Vehicle Crime

Vehicle identity check (VIC)	Crime reduction initiatives
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Vehicle crime reduction initiatives

One of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agencys (DVLA) key aims is to reduce vehicle related crime. The Agency achieves this by a number of measures they have put in place.

Emphasising the importance of the registration certificate

The law requires someone selling a vehicle to pass the relevant part of the registration document to the purchaser and notify DVLA of the change. DVLA and the police strongly recommend that prospective purchasers have sight of the registration document V5 or registration certificate V5/C and physically check details contained on it against the vehicle prior to purchase. In order to tax a used vehicle with form V10 (or V85 for heavy goods vehicles) it is necessary to produce the appropriate section of the registration document or certificate. Thus making it essential that the appropriate part of the registration certificate is passed on to the buyer when a vehicle is sold.

Vehicle identity checks (VIC)

The VIC scheme, operated by the Vehicle and Operator Service Agency (VOSA) is a means of deterring criminals from disguising stolen cars with the identity of those written off or scrapped. DVLA is notified of all cars that are declared as written off or scrapped due to substantial accident damage by the insurance industry. Following notification of the successful completion of the VIC test a new registration certificate will be issued and annotated to show that the vehicle has been seriously accident damaged or repaired.

Certificates of destruction

The End of Life vehicles directive allows a certificate of destruction (COD) to be issued for a vehicle taken to an authorised treatment facility (ATF) for destruction. The COD will be issued to the last owner or holder of the vehicle and will end the keepers financial responsibility by updating the record held at DVLA. To process end of life vehicles, the ATF must be licensed by the Environment Agency or Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Registration of number plate suppliers

The Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001 requires all number plate suppliers in England and Wales to register with DVLA. The registration of number plate suppliers (RNPS) scheme ensures that number plates are only sold by registered suppliers and to a purchaser who can show entitlement to a particular registration mark and can provide verification of personal details. Number plate suppliers are required to keep records of sales and make them available for inspection by the police or local authorities.

Continuous registration

In January 2004 a new system of continuous registration was introduced. Under this system, the registered keeper of a vehicle remains financially responsible for the vehicle, until DVLA is formally notified of its transfer or disposal. This makes it possible to carry out enforcement from the record, instead of relying on a sighting on the public road and encourages individuals to notify DVLA of any changes in keeper details.

Name and address checks

To improve accuracy DVLA has introduced new measures to check name and address details to be entered onto the vehicle record. From 1 January 2004 documentary evidence is required to verify name and address with forms V55/4 and V55/5 used mainly to register imported vehicles, re-builds and kit built vehicles.

Since October 2004 more thorough measures are being taken to establish the true address when registration documents are returned undelivered.

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