding VED... I'm still getting to grips with the new system. And a chat with the DVLA didn't help. I'll post that in a different thread.

I've not really dealt with them as yet, hopefully won't have too unless it's to renew my plates! If you turn the scenario around, and cover the car's plates with your own... and then get stopped for doing so. You'd be in a worse position, as you're clearly going directly against the official guidelines. I'd need to see some guidelines that clearly tell you to cover the plates (which is therefore contradictory) and then at least you can challenge them. It's pointless phoning the DVLA - if they tell me to cover the plates, it means nothing unless it's in writing. To me it doesn't make any sense to cover the plates - if you do, you're obscuring ANPR capabilities for spotting stolen/marked/non-MOT vehicles. Infact! If someone can point me to a document that says 'cover plates' then I will take both documents, and my plates, and raise the confusion with my local MP. See what he says.

I've been using plates for years and never covered the vehicle's original plate. Apart from being so time consuming to fit everytime, I'd be worried that I'd get to my destination and find I've left one of them on the M62. The DVLA guidance notes in VTL301G are very clear - you cannot cover a plate, and it's an offence to alter, deface or damage a plate. Imagine taking smashed plates back to the DVLA because they'd fallen off a car? Or handing them back with stress cracks from clips, or bracket drill holes etc? The safest place for these plates is inside the car. Having said all that - drove past a roadside ANPR yesterday. So expecting that some pain and hassle is coming my way!!

Hello all - will post a couple of specific posts in a moment, but as a small car dealer, cannot say how pleased I am to find this forum! I think it's rare for motor dealers to interact with each other, and this will be just great to bounce ideas and get feedback about motor related problems. I'm a small-sell-from-home dealer, but looking to rent to a compound fairly soon - and have been trading on and off for 25 years or so.