Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994

24 Assignment of registration marks by motor dealers

(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations make such provision as he considers appropriate with respect to the allocation of registration marks for vehicles to motor dealers who—

(a) apply for such allocations, and

(b) appear to the Secretary of State suitable to receive them,

and with respect to the assigning of the marks to vehicles by motor dealers.

(2) Regulations under this section may, in particular, include provision—

(a) as to the mode of application for the allocation of registration marks,

(b) as to the transfer of registration marks allocated to a motor dealer in cases where the motor dealer dies or becomes incapacitated or bankrupt and in such other cases as may be prescribed by the regulations, and

(c) as to the cancellation of allocations of registration marks.

(3) The provision which may be made by regulations under this section also includes provision for—

(a) restricting the circumstances in which a motor dealer may assign a registration mark to a vehicle,

(b) securing that registration marks allocated to a motor dealer are assigned by him in such sequence as the Secretary of State considers appropriate and that no registration mark is assigned to a vehicle to which a registration mark has already been assigned, and

(c) requiring a motor dealer to furnish to the Secretary of State within the period prescribed by the regulations such particulars in respect of each vehicle to which the motor dealer assigns a registration mark as are so prescribed.

(4) Where—

(a) the Secretary of State—

(i) rejects an application by a motor dealer for an allocation of registration marks, or

(ii) cancels an allocation of registration marks made to a motor dealer, and

(b) the motor dealer, within the period prescribed by regulations made by the Secretary of State, requests him to review his decision,

the Secretary of State shall comply with the request and (in doing so) consider any representations made to him in writing during that period by the motor dealer.

(5) Where the Secretary of State cancels an allocation of registration marks made to a motor dealer—

(a) the cancellation does not take effect before the end of the period prescribed by regulations made by the Secretary of State, and

(b) where during that period the motor dealer requests the Secretary of State to review his decision, the cancellation does not take effect before the Secretary of State gives notice in writing of the result of the review to the motor dealer.

(6) For the purposes of subsection (5)(b) notice may be given to a person by—

(a) delivering it to him,

(b) leaving it at his proper address, or

(c) sending it to him by post;

and for the purposes of this subsection, and of section 7 of the [1978 c. 30.] Interpretation Act 1978 in its application to this subsection, the proper address of a person is his latest address as known to the Secretary of State.