Road Tax query?

[woodbloke]

The road tax is due on my vehicle tomorrow. I've heard that there is a limited period in the following month when you can drive a vehicle on the road...a few days or maybe a week. Could anyone shed any light on this? I've always made the assumption that when the tax disc ran out then the vehicle had to be kept off public roads until taxed again. Many thanks - Rob

 

[Mdotflorida]

Hi Rob

Not sure if there is a grace period or not, but the EVL system (licensing on the web) is very good. Your vehicle will be registered as Taxed on the DVLA IT systems and the tax disc should arrive in the post within a day or 2.

Jeff

 

[Slim]

It doesn't matter if the vehicle is taxed or not. It is an offence not to display a valid tax disc. I think it carries a £30 fixed penalty notice.

 

[Terry Smart]

I'm pretty certain that there is no 'grace' period, if the car is on the road it's illegal from day one...

..and even if it's off the road but you haven't declared the SORN on it it will still be illegal and you can still be fined for it!
If you are keeping the car untaxed and off the road for any period of time make sure you get the SORN acknowledgement and keep it in a safe place. If it doesn't arrive in the post chase it up and make sure you get on the system.

 

[Smudger]

The grace period was never official afaik, and has now been dismissed by the DVLA. But on the other hand, doing it on-line takes about 5 minutes so long as your insurance and mot details are in the database.

 

[Argee]

The "grace period" is a myth and always has been. There are two offences involved, that of failing to have a current Vehicle Excise License (VEL) and/or failing to display one.

The reason you don't hear about people being prosecuted in this area is that it's not worth the trouble if the vehicle is consecutively taxed within a day or so of expiry, i.e., the period of the VEL continues from the expired one.

If, however, you run around for, say, a month, then try to tax the vehicle from the start of the next month and you haven't kept it off road or declared it off-road via a SORN (statutory off-road notification), you'll really be in it. Magistrates' Courts often hand down up to ten times the missing VEL as a fine. HTH

Edit: several are quicker on the keyboard!

Ray.

 

[woodbloke]

Chaps, many thanks for the replies, as I thought then...keep the Landy off the road 'til I've got a new disc on it - Rob

 

[Racers]

Hi,

I jush went out at lunch time and two mounted police men commented on a tax disk from last year on a car, when I returned from the shops a flat bed arrived to take it away, and the owner had got back and he looked pineappled off. So beware.

Pete

 

[Paul Chapman]

I've renewed my car tax on-line quite successfully. However, my daughter had a problem. She renewed hers on-line but, because of a cock-up at DVLAs end, her tax disc didn't arrive. She queried it with DVLA and the police who said she couldn't legally drive the vehicle if no tax disc was displayed.

I would have ignored their advice because she had the print-outs to prove that she had renewed her tax. However, being nervous to risk breaking the law she drove my wife's car until the tax disc eventually arrived about a month later.

It would be interesting to know what the courts would rule in such a case. If you have paid your tax renewal fee and have the paperwork to prove it (including bank details to show that the money has been paid) I don't see how you could reasonably be prosecuted, even though technically you were committing an offence by not displaying a disc.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Terry Smart]

keep the Landy off the road 'til I've got a new disc on it

...and declare it off-road (SORN), you can still be fined even if the vehicle isn't used on the road.

 

[mailee]

Wonder how they will screw us next?? :twisted:

 

[Argee]

I don't see how you could reasonably be prosecuted, even though technically you were committing an offence by not displaying a disc.

You've answered your own point, there, Paul. It wouldn't be reasonable to prosecute in those circumstances, but it would be possible to do so.

Ray.

 

[TonyW]

keep the Landy off the road 'til I've got a new disc on it

...and declare it off-road (SORN), you can still be fined even if the vehicle isn't used on the road.

I can definitely confirm that :evil:
My son decided not to use his car and leave it at our property. After some time I noticed that the tax disc had expired. Let "Them" know by declaring off road only to be followed up with a letter informing us of an £160 fine (think that was the amount) for not declaring.

Impossible to speak to anyone in person so I wrote a letter stating that the car had not been since tax expired and had been stored off the public highway. Got a standard letter back saying that the SORN did not come into effect soon enough after tax expired - they did make some effort - reduced the fine to £80 (Dad ended up paying of course).

Cheers
Tony

 

[Digit]

Wonder how they will screw us next??

They'll be working on something.
The 'grace' period was for the benefit of the excise people in the days when all vehicle tax discs started on Jan 1. It was for their benefit, not ours!

Roy.

 

[brianhabby]

If you watched Watchdog on BBC1 tonight you will have seen that they highlighted DVLA again. This time for sending people fines for not taxing cars that they no longer owned. Even when DVLA had sent confirmation letters acknowledging that the vehicle had been sold/scrapped.

When ever I send anything of importance to these government incompetents, it always goes recorded delivery and I keep careful copies of everything.

The other week the Watchdog program highlighted DVLA for giving out peoples personal details to parking companies. Apparently anyone can apply to DVLA for details about any vehicle and they will provide the details, including name and address :!:

regards

Brian

 

[Digit]

Bring on ID cards! :lol:

Roy.

 

[BradNaylor]

The road tax is due on my vehicle tomorrow. I've heard that there is a limited period in the following month when you can drive a vehicle on the road...a few days or maybe a week. Could anyone shed any light on this? I've always made the assumption that when the tax disc ran out then the vehicle had to be kept off public roads until taxed again. Many thanks - Rob

It was only after reading this thread last night that I realised that SWMBO's tax on her car had expired at the end of February - a month ago!

So this morning I went down the Post Office with the relevent docs and taxed it as of from the beginning of March. No problem.

So to answer your question, in effect she got a full month's 'grace'. If she had been pulled in the meantime however, I guess she would have got a ticket.

Ultimately, you've got to figure in a certain amount of inefficiency in the system.

 

[Harbo]

Definitely no grace period - the Hants police often stake out roads leading into Towns on the first few days of the month with their number plate reading cameras!!

Rod

 

[Digit]

Must have run out of muggers and burglars to nick! 8)

Roy.

 

[exigetastic]

The road tax is due on my vehicle tomorrow. I've heard that there is a limited period in the following month when you can drive a vehicle on the road...a few days or maybe a week. Could anyone shed any light on this? I've always made the assumption that when the tax disc ran out then the vehicle had to be kept off public roads until taxed again. Many thanks - Rob

It was only after reading this thread last night that I realised that SWMBO's tax on her car had expired at the end of February - a month ago!

So this morning I went down the Post Office with the relevent docs and taxed it as of from the beginning of March. No problem.

So to answer your question, in effect she got a full month's 'grace'. If she had been pulled in the meantime however, I guess she would have got a ticket.

Ultimately, you've got to figure in a certain amount of inefficiency in the system.

SWMBO here was doing the same thing... difference was constant nagging by me to get it sorted.... eventually (knowing muggins would have to pay the fine) I ended up doing myself. :roll:

Si