Car Tax - you can drive your vehicle without a disc for 5 days!

Adams1

bigjl wrote: »

The only time you can drive without a valid disc is when renewing a currently taxed car by phone or online.

The requirement is for the car to have continuous taxation.

So if your car is untaxed then you can't drive it or park it on the road till the new disc arrives.

However it should show up as taxed on ANPR so the only offence you are likely be nicked for would be failing to display.

Has anybody challenged this before? I mean, there is no real difference at all from having tax and renewing it, to not having tax and then buying some. At the end of the day, you still can't "display" it if you don't have it. I thought it only became an offense when you have it and fail to display it...

Wig

bigjl wrote: »

The only time you can drive without a valid disc is when renewing a currently taxed car by phone or online.

The requirement is for the car to have continuous taxation.

So if your car is untaxed then you can't drive it or park it on the road till the new disc arrives.

However it should show up as taxed on ANPR so the only offence you are likely be nicked for would be failing to display.

This is incorrect the 5 days grace applies to the SORNed vehicles aswell.

Wig

Adams1 wrote: »

I have a similar but slightly unique question: (hypothetical.)

I have a car that has been off the road and the tax has ran out. Lets say I want to put this car back on the road, and I apply for some tax online. The law that says its OK to drive without tax being displayed states that you can only do so if you renewed your tax disc before the old one expires. What about if you purchased the disc after the tax expired? Do you now have to wait for the new tax disc to come through?

As long as it is SORN yes you can tax online and then drive without tax displayed for 5 days. Or alternatively go to the Post Office and by a disc immediately. :cool:

Adams1

Wig wrote: »

Or alternatively go to the Post Office and by a disc immediately. :cool:

Oh yeah...Forgot about that one... Haha! :money:

Tilt

Just been to re-tax mine only to find its gone up (again) since I got my reminder! So they give us 1p a litre off in fuel duty but increase the car tax instead! Priceless! They must think we are all mugs!

Scooby_Doo.

bigjl wrote: »

The only time you can drive without a valid disc is when renewing a currently taxed car by phone or online.

The requirement is for the car to have continuous taxation.

So if your car is untaxed then you can't drive it or park it on the road till the new disc arrives.

However it should show up as taxed on ANPR so the only offence you are likely be nicked for would be failing to display.

It won't most vehicle show up as VEL not held. That is one database that is way out of date.

theatretony

adamc260 wrote: »

Wild thought... why don't you just write it on a calendar somewhere and do it early.. I mean they do send you a reminder letter in plenty of time!

That is not so straight forward. My tax expired on the 30th April, my insurance was due for renewal on the 28th April.

I did my insurance and then tried to tax online but the system had not updated so was not allowed to tax it until the 30th online which I did. So driving round now with old tax disk. I could not tax my car via the post office as I do not have my current insurance certificate and as yet it has still not arrived.... you can only tax it in the post office with a 'valid' insurance certificate. Mine would not have been valid if i showed them last years and a screen shot of the policy is not allowed...

mikey72

Wig wrote: »

As long as it is SORN yes you can tax online and then drive without tax displayed for 5 days. Or alternatively go to the Post Office and by a disc immediately. :cool:

I don't think you can.
from

http://www.taxdisc.direct.gov.uk/EvlPortalApp/application?origin=vnav_bar.jsp&event=bea.portal.framework.internal.refresh&pageid=Common+Questions#QUESTION_9

"I have not received the tax disc. Can I use the vehicle without the tax disc displayed?

When you apply for a tax disc online or by using our phone service you are able to legally continue to drive your vehicle for up to 5 days after the tax disc has expired while you wait for the new tax disc to arrive. This will only apply when you have applied for a new tax disc before the current one expires. You should continue to display the expired disc on your vehicle, until the new one arrives"

my bold, but the car needs to have tax when you apply, and doesn't mention sorned cars.

Wig

mikey72 wrote: »

I don't think you can.
from

http://www.taxdisc.direct.gov.uk/EvlPortalApp/application?origin=vnav_bar.jsp&event=bea.portal.framework.internal.refresh&pageid=Common+Questions#QUESTION_9

"I have not received the tax disc. Can I use the vehicle without the tax disc displayed?

When you apply for a tax disc online or by using our phone service you are able to legally continue to drive your vehicle for up to 5 days after the tax disc has expired while you wait for the new tax disc to arrive. This will only apply when you have applied for a new tax disc before the current one expires. You should continue to display the expired disc on your vehicle, until the new one arrives"

my bold, but the car needs to have tax when you apply, and doesn't mention sorned cars.

Unfortunately it is direct.gov yet again giving out incomplete, incorrect (or badly worded) information.

147Not exhibiting licence: period of grace

In section 33 of VERA 1994 (not exhibiting licence), after subsection (1A) insert—

“(1B)A person is not guilty of an offence under subsection (1) or (1A) by using or keeping a vehicle on a public road during any of the 5 working days following the time when a licence or nil licence for the vehicle, or a relevant declaration applying to the vehicle, ceases to be in force, if an application for a licence or nil licence for or in respect of the vehicle to run from that time has been received before that time.

(1C)In subsection (1B) “working day” means any day other than—

(a)a Saturday or Sunday, or

(b)a day which is Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Good Friday or a bank holiday under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 in any part of the United Kingdom.

(1D)For the purposes of subsection (1B)—

(a)there is a relevant declaration applying to a vehicle if the particulars and declaration required to be furnished and made by regulations under section 22(1D) have been furnished and made in relation to the vehicle in accordance with the regulations, and

(b)the relevant declaration ceases to be in force if, after the particulars and declaration have been furnished and made—

(i)the vehicle is used or kept on a public road (otherwise than under a trade licence), or

(ii)the period of 12 months beginning with the day on which the particulars and declaration were furnished and made expires.”

StaceyAKelly

adamc260 wrote: »

or you could budget through out the year, save a wee bit each month and then you'll have enough?

Thanks for the advice but I think I will stick to buying it online when I get paid and make use of the 5 day grace period :-)


As stated in the OP, I hope this helps someone else too xxx