Road Tax question. SORN- De-SORN

Wig

4rchibald wrote: »

I got a leaflet from DVLA saying that they now automatically check cars and if it's not SORN it needs to have tax and insurance. Otherwise they will fine owner.

But what they don't tell you, is that as long as you do tax the untaxed car before the end of the first month (from the beggining of that month) you won't get fined because they don't even look at you until after the first month of expiry and in the case of taxed but no insurance - they send you a letter telling you to
*get it insured
*tell your insurer to update MID
*Contact DVLA to SORN or about a SORN that was previously made by you so they can update their records

It can take 6 months before they will send out a CIE letter and as long as you do eventually sell and insure before they send the letter you will not get the letter...

There is a grey area which I have not yet found the answer to, in that if they send the letter and you then SORN on V14 returning your tax disc, you are effectively admitting that you did not SORN before that date.... the question would be could they then fine you for CIE? They can't fine you for not SORNing before because you had a valid tax disc. I think they could not fine you as the intention of the letter seems to be to give you your options and if you take no action then you will get fined. As long as you SORN it there should be no fine. But I'd like to see one of these letters, and hear of peoples stories who have been through this.

What you should not do is SORN online using a tax renewal reminder form as that will SORN you from the date of tax expiry not from the date you applied....This can be seen in this thread
http://www.trf.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=6156&start=0
But I cannot join that forum to tell them they are wrong as to why it happened. had the guy used a V14 and surrendered the disc he would have been ok.


All said and done, you might aswell just SORN it.

TrickyWicky

4rchibald wrote: »

Who was driving without insurance/ TAX/ MOT is still doing it. Example? Make fake company details and buy a car privately as a trader. Seller sends yellow form with fake details and car is yours without taking ownership. Or buy a car from a trader (pay cash), give fake details, ask nicely for V5C and just don't send it. Voilà! Car is untraceable. I used to work with one dodgy guy and know that both scenarios work.

What a load of tripe. Do you not think the police will dig straight to the bottom of that if you're tugged?

What might of worked years ago is all computerised now. You get tugged by a sharp plod and you're busted. Even suggesting it on a forum is a bad idea as you'll lead some poor gullable moron into trying it.

sabretoothtigger

Dont think they can seize car for no tax. Insurance yea but tax I think you are ok for a couple days.
You said your tax for the whole year is 30 pounds ? Makes the whole question a bit silly doesnt it, just get tax and keep it

4rchibald

TrickyWicky wrote: »

What a load of tripe. Do you not think the police will dig straight to the bottom of that if you're tugged?

I'm talking about DVLA not being able to trace owner and fine him for not insuring and TAXing car. Police with ANPR will find it..but as there are more than 1 000 000 uninsured drivers, it doesn't look like it's that easy...

TrickyWicky wrote: »

What might of worked years ago is all computerised now. You get tugged by a sharp plod and you're busted. Even suggesting it on a forum is a bad idea as you'll lead some poor gullable moron into trying it.

It was last year. His mate was caught by police in 2010. Said that it's his friends car and can be seized. He got few points and as I remember £200 fine. Car was worth £300, so £500 loss all together. I pay more for insurance and tax every year and he was bragging that this is first time in 7 years his friend was caught!

I think that ANPR should be installed everywhere as uninsured driver is my worst fear.

Anyway. I think I will check my new car it on my way to MOT station (no need for TAX, only insurance for one day ) and will tax it once my old car is sold.

4rchibald

sabretoothtigger wrote: »

Dont think they can seize car for no tax. Insurance yea but tax I think you are ok for a couple days.
You said your tax for the whole year is 30 pounds ? Makes the whole question a bit silly doesnt it, just get tax and keep it

£30 is not a problem. I just don't want to be fined for not having insurance for 20-30 days and not declaring car as SORN (again).

sabretoothtigger

If you buy the tax they dont care where you put it. Insurance is then your own business, of course off road it can still get stolen

4rchibald

sabretoothtigger wrote: »

If you buy the tax they dont care where you put it. Insurance is then your own business, of course off road it can still get stolen

Law has changed in 2011 and now car needs to be insured if it's taxed.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/Motorinsurance/DG_186696

Joe_Horner

4rchibald wrote: »

Law has changed in 2011 and now car needs to be insured if it's taxed.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/Motorinsurance/DG_186696

No, the law actually says that it must be insured. It then gives an exception to that rule by saying that it needn't be insured if you notify the Secretary of State that it's not on road.

Whether it's taxed or not is completely immaterial - if you want to keep tax on a car that's not on road there is nothing anywhere in law that says you can't. DVLA's refusal to accept an off-road notification for any reason without voiding the tax is purely an administrative decision by them.

The law as it stands does NOT give them the power to do that but it'll be a brave owner who pushes it to court the first time!