Insurance needed to tax a car?

ilikecookies

Hello,


Is a valid insurance policy needed to tax a car?


I ask various insurance companies say it is but the DVLA/Post Office would suggest not so I'm a bit confused!


Not that it should matter be the car in question is being transferred between family members. I understand the DVLA can be informed of changes of ownership electronically (though bizzarely only between the hours of 7am and 7pm). Once this is done the old owner gets their unused tax back and I assume the new owner can also tax it in their name at that point with the reference number on the V5C/2 new keeper supplement and MOT.


Thanks in advance!

forgotmyname

You can tax it without insurance being in place, but then you risk getting fined for not having the vehicle insured.

It must be taxed and insured or declared SORN.

System

It would appear that a change was made in 2013 no longer checking you have insurance.

AdrianC

^ As they say...

The requirement to produce insurance when you buy tax was removed in 2012.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dvla-announce-plans-to-cut-red-tape-by-removing-insurance-check-when-taxing-a-vehicle


That was part of the introduction of the continuous insurance legislation, that means it's illegal to have an uninsured car unless it's SORNed, which was introduced in 2011.


So, yes, you can change the keeper - which will cancel the old tax - then the new keeper taxes it in their name. Presumably, the old keeper has it insured (which'll take a day or two to fall off the MID record), and the new keeper will insure it (which'll take a day or two to show on the MID record)? I wouldn't worry about the insurance not showing for a few days - that happens most changes of insurer - and the enforcement isn't anywhere NEAR that rapid...