How to find out if a number plate is still available

[SvMinor]

I was looking to get my wife a personal plate that matched mine, I saw on here a while ago about a site were you could check if a car was on the motor insurance database, I put the registration number That I wanted for my wife into the site and it returned saying the number was on a Merc Kompressor cant remember anything else about the car, so I checked it again and again and it now says the car is not on the insurance database anymore, How can I find out if the number still exists, Or maybe the car it was on was in a crash and written off (just my thinking).

Anyone got any ideas??
Thanks Mark

[irmscher]

Maybe they put it on retention when they sold the car it doesnt show then usualy

[ASL642]

Contact the DVLA?

[SvMinor]

The Retention thing never thought of that, and contact Dvla Would I just ring them or would I need some sort of application for information??

Thanks Again

[bmcecosse]

For a fee (and a 'good' reason) - the DVLA will give you the details of the owner of the car carrying that plate - not sure if that still applies if the number is now 'on retention'. You can only ask - either phone them (not from a mobile - the battery will run flat while you wait) - or probably better to go into your nearest local branch and make the enquiry there.

[d_harris]

I think thats a bit unfair Roy. Last time I rang the DVLA I got through to a real person after only a few seconds.

[SvMinor]

Roys right I never use my mobile to call them, I always use the landline,then wot you get is, press 1, press 2, press 3, and so on and so on,