Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to review the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency's guidance on transferring a registration plate from a vehicle subject to a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) to ensure that registered keepers are made aware of all available routes to retain vehicle registration plates.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) publishes clear guidance on retaining or transferring vehicle registration numbers at www.gov.uk/personalised-vehicle-registration-numbers/take-private-number-off. The requirements are also set out in the relevant forms and information leaflets.

Strict requirements must be met before a registration number can be retained or transferred, including checks to help identify and prevent fraudulent applications. The vehicle must still exist and be capable of mechanical propulsion. Where a vehicle is subject to a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN), an application will only be considered in specific circumstances, including where the SORN has been in place for less than five years. If the SORN has been in place for five years or more, an MOT test is required. Where an MOT test is not feasible, the DVLA may, in exceptional circumstances, arrange an inspection to confirm that the vehicle can move under its own power.