New Car new Tax rules, no MOT

rtho782

I'm about to get a car from a relative, it is currently Taxed, but has no MOT, and is kept off road.

The V5 was sent off today, I'm planning on getting it MOT'd and collect it next weekend.

Now, I can insure it tomorrow without a problem.

According to the new tax rules, I understand that, as of today, I'm the new owner, and the car is no longer taxed.

I can't tax it until the MOT is done on Saturday, so do I have to SORN it for 6 days? Can I do this as the DVLA won't even know who I am yet!?

I assume, once insured, I can drive it directly to the MOT station without tax, as there is no other way for me to tax it....

But then, when I come to tax it, how do I do so, if I can't get a tax disc from the post office anymore? DVLA possibly won't have my details by that day, and I'm not sure they will instantly know it is MOT'd and insured if I do it that morning?!

It's the SORN bit that I'm confused about!

Joe_Horner

You should be able to SORN it online using the reference from the V5C/2 (the "new keeper" supplement from the registration document. That will SORN it under the new keeper's name (yours) even though they haven't actually got your name yet. It will also trigger a refund of any tax that's still on the car which will be sent to the old keeper. Everything will (or, at least, should) tie up once they receive the change of keeper notification.

Don't use the normal V5C reference number because that'll be noted against the previous owner's name.

Then, when it's got the MOT, go online again and tax it using the same reference number. That'll also put the new tax in your name, even if they haven't received the notification.

molerat

As soon as the keeper is changed the SORN is revoked. You do not need insurance to buy tax. The MOT should update almost immediately. You can still buy tax from the PO or on line using the new keeper slip from the V5.

AdrianC

SORN has been revoked on keeper change since it was introduced in 1998. Given that we're talking about a week, with paperwork in the post, and no change-of-month involved, I wouldn't sweat it - although, given how quickk an online SORN is, it seems pointless to spend much time thinking about it. Tax it when it's been MOTd. If it fails, and you're going to take time to sort it, then SORN it.