The D.V.L.A. have introduced important changes which came into force on 1st January 2021 regarding the fitting black and silver number plates or the later reflective type plates. This will affect the ability of all U.K. registered Solexes registered in the 'Historic Vehicle' tax class to display the old-style pre-1973 black and silver number plates:
D.V.L.A. Rule Changes
Following the change in definition of an 'Historic Vehicle' for tax exemption purposes in 2015, an issue was identified in the regulatory requirements for the valid display of a black and silver number plate. This resulted in an unintended consequence whereby any vehicle over 40 years old and registered in the historic tax class would be permtted to display an old-style black and silver number plate.
This was despite the law previously requiring all vehicles registered after 1st January 1973 to only display the yellow and white numbers plates with black characters.
As this was never the intention, the D.V.L.A. have sought to rectify this through legal correction and the new law has now been implemented.
The law now means any vehicle constructed AFTER 1st January 1980 is prevented from displaying a black and silver number plate - despite it being recorded in the D.V.L.A's. historic class.
Those vehicles with a construction date PRIOR to 1st January 1980 will continue to be able to legally display black and silver number plates to avoid any undue costs of Number Plate replacement.
N.B. Solex Owners may also like to note that from 1st January 2021 it will no longer be permissable to fix new number plates displaying the Euro symbol. However, number plates already fixed to Solexes are unaffected.