New number plates

From the NewsGroup uk.transport

John asks-

I haven't had to do this (yet!) but a leaflet at a local Halfords lists the "acceptable means of identity" if you need new number plates. Unless you have a new photo driving licence then they have to see a *bank or building society statement* and other documentation, including a V5 or similar.

Can they be serious? My bank statement is entirely confidential and is certainly no business of some unwashed assistant at Halfords or anyone else.

The guy at Halfords claimed that the insistence of a bank statement was a D of T requirement, not *theirs* and that "nothing else will be acceoted". Is that true?

This is a gross invasion of privacy. I'm certainly going to contact my MP about it; I hope others will.

Useful Responses

Sherilyn said-

By law, they need to be sure they have a positive identification for
this particular purchase. It is a little more intrusive than we're
used to in the UK, I agree. If you're using a credit card, I'd be
surprised if they really need further identification, since this would provide all the audit trail a police officer would need.

John replies-

No, they *insisted* that only a bank or BS statement would do. They said that even UK forces personnel with their military ID card had been refused. That's why I wondered if it was just Halfords who insisted on this, or whether it really was enshrined in law.

The point made by Shaun about covering up entries with a marker pen is not really the point. Halfords say that only the *original* document is acceptable. Why should I deface my own bank statement? Not only that, what if you break a number plate far from home - on holiday perhaps? One is hardly likely to happen to have a bank statement handy just in case! In any case, how far would a "defaced" statement be acceptable? I resent them seeing even my account number and bank address. This is no business of Halfords or anyone else. If I were applying for HP, or a store cerdit card, that may be different.

Surely there are other acceptable forms of ID: as Sherilyn says, a credit/debit card for example or a recent utility bill as accepted widely for this sort of ID.

MrCheerful said-

Halfords are economical with the details but this is what is needed:

A current photocard driving licence (preferred); or Bank/Building Society statement or a recent utility bill with one of the following:-

Current paper driving licence
Passport
Credit/debit card with photograph
Travel pass card with photograph
Foreign national identification card

AND ...

The acceptable proof of entitlement should be:

Registration Document [V5] preferred (this includes V5/2). The 11 digit 'document reference number' in Section D should be recorded, or

Certificate of entitlement to a mark [V750], or

Cherished transfer retention document [V778], or

Vehicle Licence Renewal [V11], or

Authorisation slip [V948] from DVLA local office with official DVLA stamp. This will apply when DVLA authorises a customer to buy number plates bearing a particular registration mark, e.g. in the case of a cherished transfer, or

An extract from the schedule of vehicles supplied by a hire/leasing company, or
A letter of authority from Fleet Operators on company headed note paper with contact details stating that the company holds the Registration Document [V5] and quoting either the document reference number or the vehicle identification number, or

Certificate of Vehicle Registration / temporary export certificate [V379].

So basically get a new driving licence with picture and take in your registration document and that is it.

The above came in at the beginning of this year.

Thieves bought copies of real number plates and used those on stolen cars, these measures may reduce that. I agree about breaking a plate while on holiday though.