Car Tax

[m4tt205 0 1 Cars]

Evening all

Just a quick question, my pug just passed its MOT whooo and ive just taxed it online and im itching to go for a drive as its been sorn for past year so does anyone no if i can drive it on the roads with out displaying a tax disc or would i be in trouble and get a fine thanks matt

[Anthony 1,003]

You risk a £30 (IIRC) "failure to display" fine as the grace period doesn't apply to newly taxed cars, only ones where the tax has been renewed.

 

However, in reality, providing you take a copy of the receipt/confirmation email, you'll have no issues.

 

Why did you tax it today though instead of tomorrow, as presumably you've just "lost" a whole months tax doing that?

[m4tt205 0 1 Cars]

Yh ive printed the receipt off so if i keep that in the car i should be ok?

As for taxing it today it was a spear of the moment kind of thing Silly i now no just wanted to get it on the road Only drove it once from owening it .

[Anthony 1,003]

You should be fine.

 

You are still technically committing an offence by not having the disk on display, but you're unlikely to have any problems given that the car is actually taxed. Obviously don't take the p**s though.

 

To give you some idea, I've not had tax in the window of mine for 8 months now... really should buy another tax disk holder

[m4tt205 0 1 Cars]

Ok cheers for the advice, I'll be just staying local for a drive tomorrow thanks

[S@m 156]

Its 100% percent legal, this is the ONLY exception to the displaying a tax disc law. I have been pulled over in this exact situation and thats what the copper said, i have since seen it printed elsewhere also. I thought it commented on it at the end of the online tax disc application.

 

Anyway, just drive it, i assure you its legal.

 

Sam

 

EDIT, heres a link to the dvla and a quote;

 

http://www.direct.go...cle/dg_10021514

 

 

If you use the electronic vehicle licensing service or tax by post at the end of the month, there’s now an exemption for not displaying a tax disc. This exemption covers the first five working days of the month to allow time for the new disc to arrive in the post.

 

Edited June 30, 2012 by Sam306

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

I think the above quote actually reinforces what Anthony said earlier about renewals at the end of a month and you've misread it like many.

 

As far as I'm aware from reading up on it in the past, that DVLA quote isn't for people on the 9th for example to tax a newly purchased vehicle online and get out and drive. It's to renew your tax very late on in the month because your poorly organised and won't have the new one in time, and then drive in to the first few days of the month with your tax disc in the postal system.

 

 

[Anthony 1,003]

That exception only used to be valid if you were renewing a tax disk online, and not if you were purchasing a new one for a car that is currently SORN. However, you're right Sam - reading that certainly implies that it now also the case for vehicles that are currently SORN which wasn't previously the case.

 

This exemption covers the first five working days of the month to allow time for the new disc to arrive in the post. While you are still waiting for your tax disc you will need to display your current tax disc. The exemption only applies if applications are made before the current tax disc or SORN expires.

 

It's a little confusing though, as that says that you need to display your current tax disk still (which obviously you don't have) but then the next line says that it applies to vehicles with a current SORN. They've clearly half-heartedly re-worded it at some point, because if you remove the last three words (which I believe was the previous form) it makes sense again.

 

Either way, based on that I would have no concerns about driving at all - might be worth printing out that page as well though, just in case you get pulled by someone who (like me) wasn't aware that they had changed the rules.

[davey sprocket 14]

Like the MOT and insurance, the data is all held on central databases which the law will look you up on if they've any reason to check you out.

The piece of paper in the window serves more as a reminder for you to renew it in case your renewal doesn't come through. At least that's how I see it and explains why Ant has had no bother not displaying his for so long.

 

Back to your original question.... You didn't really tax it today backdated to the beginning of June did you? If you started the tax from 1st July, then no, you should wait until tomorrow to drive her.

[S@m 156]

I may be wrong, but as i said a copper believed it to be the same - but then maybe he was wrong also. Either way, they can check instantly if it is taxed on their computer system.

 

Sam

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

Granted they can check. But you only have to have a funny officer who exercises the right to report you for the offence of failure to display. Which is what the start of the month 5 day grace allows.

[Anthony 1,003]

Having an unlicensed vehicle and failure to display are two different offences.

 

The former will get your car impounded, whereas the later is/was a £30 fine.

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

Maximum fine for failure to display is £200.

[Anthony 1,003]

Ouch! I probably better pull my finger out and get another holder then

 

(certainly used to be £30 though, as a friend of mine was given a FPN for it - I imagine that it's probably like speeding, where the FPN is £60 but the maximum fine imposable by the court is much higher)

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

Probably £60 at a few others increased from £30 to £60.

 

Anyone got a nice pink tax disc holder for Anthony to display tomorrow at Pugfest?

[Anthony 1,003]

Not more pink - my MX-5 already has a pink flower on it courtesy of Cheesegrater and Kyepan on here