Renewing road tax

Gers

Last night I tried to renew my road tax online and got an error message saying that my insurance details could not be found.:eek: I checked on askMID and, of course, got confirmation that my car was insured (phew). My insurance runs from 17 August each year and I paid the renewal notice for the coming year on 04 August.

I will try again later tonight as the website said to wait 24 hours, however am a bit concerned about this happening. Website glitch? Database error?

neilmcl

If your tax runs out at the end of this month (August) then I'd leave it til nearer the time to allow your insurance renewal to fully go through onto the database.

Bettie

Gers wrote: »

Last night I tried to renew my road tax online and got an error message saying that my insurance details could not be found.:eek: I checked on askMID and, of course, got confirmation that my car was insured (phew). My insurance runs from 17 August each year and I paid the renewal notice for the coming year on 04 August.

I will try again later tonight as the website said to wait 24 hours, however am a bit concerned about this happening. Website glitch? Database error?

Same thing happened to me last year so renewed at PO. This year all was ok.

Rover_Driver

Gers wrote: »

Last night I tried to renew my road tax online and got an error message saying that my insurance details could not be found.:eek: I checked on askMID and, of course, got confirmation that my car was insured (phew). My insurance runs from 17 August each year and I paid the renewal notice for the coming year on 04 August.

I will try again later tonight as the website said to wait 24 hours, however am a bit concerned about this happening. Website glitch? Database error?

The insurance needs to be valid when the new licence starts, if you are renewing for 1st September, wait until after 17th August. Although you have paid for the coming year, the MID system won't be updated until then.

Gers

neilmcl wrote: »

If your tax runs out at the end of this month (August) then I'd leave it til nearer the time to allow your insurance renewal to fully go through onto the database.

Thanks - however I can't do that as I am going overseas on a business trip next Sunday and not returning until after the start of September - don't want problems.

May just go to the local DVLA office this morning and do it there.

MoneySavingUser

My fathers car seems to have this issue every year - it is do with having an insurance renewal close to the tax renewal date - so have had to use the post office

Gers

MoneySavingUser wrote: »

My fathers car seems to have this issue every year - it is do with having an insurance renewal close to the tax renewal date - so have had to use the post office

I can see this happening again (new car last year) so may well just get a six month road tax this time to break the cycle.

Of course, DVLA was closed this morning!

Thanks for the input.

Notmyrealname

On the MIB database, your current insurance is down as expiring in August. Renewing early doesn't change that until the new policy starts which is the problem when DVLA's computers do a look up.

redux

I believe that although you can now renew online from about the 5th or so, it may be still only from mid month at the post office.

But I'm guessing, and their website doesn't actually specify
http://www.postoffice.co.uk/counter-services/licences-vehicle-tax/vehicle-tax

But it sounds like the local DVLA office is relatively close if you've checked it this morning

Rover_Driver

If your licence is due to expire whilst abroad, you can renew it up to two months in advance at certain Post Offices or at a DVLA local office.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/HowToTaxYourVehicle/DG_4022052

neilmcl

Gers wrote: »

Thanks - however I can't do that as I am going overseas on a business trip next Sunday and not returning until after the start of September - don't want problems.

May just go to the local DVLA office this morning and do it there.

How long into September? You do have a 7 day (I think) grace period from the expiry date.