Tax paid for but not displayed.

elaine373

Morning all, I was wondering if anyone had the right answer to my query? I have just renewed my car tax online and it wont be here for a few days. whats the legal position for someone driving their car without the tax being displayed but having had paid for via Dvla?

balloo_2

The Police these days only have to put your reg into thier in-car-computer and they know instantly if you have Tax, MOT and Insurance you can be done for Not Displaying. as Happened to me one time.

Fine came to my house saying I was using a vehicle in Such a Such street and i was not in that street it was the coppers mistake so I pleaded not guilty. But when you plead not guilty i did not realise I became the solicitor and the copper was in the box I was totaly not prepared for that, anyways I fumbled around in court and By a miracle i managed to get the copper to admit we were not in the street he said we were :T End of sports i thought no way the Majistrates decided to change the summons to not displaying and i was fined anyway but even more than i would have been in the first place Court Costs and stuff then.

flutterbyuk25

Provided you taxed your vehicle in advance of the expiry by a traceable method (ie online/phone or recorded delivery postal) then you can legally drive/keep the vehicle on the public highway for up to 5 working days after the expiry. The law changed in Sept last year to allow this.

HTH

x

Premier_2

flutterbyuk25 is correct

http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?LegType=All+Primary&PageNumber=1&NavFrom=2&parentActiveTextDocId=3501587&ActiveTextDocId=3501794&filesize=5464

BikerEd

In the past 7 years I have never display a tax disc on my motorcycles, although all have been fully taxed. This was done following advice from the local police after I had two tax discs stolen in quick succession. They now live in my wallet and can be produced on demand.

KeithP

BikerEd wrote: »

In the past 7 years I have never display a tax disc on my motorcycles, although all have been fully taxed. This was done following advice from the local police after I had two tax discs stolen in quick succession. They now live in my wallet and can be produced on demand.

But the OP was talking about car tax. Not motorcycle tax.

cyclonebri1

KeithP wrote: »

But the OP was talking about car tax. Not motorcycle tax.

I had the same issue with a road trackday car so did the same. The old offence of failing to display the disc went out years ago. Likely to get lots of producers from traffic wardens though?

Inactive

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

I had the same issue with a road trackday car so did the same. The old offence of failing to display the disc went out years ago. Likely to get lots of producers from traffic wardens though?

Are you sure about that, I know there is a new " 5 day rule " for online applications, but I thought that the " failure to display " requirement was still in force..

Premier_2

Section 33 of the Vehicle Excise & Registration Act 1994 still applies i.e. failure to display
(subject to the amendment by the Finance Act 2008 in the link I previously gave)

33 Not exhibiting licence
(1) A person is guilty of an offence if—
(a) he uses, or keeps, on a public road a vehicle in respect of which vehicle excise duty is chargeable, and
(b) there is not fixed to and exhibited on the vehicle in the manner prescribed by regulations made by the Secretary of State a licence for, or in respect of, the vehicle which is for the time being in force.
(2) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 1 on the standard scale.
(3) Subsection (1)—
(a) has effect subject to the provisions of regulations made by the Secretary of State, and
(b) is without prejudice to section 29.

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts1994/ukpga_19940022_en_4#pt3-pb2-l1g33

Armengar

Interesting to note that it is 5 working days too.

cyclonebri1

Actually you may be correct, the statute may still exist, but it has been practically superseeded by technology that in an instant can "see" if a licence is in force, which is what really matters,

Anyone been done for failure to display in the last 10 years??????