Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994

7 Issue of vehicle licences.U.K.

(1)Every person applying for a vehicle licence shall—

(a)make [F1any such] a declaration, and

(b)furnish [F2any] such particulars [F3and any such documentary or other evidence],

(whether or not with respect to the vehicle for which the licence is to be taken out) as may be [F4specified] by the Secretary of State.

(2)The declarations [F5, particulars and evidence] which may be so [F6specified] include, in relation to a person applying for a licence for a goods vehicle [F7or a special vehicle], a declaration as to, [F8particulars of and evidence in relation to], any of the matters specified in subsection (3) as to which the Secretary of State may require information with a view to an alteration in the basis on which vehicle excise duty is chargeable in respect of goods vehicles [F9or, as the case may be, special vehicles].

(3)The matters referred to in subsection (2) are—

(a)the construction of the vehicle,

[F10(b)the vehicle’s revenue weight,

(ba)the place where the vehicle has been or is normally kept, and]

(c)the use to which the vehicle has been or is likely to be put.

[F11(3A)A person applying for a licence shall not be required to make a declaration specified for the purposes of subsection (1)(a) if he agrees to comply with such conditions as may be specified in relation to him by the Secretary of State.

F11(3B)The conditions which may be specified under subsection (3A) include

[F12(a)] a condition that particulars for the time being specified for the purposes of subsection (1)(b) are furnished by being transmitted to the Secretary of State by such electronic means as he may specify [F13; and

F13(b)a condition requiring such payments as may be specified by the Secretary of State to be made to him in respect of—

(i)steps taken by him for facilitating compliance by any person with any condition falling within paragraph (a); and

(ii)in such circumstances as may be so specified, the processing of applications for vehicle licences where particulars are transmitted in accordance with that paragraph.]]

[F14(4)A vehicle licence is issued for the vehicle specified in the application for the licence (and for no other).]

(5)The Secretary of State is not required to issue a vehicle licence for which an application is made unless he is satisfied—

(a)that the licence applied for is the appropriate licence for the vehicle specified in the application, and

(b)in the case of an application for a licence for a vehicle purporting to be the first application for a licence for the vehicle, that a licence has not previously been issued for the vehicle.

(6)Regulations made by the Secretary of State may provide for—

[F15(aa)the return of any vehicle licence which is damaged or contains any particulars which have become illegible or inaccurate,]

(a)the issue of a new vehicle licence in the place of a licence which is or may be lost, stolen, destroyed or damaged [F16or which contains any particulars which have become illegible or inaccurate], and

(b)the fee to be paid on the issue of a new licence [F17in any of those circumstances].

(7)Where, following an application made in accordance with regulations under paragraph 13 of Schedule 1, a licence is issued for a goods vehicle at the rate of duty applicable to a weight specified in the application which is lower than its actual weight, that lower weight is to be shown on the licence.

[F18(8)In this section “special vehicle” has the same meaning as in paragraph 4 of Schedule 1.]