Tax Disc

Chorlie

Well I never thought that whether you could display your New Tax Disc before the start of the month could be such a gray area for everyone....

Like I said before, I now have both in my car; but be nice to know (by law) where you stand if you did display the new one before the start of the month.

Wig

The only thing that matters under the law is 'failing to display a current/valid tax disc'

So if you cover up the old one with the new one, you commit the offence,
If you display old and new side by side you do not commit the offence.

There is no such offence of "displaying a new disc before it is valid."

rockin_plumber

Wig wrote: »

So we could buy a disc now for expiry April 30 2013 it may appear to be valid now during the month of October 2012 to the casual passerby (as most people use 12 month discs) but only upon closer inspection will the passerby see the number '6' meaning it is currently not valid..

You will only be issued a 6 month tax disc now that wil expire April 30th 2012 if you have the vehicle taxed now.

If you go to tax a vehicle for 6 months today that has no current tax it will expire March 31st 2013.

So on this basis I cannot see a problem displaying the new tax disc when it arrives as it is still technically current.

Wig

No, it is not, but you think what you want to.

Quentin

rockin_plumber wrote: »

....So on this basis I cannot see a problem displaying the new tax disc when it arrives as it is still technically current.

There isn't any problem "displaying the new tax disc when it arrives".

But it isn't "current" at all if it has arrived prior to the first day of the month after the old one expires!

Quentin

Deleted_User wrote: »

I just go out at midnight and change them. I slap the new disc onto the screen first before taking the old one off. Just to be double sure I don't get done for not displaying a tax disc.

Here's a tale of woe about someone not following your sound advice:

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?218797-Fixed-Penalty-Notice-Failure-To-Display-Tax-Disc

Dave_C_2

IANAL, so I can't say whether displaying the new tax disc a few days before the old one runs out is legal or not.

However all I have been able to find on the intertubes is:

• Lots of forum posts where everyone supposes they know but nobody actually knows the definitive answer. Lots of opinion but very little fact.
• Lots of tales about being done for not displaying the new one after the first of the month.
• The DVLA web site is no help at all
• There is one archived site that says
  If you buy a new tax disc before your current tax disc expires, you should not display the new one until the old one has expired. The new tax disc is only valid from the first day of the month you have taxed from.
• No tales at all about being done for displaying the new one before the end of the month.

It would be nice if someone could post the definitive answer.


Dave

Lum

This is going to be one of those rules where even the traffic wardens and police don't know the exact rules, yet some of them will think they do. Even if you do manage to get it exactly right you could still expect to get a ticket and go through the hassle of appeals and court and possibly dealing with a magistrate who got out of the wrong side of bed that morning.

Only safe options, if you park on street, are to display both or swap them at exactly midnight.

Yes you may have the smug satisfaction of being right, but you still had the hassle and stress of an appeal and possibly a day off work to go to court over it. I'd rather not deal with that crap.

Rover_Driver

Dave_C wrote: »

IANAL, so I can't say whether displaying the new tax disc a few days before the old one runs out is legal or not.

It would be nice if someone could post the definitive answer.

Dave

The old licence is valid to the last day end of the month it expires in, and so must be dispayed until then.

The new licence is only valid from the first day of the month it is valid for, and so must be displayed from then.

If only the new licence is displayed during the 'old' month, the offence is committed because a valid licence is not being displayed.

[Deleted User]

muckybutt wrote: »

new TD now in place in the windscreen with the old one behind it.

Simples

Simples - YES.

Legal - NO.

I use WIG's method, and display both discs together.