Car tax query..

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Hi guys, If I buy a car at the end of this month i.e. tomorrow or Friday do I have to tax it on that day or can I wait (with bank hols etc..) until next weds when open again? Can I do it by post which woud help timewise and also I wont get a revised insurance cert until prob after hols, anyone got any ideas? To be honest dont fancy paying a ful month for March for the sake of two days, any help appreciated.. :)

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  • snowmen
    snowmen Posts: 637 Forumite
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    This happened to me also.
    Basically you can't tax the car until you have a valid certificate of insurance to show the tax office - if this states that the insurance starts on the new car on the 1st April you won't be able to tax it prior to this date.
    If you have a car to use in the meantime phone the insurance up and get them to start the insurance from Weds next week (when the tax office reopens) and send out the covernote now - that way you will have a chance of getting the covernote before the bank holidays and then can just tax it on the Weds.
    Taxing it now means, as you say, that you will lose the majority of a months tax. Waiting unit next week is the way to do it but does mean that if you drive it in the meantime you will be driving without tax which would invalidate any insurance you may have too - not worth the risk in my book.
    I think they used to give you a couple of days grace at some point in the past but this doesn't happen now.
  • attritioner
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    Hi guys, If I buy a car at the end of this month i.e. tomorrow or Friday do I have to tax it on that day or can I wait (with bank hols etc..) until next weds when open again? Can I do it by post which woud help timewise and also I wont get a revised insurance cert until prob after hols, anyone got any ideas? To be honest dont fancy paying a ful month for March for the sake of two days, any help appreciated.. :)

    Check what it says on the V10
    If there is a break between the dates you provide in points 12 and 13 overleaf, you cannot submit your application more than 2 working days before the new tax disc is due to start.

    12. State date of expiry or surrender of the last tax disc.
    If you do not know this because you acquired the vehicle
    without a tax disc give the actual date you acquired it.
    months

    13. State the date you want the tax disc to run from 1st [Month]
    2013

    So you could tax yesterday or today and still be within the 2 working days due to the bank holidays.
  • ballyblack
    ballyblack Posts: 5,065 Forumite
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    edited 28 March 2013 at 1:51PM
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    in the meantime you will be driving without tax which would invalidate any insurance you may have too

    Are you sure?

    Driving without insurance is serious and a police prosecution matter

    Road tax is just nonpayment of excise duty and wouldn't invalidate any insurance policy



    .
  • FUNKYDADDIO
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    Just wondering though if I got to dvlni in Belfast and give in old disc today whist paying for new tax, will it even out as such in that I will get full refund for April and pay for March on new car. Or other way I lose (posting) out on full april refund and gain by only paying from April on new. Is it academic either way? Thank for replies :)
  • gmm30
    gmm30 Posts: 101 Forumite
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    Hang on, you've got a valid tax disc already? When you register the car in your name, you don't have to surrender the old tax disc (unless it's zero rated for a disabled person, for example). Just register the car in your name using the green slip from the old V5(c) and keep the old tax disc until it runs out. No need to worry then.
  • snowmen
    snowmen Posts: 637 Forumite
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    ballyblack wrote: »
    Are you sure?

    Driving without insurance is serious and a police prosecution matter

    Road tax is just nonpayment of excise duty and wouldn't invalidate any insurance policy



    .

    Did say in my original answer that "if you drive in the meantime..."
    Also my insurance states in the small print that i must have valid road tax and mot for the policy to be valid.
  • Wywth
    Wywth Posts: 5,079 Forumite
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    Hi guys, If I buy a car at the end of this month i.e. tomorrow or Friday do I have to tax it on that day or can I wait (with bank hols etc..) until next weds when open again? Can I do it by post which woud help timewise and also I wont get a revised insurance cert until prob after hols, anyone got any ideas? To be honest dont fancy paying a ful month for March for the sake of two days, any help appreciated.. :)

    If it's not currently taxed, it's presumably SORN.

    That should be ok as long as you don't plan to put it on any road until next week. What if it gets nicked or damaged whilst uninsured? Is that a risk you are prepared to take?
  • Wywth
    Wywth Posts: 5,079 Forumite
    edited 28 March 2013 at 4:31PM
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    Just wondering though if I got to dvlni in Belfast and give in old disc today whist paying for new tax, will it even out as such in that I will get full refund for April and pay for March on new car. Or other way I lose (posting) out on full april refund and gain by only paying from April on new. Is it academic either way? Thank for replies :)

    So it is currently taxed?

    If so, all you need is some insurance:) You'll also need this to get a new tax disc effective from Monday ... and with the holidays and post office strikes, there isn't much time left.
  • jtk174
    jtk174 Posts: 349 Forumite
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    The new regulations state that " Every vehicle registered in Northern Ireland (NI) must be taxed if used or kept on a public road. If the vehicle is kept off-road it must either be taxed or have a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) in force." So unless there is a SORN in force it has to be taxed, whether its being used or not.

    In addition "It is the responsibility of the registered keeper of a vehicle to ensure that it is licensed (taxed), or to notify DVA of any changes of ownership, disposal of the vehicle, or to obtain a SORN"

    Personally, if I had any doubt, I would wait a couple of days before making the purchase. However, as someone else suggested, providing the car is already taxed until the end of March, there may not be a problem.

    More info here;
    http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/car-tax-rules
  • emmah89
    emmah89 Posts: 486 Forumite
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    Hi guys, If I buy a car at the end of this month i.e. tomorrow or Friday do I have to tax it on that day or can I wait (with bank hols etc..) until next weds when open again? Can I do it by post which woud help timewise and also I wont get a revised insurance cert until prob after hols, anyone got any ideas? To be honest dont fancy paying a ful month for March for the sake of two days, any help appreciated.. :)

    DVA is open tomorrow (Friday) and you can tax from the start of April from today! (2 working days before the start of the month). you will need your insurance cert to do it though and the V5c from previous keeper.
    "Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that!"
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