November 2025

by Robin Astle.

From HISTORIC, the FBHVC magazine Issue 7

DVLA – Ian Edmunds

With the release of details from the DVLA of their review of registration procedures for historic vehicles, it seemed an appropriate time to share some up-to-date statistics relating to the Agency’s day-to-day activities. This brief summary of these somewhat mind-blowing numbers is taken from a quarterly newsletter that the DVLA sends to the participants in their various User Groups and from the Annual Report & Accounts (2024/2025) which was published on 21st July.

The DVLA is one of the largest employers in the Swansea area and as at 31st March 2025 employed a total 5,481 full time equivalent staff, split approximately 60/40% female/male. The total number of employees is somewhat greater as many work part-time.

They are responsible for maintaining accurate records of nearly 53 million drivers in Great Britain and more than 47 million vehicles across the United Kingdom.

In the twelve months to 31st March 2025, DVLA -

• Issued 17.9 million registration certificates (V5C)
• Issued 12.5 million driving licenses
• Answered just over 14 million Contact Centre queries
• Made more than 832,000 medical licensing decisions
• Passed £8.4 billion in VED to HM Treasury
• Dealt with 99.4 million individual customer interactions

To maintain some perspective on this we should remember that only about 4% of the vehicles registered with the DVLA are classified as Historic. The obvious result is that, valid as they are, on the vehicle side, the concerns of the historic vehicle community are but a tiny part of the work of the DVLA.

OFFICIAL DVLA ANNOUNCEMENT - 20 August 2025

• DVLA has announced updated policies to modernise the process for notifying DVLA when a vehicle has been repaired, restored and modified.
• Like-for-like repairs and restorations will no longer need to be reported to DVLA, and more modified vehicles - including electric vehicle (EV) conversions - will be able to retain their original identities.
• Changes will take effect from Tuesday 26 August 2025.

DVLA has today (20 August) unveiled a major update to some of its vehicle registration policies, making it significantly easier for enthusiasts to register repaired, restored and modified vehicles.

The new guidance reflects modern restoration methods and simplifies the registration process, helping classic car owners keep their vehicles on the road while ensuring safety and accurate records.

These changes follow an extensive call for evidence, which received more than 1,350 responses from classic car owners, motoring clubs and the historic vehicle sector. In response, DVLA is replacing its existing policies on rebuilt and radically altered vehicles with two new sets of guidance that will apply to all vehicles, regardless of age.

Key changes include:

• like-for-like repairs and restorations will no longer require notification to DVLA, providing the vehicle’s appearance is the same as when it was originally manufactured and there are no changes to the log book (V5C)
• vehicles that have been subject to significant structural modifications will be able to keep their original Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and registration number, but the registered keeper must notify DVLA of the changes.
• vehicles that have been converted to electric will also be able to retain their original identity, but the registered keeper must notify DVLA of the changes.

Minister for the Future of Roads, Lilian Greenwood said: “We know how much love, time and effort goes into keeping classic cars – and we’re right behind the community.

“These changes are about cutting red tape and making life easier for enthusiasts, whether you’re restoring a vintage gem or converting it to electric. It’s all about celebrating the UK’s amazing motoring heritage and helping the industry thrive well into the future."

DVLA Chief Executive, Tim Moss, said: "We recognise the time, passion and care that keepers of classic vehicles invest in keeping their cars on the road. That’s why we’ve worked closely with the community to shape these changes.

“These updated policies support historic vehicle keepers, and the wider industry, with clearer registration processes that reflect modern restoration and modification practices, helping safeguard the UK’s rich and wonderful automotive history. These changes will allow enthusiasts to focus on what they love most: preserving and enjoying these remarkable vehicles."

The new policies will come into effect on Tuesday 26 August 2025 with the full guidance to be published on GOV.UK on the same day, at: www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration

On Tuesday 26 August 2025, DVLA will replace its existing policies on rebuilt and radically altered vehicles with two new sets of guidance:

1.Repaired and restored vehicles

There will be no requirement to notify DVLA where a vehicle has been repaired or restored back to its original working standard, providing:

• worn-out components or body panels are replaced on a like for like basis
• the appearance of the vehicle is the same as when it was originally manufactured
• Vehicle log book (V5C) details are not affected.

2.Modified vehicles

Vehicles that have had significant structural modifications will be able to keep their original Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and registration number, but the registered keeper must notify DVLA of the changes.

