Car tax online

[Sunnyday]

Apologies if ths has been asked before but a search proved fruitless.

I need to tax may car and the current disc runs out at the end of June.

Is it too early to do it now online? I`ve been on the dvla website but cannot find anything that says you must tax it XX days in advance, only saying to allow at least 5 days for it to arrive in the post.

Does anyone know whether you get asked when you want the tax disc to start somewhere in the application process?

Thanks
SD

[Miss_Marple]

It is too early - it will say so on your renewal notice. You can't buy it until 2 weeks before you want it to start - the same online & at the PO. Unless you are wanting it to begin at the start of June ? I think the online process does ask you when you want it to start - but it won't let you buy it to start in July just yet

[Sunnyday]

Thanks very much Miss_marple
this is the first car i`ve had so was a bit unsure.
SD

[catwoman150]

You can buy your car tax from the 15th of the month. So in your case you can buy it from the 15th of June. It is a lot easier to buy it online as you don't need to find all your paperwork. The only thing that you need is your reminder notice that will come in the post.

[Crabman]

I applied for a tax disc before 15th of March (probably around 10th) via DVLA online and there were no problems at all. I think the 15 days only applies when buying at a Post Office.

Some details and experiences in this thread:

Fine for not renewing road tax (http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=342853&highlight=dvla+tax+disc)

[Quentin]

No - you can renew up to 2 months in advance at a Post Office which issues tax discs, even though you won't have the renewal notice. Take the vehicle registration certificate and fill in form V10.

[custardy]

2 months in advance at a post office? when was that introduced?

[Bob63]

You can buy your car tax from the 15th of the month.
You can buy it earlier. I'm not sure of the exact cutoff date, but I bought two tax discs online on April 14th this year and in previous years I have bought as early as the 11th.

[Quentin]

2 months in advance at a post office? when was that introduced?

Don't know (is it important?) - (needs to be a post office that is set up to do them in advance).

You can also do it either in person or by post (have to send all the documents with the application) 2 months in advance at the local office of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA):

Locations here: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/UsefulContactsByCategory/MotoringContacts/DG_10012974

Useful if you are away when your tax expires.

[flutterbyuk25]

The 2 months at the Post Office has beena round for many years. It's designed to be used when you are not able to tax your car when it is due e.g. you will be on holiday during the 15th to end of month period.

Officially the earliest you can tax is the 15th of the month at Post Office/DVLA Office.

The electronic online/phone service has recently been relaxed in past few months to allow people to tax from about 10th of month because so many people were attempting it when they had V11 (i.e. before 15th) and couldn't do it and then they would ring DVLA to complain, even though it clearly states on the form from the 15th. Then they would all try on the 15th which would sometimes crash the system! So it has been relaxed to try to test how many people are doing it earlier than 15th, and what impact it has on DVLA systems etc. It's a trial period for now and when the results are gathered it may well be that the date of taxing is brought forward officially.

Hope that helps

x