Finance Act 1976

12 Charges on request for registration number

(1) Regulations under the [1971 c. 10.] Vehicles (Excise) Act 1971 may provide for a prescribed charge to be made in cases where by request a particular registration mark is assigned to a vehicle (whether on its first registration or later), having previously been assigned to another vehicle.

(2) The regulations may—

(a) require the vehicle to which a mark is requested to be assigned, and also in prescribed cases the other vehicle, to be made available for inspection either at a place designated by or under the regulations, or elsewhere;

(b) provide for a prescribed charge to be made for the inspection, and for the whole or part of this charge to be retained whether or not the mark is assigned as requested.

(3) Charges prescribed for the purposes of this section may be of any amount approved by the Treasury, and need not be related to the costs of making the assignment or (as the case may be) of arranging for any vehicle to be inspected.

(4) The first regulations under the Vehicles (Excise) Act 1971 prescribing the amount of any charge by virtue of this section shall not be made unless a draft of a statutory instrument containing them has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House; and those regulations shall not then be subject to annulment as otherwise provided for regulations under the Act.

(5) The Vehicles (Excise) Act 1971 and this section shall be construed as if this section (without this subsection) were contained in that Act; and this section shall apply to Northern Ireland with the substitution for references to that Act of references to the [1972 c. 10 (N.I.).] Vehicles (Excise) Act (Northern Ireland) 1972.