Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the accuracy of vehicle registration plate data held by the DVLA.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The latest available data shows more than 93 per cent of vehicle keepers are contactable and traceable from the information held on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s record. Of the remainder, around six per cent are in the motor trade where a vehicle may legitimately have no registered keeper.
The DVLA works to reduce the number of vehicles that have no registered keeper or are unlicensed through a combination of enforcement, collaboration and education. The DVLA works with more than 80 local authorities and police forces to identify and act on vehicles which do not have a registered keeper. The DVLA also deploys Automatic Number Plate Recognition vehicles to detect unlicensed or unregistered vehicles and sends reminders as well as promoting easier payment options to encourage people to license their vehicle on time.
There are long-standing legislative requirements in place to ensure that keepers notify the DVLA when they buy and sell a vehicle. It is an offence to use a vehicle that does not have a registered keeper.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people were penalised for driving a vehicle with no registered keeper in the last five years.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
While the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) maintains a register of vehicles and their keepers, on road enforcement of the law rests primarily with the police.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 September 2025 to Question 74032 on Motor vehicles: registration, how many vehicles account for the remaining 7 per cent of vehicles identified that are neither contactable or traceable by the DVLA.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The latest available data shows that of the 52,898,866 vehicles on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s vehicle database, 49,270,958 are contactable and traceable based on the information held on the DVLA’s records. Of the remainder it is estimated that around 2,889,000 vehicles are in the motor trade where a vehicle can legitimately have no registered keeper.
Information on the number of people who did not notify the DVLA of a change of keeper is not available.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of vehicles involved in road traffic crashes within the last five years had no registered keeper.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The information requested is not held by the Department.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of drivers failed to notify the DVLA of a change of vehicle keeper or ownership in the preceeding five years.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The latest available data shows that of the 52,898,866 vehicles on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s vehicle database, 49,270,958 are contactable and traceable based on the information held on the DVLA’s records. Of the remainder it is estimated that around 2,889,000 vehicles are in the motor trade where a vehicle can legitimately have no registered keeper.
Information on the number of people who did not notify the DVLA of a change of keeper is not available.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle the illegal use of the vehicle registration numbers of legitimate car owners.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other government departments to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime, including the use of cloned number plates.
The law requires that anyone who supplies number plates for road use in the UK must be registered with the DVLA. It is a legal requirement for number plate suppliers to carry out checks to ensure that number plates are only sold to those who can prove they are entitled to the registration number. Number plate suppliers must also keep records of the plates they have supplied. Selling a number plate without carrying out these required checks carries a maximum penalty of a fine of £1,000 and the potential removal from the Register of Number Plate Suppliers (RNPS).
Officials are also considering options to ensure a more robust, auditable RNPS process which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers. On-road enforcement for offences relating to the display of number plates is a matter for the police. The DVLA assists the police and Trading Standards in their enforcement against number plate suppliers, including those who trade illegally. When notified, the DVLA will investigate and pass on intelligence to the police who are responsible for investigating this criminal matter.
Anyone who thinks their number plate may have been cloned should contact the police immediately. Any fines received should be returned to the issuing authorities. The DVLA can provide customers with letters that can be used as supporting evidence and can also provide a replacement registration number where appropriate.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the proportion of DVLA keeper records that are (a) missing and (b) falsified.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The latest available data shows that more than 93 per cent of vehicle keepers are contactable and traceable based on the information held on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency’s (DVLA) records. Of the remainder, around six per cent of vehicles are in the motor trade, where a vehicle may legitimately have no registered keeper.
Information on potentially falsified keeper data is not readily available as the DVLA will only become aware of alleged incidents of this when it is identified through customer contact, third-party notification, or enforcement activity.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the DVLA’s updated vehicle registration guidance on the UK’s (a) classic and (b) historic vehicle sector.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s new guidance supports historic vehicle keepers and the wider industry with clearer registration processes that reflect modern restoration and modification practices.
The feedback from the historic and classic vehicle sector is that the new policies reflect a pragmatic approach and satisfactorily address the major issues raised, alleviating many of the difficulties associated with the previous policies.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with the DVLA on reducing the number of vehicles with no registered keeper on the roads.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
There are long-standing and robust measures, including legislative requirements, in place to ensure that keepers notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) when they buy and sell a vehicle. It is already an offence to use a vehicle that does not have a registered keeper.
The DVLA is working to reduce the number of vehicles on UK roads that have no registered keeper or are unlicensed. The DVLA works with more than 80 local authorities and police forces to identify and act on vehicles which do not have a registered keeper. It also deploys Automatic Number Plate Recognition vehicles to detect unlicensed or unregistered vehicles.
Based on the latest available data, more than 93 per cent of vehicle keepers are contactable and traceable from the information held on the DVLA’s vehicle record. Of the remainder, around 6% are in the motor trade, where a vehicle may legitimately have no registered keeper.
Asked by: Sarah Coombes (Labour - West Bromwich)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the number and proportion of vehicles that have no registered keeper.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
There are long-standing and robust measures, including legislative requirements, in place to ensure that keepers notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) when they buy and sell a vehicle. It is already an offence to use a vehicle that does not have a registered keeper.
The DVLA is working to reduce the number of vehicles on UK roads that have no registered keeper or are unlicensed. The DVLA works with more than 80 local authorities and police forces to identify and act on vehicles which do not have a registered keeper. It also deploys Automatic Number Plate Recognition vehicles to detect unlicensed or unregistered vehicles.
Based on the latest available data, more than 93 per cent of vehicle keepers are contactable and traceable from the information held on the DVLA’s vehicle record. Of the remainder, around 6% are in the motor trade, where a vehicle may legitimately have no registered keeper.