This could include:

• cutting into the chassis monocoque or frame
• changing the vehicle’s appearance or dimensions from the original manufacturer’s specification
• conversions from an internal combustion engine to electric propulsion

These changes are based on engagement with industry and stakeholders along with feedback from a call for evidence which launched on 9 May 2024. DVLA published the summary of the responses to this on 9 December 2024 and the revised guidance will be published on Tuesday 26 August.

Legislation – Lindsay Irvine

Introduction

I hope that between the thunderstorms you have enjoyed a generally warm and sunny summer season and exercised your HV to your heart’s content. My columns have been longer of late and this is no exception! I hope that you appreciate that I have spent my sunny days on legislation issues which may affect our community. You will note that on that latter front, I have short updates on the Terrorism (Protection of Premises Act) 2025 (Martyn’s Law) and the Online Safety Act (which is proving more controversial than first anticipated).

SIA regulator Martyn’s Law

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises Act) 2025 continues to receive extensive coverage in the press. For a detailed exposition on this legislation and its relevance to the HV movement and specifically club events, see Edition 5 June 2025. The purpose behind the Act is to “ensure the public is better protected from terrorism by requiring certain public premises and events to be prepared and ready to keep people safe in the event of an attack”. As ever, part of the “ensuring” process is done through regulation and therefore one needs a regulator. The purpose of this update is to announce that this will come in the form of the Security Industry Authority (SIA). Currently they regulate the private security industry (think bouncers and security guards). That industry (amongst several public authorities to be fair) was found wanting in the Manchester arena tragedy, the prompting event for this piece of legislation.

That Regulator, the industry and those who provide venues will be looking to be consulted in the drafting of secondary legislation to implement the Act together with associated guidance which is promised over the next 2 years. Whilst the final version of the Act avoided the excessive burdens on small premises that we feared, our concerns remain for ad hoc “bare base” sites which host large events where more than 800 attendees are expected. Current larger venues and those who may come within the provisions are being encouraged to have a look at the potential implications. A useful summary of the current state of play is on the Protect UK (a joint public/private sector counter terror initiative) website here:

This and other useful links are on the FBHVC website at https://www.fbhvc.co.uk/martyns-law

We will be looking at how the implementation of this Act proceeds and would welcome any input from clubs who have experience in or are intending holding larger events.

Online Safety Act 2023

Hopefully, readers of the last edition of Historic may feel they have had a sufficiency of detail on this new statutory provision. As I indicated with a degree of confidence, the OSA is not specifically directed at Clubs but was something to which we believed they needed to direct their attention if they hosted online services such as a forum.

As the Chairman of Ofcom, Lord Michael Grade, has reiterated recently, the intent and aim of the legislation is to protect children and adults online, with the range of new duties principally directed at multinational social media companies and search services, making them more responsible for their users’ safety on their platforms.

The fulfilment of these duties will be overseen by the Regulator, Ofcom. The OSA also creates a range of offences including encouraging or assisting serious self-harm, cyber flashing, sending false information intended to cause non-trivial harm, threatening communications and intimate image abuse.

I explained in the previous edition how this legislation might apply to clubs; they can be swept up in the provisions as the OSA’s duties apply to search services and services that allow users to post content online or to interact with each other (user to user). In summary, clubs which host forums on their websites are therefore potentially covered by the Act’s provisions. However, the government intends that the safety duties imposed on providers are proportionate to factors including the risk of harm to individuals, and the size and capacity of each provider. While safety measures will need to be put in place across the board, small services with limited functionality are not required to implement measures or take the same actions as the largest corporations.?Ofcom?is required to take users’ rights into account when setting out steps to take. Providers have simultaneous duties to pay particular regard to users’ rights when fulfilling their safety duties.

We have been asked for guidance on the risk assessment process, namely how best to mitigate the 17 risks identified by Ofcom. I hesitate to try and simplify the process and would advise clubs to use the template provided by Ofcom and their guidance. In my view, in the unlikely event that any small club forum is looked at by the Regulator (or if something untoward happens and a complaint (perhaps even mischievous) is made to that Regulator) having the paper work in proper order can reduce the subsequent stress. As we learned with the HSAWA, whilst not all accidents can be prevented, liability is often dependent on the right processes having been followed.

The legislation does look intimidating for small operators, and we hope that Ofcom abides by its promise of a proportionate approach. We anticipate some of the mandatory compliance requirements are already adhered to in some form as part of operating the existing club forums (moderating and dealing with inappropriate posts and behaviours, adherence to forum rules and processes for joining and identification) which should mitigate the burden of the new rules.