What sort of records do we have?

When the Local Taxation Offices were closed in 1977/8 on completion of computerization of the registration system, their vehicle records were offered to the appropriate local record office or police force. In many cases the records were declined and it is these records which are now held at The Kithead Trust supplemented by others which have since been deposited by police forces or by DVLA.

Owing to the sheer volume involved, it was in most cases only possible to retain records in respect of vehicles first registered before about 1948 but there are one or two exceptions, usually where the records are in book form. The vast majority of records are in the form of an index card for each vehicle. These may give details of the vehicle when new or, more usually, as with the final registered owner. It is extremely rare for details of intermediate owners to be shown.

In many cases the information will simply be a transfer card indicating movement from one registration authority to another; in such cases often it is only the make which is given and sometimes not even that.

There is a considerable variation between differing registration authorities as to the amount of information which they recorded in respect of “void” marks and the date when the vehicle was last licensed also affects the position. Before 1939, details are often sparse because the actual files were at that time retained whilst after about 1970 entering of last owner details was entirely discontinued.