Car Tax Help Pls

Sammy_Girl

I've just got in from work to find DH effing and jeffing because he took his black cab to the local hand car wash and they seemed to have over zealously cleaned the inside of the cab and sucked up his tax disc. They couldn't find it inside the vacumn cleaner so it is now missing. I've found online how to replace a tax disc (£7 fee and a visit to DVLA office) but that doesn't help DH today. He was planning to go to work tonight, but is now unsure.

How does the law stand with regards to displaying the tax disc? Obv it will show up on the database that it is taxed, but we're not sure what to do.

Any advice gratefully received.

Sandoval

Just order the replacement tax disk and stop worrying.

It'll be fine.

Judas

Failing to display a tax disc is an offence.
Arrange to attend in person at a DVLA local office tomorrow and they will issue a duplicate on the spot.

If he was to get caught he could technically be charged (or more likely get a FPN) but this would be the officers discretion and they may accept his explanation. I would be more wary though if he is a taxi driver as if caught he could lose his licence or such at an extreme.

I would suggest he stays in tonight and gets to the local DVLA office tomorrow morning first thing.

KillerWatt

There is an offence of failing to display a valid VED license, but that law is only breached if you do not have "reasonable cause" for failing to display.

What qualifies as "reasonable cause" is more than likely open to discussion, but I'd say your explanation qualifies as reasonable providing you get the replacement ordered online (and wait for the confirmation e-mail) before driving.


PS
Take a look down the front screen air vents, that's where we found our tax disc the last time we made the mistake of using the local car hand wash.

Sammy_Girl

Many thanks for the replies.

We've decided its best for him to stay in - can't take the risk really - last thing we need is for him to be pulled over. Unfortunately it can't be ordered online - only by post or in person at a local DVLA office, so he'll have to wait until tomorrow.

He did have a look through the air vents. He also tried to take off the dash but it was proving a bit difficult so didn't get that done.

Somehow, he came home from the car wash with £30 "compensation" - not quite sure how that happened. Unfortunately that doesn't make up for the night's work that he's missed

pendulum

Umm, it's night time, who's going to notice a missing tax disc? Even if the police do, its hardly end of the world as you cannot get points for that offence and the fine is very small -- most cops wouldn't even report a taxi driver for that once they heard the circumstances.

KillerWatt

pendulum wrote: »

Umm, it's night time, who's going to notice a missing tax disc? Even if the police do, its hardly end of the world as you cannot get points for that offence and the fine is very small

The penalties for licensed hire drivers are much more severe than us mere mortals where driving offences are concerned.

pendulum wrote: »

most cops wouldn't even report a taxi driver for that once they heard the circumstances.

Assumption is the mother of all f**k up's

pendulum

KillerWatt wrote: »

The penalties for licensed hire drivers are much more severe than us mere mortals where driving offences are concerned.

The laws and penalties are the same. Failing to display a valid tax disk is one of the most minor offences out there and is about as serious as a parking ticket. It's impossible to get points from it and somone booked for this minor offence will be given a small fixed penalty ticket (no points), whether they are a taxi driver or a "mere mortal". His chances of getting booked were miniscule, and if he did get booked, it wouldn't cause a problem.