DVLA query

VT3C RUNN3R · Post by **VT3C RUNN3R** » Thu Dec 06, 2012 3:23 pm

Hey guys,

I know if you change a car's colour you have to notify the DVLA of the change but does anybody know if there is a charge for doing this?

Thanks
Mike

Post by **rob quilter** » Thu Dec 06, 2012 3:26 pm

VT3C RUNN3R wrote:Hey guys,

I know if you change a car's colour you have to notify the DVLA of the change but does anybody know if there is a charge for doing this?

Thanks
Mike

No there's no charge, I changed my crx colour from silver to black this year. Just fill out the colour change section on the bottom of your V5C (logbook) and send it off. You also need to inform your insurance company of the change.

VT3C RUNN3R · Post by **VT3C RUNN3R** » Thu Dec 06, 2012 3:48 pm

Thanks Rob!

Post by **Gayno** » Thu Dec 06, 2012 4:56 pm

One thing I haven't checked, is if Confused changed the engine number on the V5 when he did the swap.

Is this the same, and will it cause any issues? Originally was UKDM H22, and is now JDM H22

Post by **rob quilter** » Thu Dec 06, 2012 5:21 pm

Gayno wrote:One thing I haven't checked, is if Confused changed the engine number on the V5 when he did the swap.

Is this the same, and will it cause any issues? Originally was UKDM H22, and is now JDM H22

Personally, I'd make sure any major changes such as an engine or colour change are changed on the logbook and with the insurance company. I'd imagine a lot of insurance companies won't pay out for a claim if any thing has been changed without the details being updated.

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Sat Dec 08, 2012 12:27 pm

As said, just put the new details on the V5 and send it off, hey presto.

I wouldn't bother telling an insurance company about a respray into another standard type paint, or an engine change (provided its like-like engine not an upgrade), they won't hold that information on their records. If you've gone for some fancy chromatic type paint or whatever, then that would be worth mentioning, but not just any normal finish paint.

All they're interested in in the event of a claim is any declared mods match what's on the car and the details on the V5 (incl engine no. and paint colour) match the car.

The details on the V5 w.r.t colour are completely vague anyway 'green' cold be anything (metallic, bright, dark, etc). and are often not accurate from first reg anyway - you might find silver cars with teh colour listed as grey, for example. It's entirely down to what the numpty at the dealership felt like putting down at the time.

Crazy_C · Post by **Crazy_C** » Sat Dec 08, 2012 10:34 pm

wurlycorner wrote:I wouldn't bother telling an insurance company about a respray into another standard type paint, or an engine change (provided its like-like engine not an upgrade), they won't hold that information on their records. If you've gone for some fancy chromatic type paint or whatever, then that would be worth mentioning, but not just any normal finish paint.

All they're interested in in the event of a claim is any declared mods match what's on the car and the details on the V5 (incl engine no. and paint colour) match the car.

The details on the V5 w.r.t colour are completely vague anyway 'green' cold be anything (metallic, bright, dark, etc). and are often not accurate from first reg anyway - you might find silver cars with teh colour listed as grey, for example. It's entirely down to what the numpty at the dealership felt like putting down at the time.

Wrong on so many levels!! And I know that Shiny will agree with me on this one as well.

Any, and I really do mean ANY, alterations to the vehicle other than how it was manufactured MUST be disclosed to the insurance. The only exception to this is maintenance parts (ie replacing a rusted out exhaust with an OEM equivalent) but even like for like engine changes should be notified even if just to be added onto the history notes of the policy.

If you have a crash, and you have anything that has not been notified to the insurers, they'll straight away see that as a get out for having to pay you any money, and if you've hit someone else, they can get out of paying them money as well, as you are technically driving with invalid insurance. You'll then have a bill to pay for those costs, the increased insurance next time as you will have to state that you have had insurance cancelled (if they cancel it) and all of that will almost certainly cost more than a phone call and any update charges for notifying of modifications.

Even if your car was grass green before, but you repaint it lime green, you won't have to tell the DVLA as the colour is still in main desription, but if the insurance are not notified, and they see photos of your car as 2 different colours (which these days, with the internet, Facebook, forums etc... isn't hard to check) and they haven't been told it's been changed, they can again say that the insurance is invalid.

End of the day, the best bet is if you're not sure what needs to be notified to your insurance, call them, tell them, and they will tell you if it needs to be notified or not. I work for a bike insurance broker, and with my insurance, I will still check to see if they want to know of any modifications as even different companies class different things as modifications.

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Sat Dec 08, 2012 10:54 pm

I worked for a large insurance broker/underwriter for 6 years.

Crazy_C · Post by **Crazy_C** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 12:22 am

Maybe it's different where you work, but where I work, it is drummed into us to make a note of anything that has been changed. I know with my car insurance, they want me to notify them when it's had it's respray even though it's going exactly the same colour, though that is a classic policy so will increase the value.

Where I work though, we do need to know of any changes, however trivial. We rarely put the price up though unless there is serious modification work at hand, but we do still need to know. Part the reason being is that some of our underwriters won't touch bikes with any modifications, so even something like a different screen or heated grips, or an end can, they won't cover it, which is why we have to be aware of any changes made.