Is it possible to register a car without taxing or insuring it?

littlerock

B-i-l was awakened in small hours last week by loud crash outside. Four youths had driven a car down his road (he lives near the top of a hill and road bends near his house) and hit his neighbour's car parked outside which pushed his car, parked outside, into the nearby lampost. Their car overturned. Landed on roof.

Contained 4 youths who amazingly got out and ran away, although one was limping and another appeared dazed. Bottle and glasses found on back seat and house keys in cubby . Police said car was registered over 100 miles away in Peterborough,but nor reported stolen. B-i-l suspects it is local boys as his road is a popular shortcut with local drivers going illegally fast but basically residential and not on way to anywhere or near any main roads.

He rang his insurers who have got back to say the car was not insured. And apparently not taxed either. But then again it appears to have a registered keeper, in Peterborough who is assumed to be friend or relative of the boys. If you are registered keeper of a car which has not been SORNed, is is possible to drive it without tax and insurance. Wouldn't DVLA be on your case?

Meanwhile no word at all from the police.

DUTR

littlerock wrote: »

B-i-l was awakened in small hours last week by loud crash outside. Four youths had driven a car down his road (he lives near the top of a hill and road bends near his house) and hit his neighbour's car parked outside which pushed his car, parked outside, into the nearby lampost. Their car overturned. Landed on roof.

Contained 4 youths who amazingly got out and ran away, although one was limping and another appeared dazed. Bottle and glasses found on back seat and house keys in cubby . Police said car was registered over 100 miles away in Peterborough,but nor reported stolen. B-i-l suspects it is local boys as his road is a popular shortcut with local drivers going illegally fast but basically residential and not on way to anywhere or near any main roads.

He rang his insurers who have got back to say the car was not insured. And apparently not taxed either. But then again it appears to have a registered keeper, in Peterborough who is assumed to be friend or relative of the boys. If you are registered keeper of a car which has not been SORNed, is is possible to drive it without tax and insurance. Wouldn't DVLA be on your case?

Meanwhile no word at all from the police.

So have the police said anything or not?

prowla

Make sure you have the crime reference number.


The insurance claim should be covered anyway.


As for the no tax/SORN/etc. I think the DVLC are slow to react (if at all) and things only come to light when an incident occurs.

Herzlos

It could be SORN. It could also be recorded to a false address (hence no report).


How likely that is depends on how valuable the car is. It'd be unlikely someone would buy brand new and SORN it, but it's not unreasonable if it's a £100 run-about that probably wouldn't pass an MOT.

littlerock

Police on scene at time looked it up on line on their phone and said it was registered in Peterborough. Gave him a crime number. Since then has heard nothing from them.

AdrianC

littlerock wrote: »

He rang his insurers who have got back to say the car was not insured. And apparently not taxed either. But then again it appears to have a registered keeper, in Peterborough who is assumed to be friend or relative of the boys. If you are registered keeper of a car which has not been SORNed, is is possible to drive it without tax and insurance. Wouldn't DVLA be on your case?

It's perfectly legal to be the keeper of an untaxed, uninsured vehicle - so long as it's SORNed.

It's legal and easy to become the keeper of a car without having to tax or insure it. Just SORN it.

No, it's not legal to use it on the road, though, without the full set of MOT (where needed), tax and insurance.

There's a world of difference between legal and possible, of course. It's very easy to drive a totally illegal car badly while pished, if you're of a certain mindset...

Car_54

littlerock wrote: »

If you are registered keeper of a car which has not been SORNed, is is possible to drive it without tax and insurance. Wouldn't DVLA be on your case?

Probably, but how does that help your relative?

littlerock

I was interested in how effective the DVLA/MIB scheme for chasing uninsured cars is and if this could identify the owner of the car. Since last year Motor Insurance Database records are cross checked with DVLA records to identify which motorists do not have cover and they are then sent letters telling them to insure or be fined.

B-i-L has checked car and registration number on line and found it being sold in Peterborough in August last year in what seems a legitimate transaction, unless the new owner gave a false name and address. Other online checks show it was not new but in good working order with MOT valid until May 2019. From the wreckage photos it seems to have been in good condition ie not an old rustbucket. The online records do not show it as Sorned or stolen.

AdrianC

littlerock wrote: »

I was interested in how effective the new DVLA/MIB scheme for chasing uninsured cars ism and if this could identify the owner of the car Since last year Motor Insurance Database records are cross checked with DVLA records to identify which motorists do not have cover and sent letters telling them to insure or be fined.

Umm, no - since 2011.

And, no, it can't "identify the owner". Just be sent to the registered keeper.

B-i-L has checked car registration number of line and it is reported as being sold in Peterborough last year in what seems a legitimate transaction, unless the new owner gave a false name and address. It was not new but in good working order with MOT valid until May 2019. From the wreckage photos it seems to have been in good condition ie not an old rustbucket. The online records do not show it as Sorned or stolen.

I'd quite like to know what records he's checking to get all that. MOT, sure. Tax or SORN, sure. But the rest...? Nope.

littlerock

Sorry corrected the MIB/DVLA checks to coming in in 2011.

If you know the registration number make and model there are lots of checks you can do online on a cars history with more info available for a small fee. I agree the registered keeper may not always be the owner but unless it is owned by a garage, this sort of second hand car would presumably be likely to be in a family. It would not be much use for anything else - large elderly family saloon car, high mileage, diesel.

Looking up the registration number brings up an on line record showing when and where it was sold and for how much and by whom, last year. A small fee then allows you to check if reported stolen or repossessed etc.

Tiexen

Is his claim not with his neighbour's car?

"his neighbour's car parked outside which pushed his car"