Online tax fail with firefox..

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Just a warning for Firefox users.

Finally! my reminder showed up, so I went online to tax it.

I laboriously entered all that long number, selected 12 months, pay now etc., found my card and entered the details.

Clicked "pay now" and very little happened apart from it claimed to be checking my payment method.

Eventually I noticed a message saying that Firefox had blocked some dodgy pop-up window/website from spawning, so I reluctantly clicked on "I live life dangerously, allow dodgy stuff from gov dot uk!"

Then it changed to some dire message about payment failed, your card has not been charged, start again, click here.

So I did and when I enter the long number it says the car has already been taxed using this number- except it hasn't (I checked)...

Great.

Now I need to find the V5 and go through another long process.

Better wait until tomorrow now and use Edge or something......

 

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UPDATE:

My phone just pinged that they've taken the money, despite what they said about my card NOT being charged!

(I don't know whether I'm glad or not, I could have gone to the Post Office by now)

And I just got a confirmation email too.

Ho hum....

Grey_Critic

Check the DVLA website - I had a problem when doing mine last month - thought it had locked up but when I looked in my inbox it said I had paid and DVLA site confirmed.

born_again

Check bank account. If paid you should have a avaiable balance lower that the actual balance.

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I have now got the confirmation email, and the online checker shows the tax is due 1st Feb 2027, so it did work, even though they said it didn't.

It took about 20 minutes for my bank to ping me, so there were some cogs turning very slowly somewhere.

They are probably still using this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRc5BXn_SsE

Only takes 10 seconds to work out 2^63, using a stack of punch cards an inch thick!

SiliconChip

I had the same thing but it took until the next day before the tax due date updated to show 2027. It probably would be useful if the VED page advised that pop-up blocking should be disabled, I think the requirement for a pop-up must have been added since my renewal in 2025 as I didn't have the issue then.

born_again

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I have now got the confirmation email, and the online checker shows the tax is due 1st Feb 2027, so it did work, even though they said it didn't.

It took about 20 minutes for my bank to ping me, so there were some cogs turning very slowly somewhere.

They are probably still using this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRc5BXn_SsE

Only takes 10 seconds to work out 2^63, using a stack of punch cards an inch thick!

Because your system blocked the popup ( most likely banks security) the transaction was forced through by DVLA under a timeout. Which bank is not aware of as they are waiting on you to confirm it is your payment.

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born_again said:

Because your system blocked the popup ( most likely banks security) the transaction was forced through by DVLA under a timeout. Which bank is not aware of as they are waiting on you to confirm it is your payment.

My bank have paid them though.

Every time I've done it before, they've never bothered with any security beyond the CVC number, presumably a behemoth like HMG can't possibly be a scammer! 

Maybe they don't keep proper records to be able to cancel fraudulent VED, and have lost gazillions through people using stolen cards to pay VED and bank chargebacks, so they've finally gone for security? (Except it works without it anyway....)

I do get those payment pop-ups where I have to use my 'phone to approve the payment and then the pop-up disappears with other sites though.

Typical HMG, it never occurs to them that the Proletariat would all be behind VPNs and have pop-up & redirection blockers enabled by default- they've probably never heard of either.

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I've just remembered!

A few years back, when online taxing, they were pushing registering with some Government portal that would link your online identity with all your cars for some reason that I failed to grasp, since I actually registered them to my real address anyway.

Does anyone else remember?

Did anyone actually sign up?

Does it still exist?

Bigphil1474

I have an online portal, but I had no idea it could link to my cars.

Have you thought of signing up for direct debit? I haven't had a reminder letter for years cos I don't need one. You can do pay in full direct debit as well at no extra charge, they charge an extra 5% if you pay 6 monthly or monthly. I've yet to see a downside to it.

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Bigphil1474 said:

I have an online portal, but I had no idea it could link to my cars.

Have you thought of signing up for direct debit? I haven't had a reminder letter for years cos I don't need one. You can do pay in full direct debit as well at no extra charge, they charge an extra 5% if you pay 6 monthly or monthly. I've yet to see a downside to it.

Thanks, I prefer to be in control not HMG!

As if I'd trust HMG with my bank details! 

The other downside is the posts you see from people complaining that the DD wasn't taken/failed and they didn't notice that they are £195 up in their account, presumably because they've completely forgotten the due date (like I have- I remembered this time as I knew I'd re-taxed my EV while it was still free, but I did it early to move the £195 to a month that didn't have house insurance, AA renewal, car insurance, and I did a check a couple of days ago. I've no idea whatsoever when The Other Car is due though.)

I know there is the DD guarantee if HMG rip you off, but you have to raise a dispute, I just pay when they send the demand.