Tracing a missing registration number

Tiger31

I'm trying to trace a particular Dublin registration, Sept / Oct 1986. The car, a UK import, is an ZS series number, registered and taxed on importation. Log book gone missing now. I believe the allocated number is ZS 8XXX.

Is it possible to access historic registration files for a specific date/dates. Would anyone have advice on how best approach the tax office with this query?

swarlb

Tiger31 wrote: »

I'm trying to trace a particular Dublin registration, Sept / Oct 1986. The car, a UK import, is an ZS series number, registered and taxed on importation. Log book gone missing now. I believe the allocated number is ZS 8XXX.

Is it possible to access historic registration files for a specific date/dates. Would anyone have advice on how best approach the tax office with this query?

Do you not know the reg number ? I would have thought it should be a simple enough job to get a replacement book if you know the reg.
The only reason I'm curious is that I used to own a ZS 87xx registered car.

Tiger31

swarlb wrote: »

Do you not know the reg number ? ......
The only reason I'm curious is that I used to own a ZS 87xx registered car.

......that's the problem, I don't know the exact number.

Do you know the date of registration of your ZS 87xx. The missing registration was late Sept/early Oct.

BrianD3

Would it have been taxed after 1993, if so it should be in the computerised database. You could start entering all possible registrations in the Cartell/Motorcheck free check or else contact them and request a list of all ZS8xxx registrations.

If you want to try narrowing down the date and are willing to spend money, enter a few ZS8xxx regs in cartell/motorcheck free check and when you get a "hit", buy a history check to find the date of first registration. I just entered a couple of random ZS8xxx numbers there and got a hit for ZS8101 (Toyota Carina)
https://www.motorcheck.ie/free-car-check/?vrm=ZS8101

Also as can be seen from the link format, this is an actual URL, it would be a trivial matter using MS Excel to generate links to every possible reg which you could bang through quickly. Only problem would be that the site would likely detect your trawling and block your IP address

The car might also be in the NCT database. Enter combinations here
https://www.ncts.ie/bookings/

I just tried the above link with a 1993 car that was last taxed in the year 2000 and was never NCT'd. Reg came up in the database.

swarlb

Tiger31 wrote: »

......that's the problem, I don't know the exact number.

Do you know the date of registration of your ZS 87xx. The missing registration was late Sept/early Oct.

Don't know the date, but I'm fairly certain my car was the second to last to be registered under the old system. The car was a rare enough classic, so I'd prefer not to give the exact reg. I owned it for 26 years, as far as I'm aware, the person I sold it to, still has it.

Tiger31

@BrianD3 It was taxed for a short period when registered, tax long expired by 1993, so unlikely to be transferred onto the computerised system.

ZS8709 was the highest number in the series, and using my limited Excel skills, I believe it's between ZS82xx and ZS8400.

@swarlb I appreciate your where you're coming from, thanks.

It's looking like narrowing it down to date and a range of possible numbers.

Thanks guys.

BrianD3

Tiger31 wrote: »

@BrianD3 It was taxed for a short period when registered, tax long expired by 1993, so unlikely to be transferred onto the computerised system.

That makes it way more difficult. I'm not sure who would even have the paper records - Dublin City Council? If it was the former Dublin County Council, records could easily have been misplaced during the restructuring into Fingal/SDCC/DLR in the 1990s.

PS it wouldn't have to be taxed post 1993 to be in the computerised system - if there was a change of ownership since then that would also do it.