Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001

Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001

2001 CHAPTER 3

Commentary on Sections

Part 2: Regulation of Registration Plate Suppliers

Sections 26, 27, 28 and 29: Supplementary Provisions and Offences

41. Section 26 gives a police officer or a person appointed by a local authority the right to enter and inspect the premises of a registered business.  A police officer or a person appointed by a local authority may enter other premises where he suspects that there is an unregistered business, provided that a justice of the peace has issued a warrant. Reasonable force may be used in pursuance of the warrant.

42. Section 27 requires a registered person to notify within 28 days any changes to details held on the register or the cessation of business as a registration plate supplier. Failure to notify will be an offence, subject to a due diligence defence.  Section 28 makes it an offence knowingly or recklessly to sell as a registration plate a device which is not a registration plate. It also makes it an offence knowingly to supply components to a person who is in the business of selling fake registration plates for the purposes of that business.

43. Section 29 makes it an offence in certain circumstances to supply a plate to an unregistered person, other than an exempt person, who is carrying on business as a registration plate supplier.