Road tax??

haveibeendone

Just bought a new (second hand) car from the auction so nobody to answer questions about previous tax etc.

However even though there is no disc when I looked on the DVLA site it appears the car is taxed to the end of this month.

Can I use it as taxed and pay a penalty if caught for failure to display the disc? What is the penalty for failure to display the disc. I am insured.

I obviously cannot tax it until the insurance docs come (Churchill 5 to 7 days). Would it be legal to tax it from the beginning of next month. If I tax it now DVLA will be getting 2 lots of money for the same month.

If I did run without a disc I would check the DVLA site each day to confirm the status has not changed eg the previous owner getting a refund.

Thanks

Gloomendoom

£200 It's your decision.

Linky

bigjl

You will not be stopped by the ANPR camera equipped police cars as the car is taxed, but you would be guilty of failing to display.

The £200 fine is a maximum, it would be up to the Police officer that you dealt with if caught if it was to go to court or not.

You may get away with driving it home from the auction, but it just isn't worth the risk these days to try to use it until the new disc arrives, though if you have the green, new keeper slip you can tax it with that as soon as your insurance comes through.

The previous owner can't get a refund for partly used months.

Kilty_2

bigjl wrote: »

You may get away with driving it home from the auction.

Maybe - but when you get stopped for no insurance (since it won't be on MID for a couple of days) and they see there's no disc.......

Nikkisun

The previous owner may have sent in the tax disc for a refund at the end of August and it just hasn't been updated on the dvla website yet which would mean that the vehicle isn't taxed.

When I sent in for my refund at the end of March the website didn't update to show that the vehicle was unlicensed until the begining of May.

mark5

When I done a part ex back in April/May, I cashed in the tax disc and received a cheque but the car was still showing as taxed on the website for a few more weeks, so I wouldnt trust the information to much.

bigjl

You can't get a refund for less than a month of tax, and the refund would have to be applied for before the end of last month, in fact the disc would have had to arrive at the DVLA office before the end of last month so I think it unlikely that they are going to get a refund.

I haven't tried for a refund for years, but I think there might even be a minimum number of months that you can apply for a refund on, can't remembe exactly, but almost certain i read it somewhere years ago, though don't rely on my memory.

The safest course of action is obviously to wait for your insurance to come through and play it safe, after all it is only a few days.

wealdroam

bigjl wrote: »

...in fact the disc would have had to arrive at the DVLA office before the end of last month...

No.

Only has to be posted before the end of the month... not received by DVLA.

To quote from the refund form...

To get a refund for each full calendar month left on the tax disc,
you must post this filled-in form to us before the first day of the month
you want the refund from.

haveibeendone

Thanks for the info.

Definitley on the insurance database

I would not mind waiting till the end of the week before driving the car but then It will be two thirds of the month gone so it will cost me a month for 10 days use and the previous owner has probably also paid for this month.

So upsets me to think DVLA are getting my hard earned when maybe they need not

harz99

haveibeendone wrote: »

Thanks for the info.

Definitley on the insurance database

I would not mind waiting till the end of the week before driving the car but then It will be two thirds of the month gone so it will cost me a month for 10 days use and the previous owner has probably also paid for this month.

So upsets me to think DVLA are getting my hard earned when maybe they need not

We've all been there and faced this dilemma when changing untaxed cars, which as you don't have the disc yours is - you can either abide by the law and wait for your paperwork from insurers then tax it before you use it on the public highway, or take a chance and bear any subsequent consequences.

Forget about any perceived gain by the Government, all you need to do is comply with the relevant law, or face the consequences.

patman99

I had this with my new car. I waited until the 25th of the month (the earliest they will issue the next months tax from). Luckily I was unemployed and also had access to a van so could leave the car parked-up.