16/10/2023 – DVLA:
‘When we receive an application for a vehicle that has been stolen, the police advise us to process these applications as normal.
If a V5C is issued, a notification is automatically sent to the police to advise them of this.’
22/11/2023, the DVLA added:
‘In circumstances where a vehicle is stolen, it remains the responsibility of the vehicle keeper to report this to the police, who then update the DVLA records* with the date of theft.
Keepers are accordingly advised to notify their own insurance company of theft.
The vehicle will remain recorded as being ‘stolen’ on the DVLA system until such time as the police notify us that it has been recovered.
The Agency relies on the Police to electronically update DVLA in a timely manner* when a vehicle has been recovered.
Outside the provisions of the FOIA, it may be useful to explain that the DVLA is charged with keeping a register of vehicles and their keepers and this is maintained specifically to assist with road safety, law enforcement and the collection of vehicle excise duty (vehicle tax).
It is essential therefore, that information on the vehicle database at DVLA is both accurate and up to date.
However, the Agency is very much reliant on the public, motor traders, the police and insurance companies to send accurate and timely information to DVLA, in order to update the vehicle record’.*
Freedom of Information Act (FoIA) at WhatDoTheyKnow.com
*’Weeding‘ is an obvious area of concern – the DVLA only learn of the LoS status of a VRM when the police ‘confirm’ the record. It appears many are not confirmed promptly, if at all!
