Driving an untaxed vehicle even a short distance, unless you are going to a pre-booked MOT appointment, is against the law and could invalidate your car insurance.
Can I drive my car while waiting for tax to update?
If you want to wait until the start of the following month or change your tax date, you'll need to SORN your car for a month. But if you do this you'll need to make sure your car isn't parked on the road. You won't be able to drive your car either.
MYTH 2: I've just bought a car - I cannot tax my vehicle because I do not have a V5C registration certificate (log book) in my name. If you're the new keeper, you can use the green 'new keeper' slip from the log book to tax your vehicle straight away.
Your insurance is (usually) still valid without tax, but it depends on your insurer. Generally, your insurance is still valid even if your car tax runs out. But different insurance companies have their own rules. So, you'll need to check your car insurance to avoid getting caught out.
The DVLA has the authority to clamp, impound or even destroy any vehicle that has not been taxed. So, it's important to make sure that your road tax is paid on time. When paper disks were still in use, there was a five day grace period - however, this is no longer in place.
How Do ANPR Cameras Work? Unlike traffic enforcement cameras, ANPR cameras can be triggered by driving behaviours like speeding or using a mobile phone at the wheel and detecting uninsured and untaxed vehicles. They can also read and digitise a vehicle's number plate, either whilst a vehicle is stationary or moving.
Yes. Any driver who drives a vehicle, whether it belongs to them or not, has a responsibility to ensure that they are insured to drive the vehicle, that the vehicle is fully road legal, taxed and MOT'd. If you are stopped by the police it is you as the driver who will face prosecution.
If you don't pay the fine, the authorities are within their rights to clamp or crush your car. The fine could also be passed on to debt collectors. The DVLA sends you a reminder that your car needs taxing, so don't ignore it when it arrives.
However, some advanced cameras can check registration plates against DVLA records for tax and insurance. These are known as ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras. ANPR cameras are mounted onto police vehicles – and are also installed on main roads, motorways and car parks.
How long do you have to tax your car after it runs out? Previously, when paper discs were still in use there was a five-day grace period to give the new tax disc time to arrive in the post. As that process has been moved online, there is no longer any grace period.
Penalty set at £100 reduced to £50 if paid within 21 days. If penalty is not paid, as a criminal offence the case may be pursued via the Magistrates Court. The maximum penalty is £1,000.
Road tax is now non-transferable, meaning that when you sell your car, your tax does not go with it, so it's down to you to declare the sale of your car with the DVLA. It is then the responsibility of the new keeper to register the car as theirs and start paying its road tax straight away.
A common misconception among many drivers is that there is a two-week grace period surrounding your MOT. A 14-day MOT grace period simply doesn't exist. Once your MOT runs out then you cannot drive your car, or even leave it parked up on the road.
In years gone by, police would manually check the paper tax disc displayed on a car's windscreen. Today, however, the police use Automatic Number Plate Recognition - ANPR - to compare number plates with the DVLA's VED database. If you're found to have an untaxed car, the police may issue you with a fine.
Yes, you can drive your car while waiting for the log book. However, you will need to ensure that the vehicle is taxed and insured. You should also make sure that you have a V5C/2 form in your possession, as this will be required if you are stopped by the police or if you need to organise your car tax renewal.
You can drive a car without an MOT to a garage, provided your MOT certificate does not show a dangerous defect. Aside from an MOT test centre, it is illegal to drive your car elsewhere. The MOT testers at National Tyres and Autocare garages do not have the authority to stop you from driving away after an MOT failure.
Will I lose a month if I tax my car on the last day of the month?
The requirement to pay vehicle tax for complete calendar months is prescribed in law. Vehicle tax discs begin on the first day of the month and always expire on the last day. The law is also clear that refunds can only be paid for complete calendar months remaining on the tax disc when a valid application is made.
Your vehicle may also be clamped by the DVLA until the fine is paid. The DVLA runs monthly computer checks on all vehicles around the UK, so if you're driving a car without tax, it's likely it won't go unnoticed. If the system flags up your vehicle as being untaxed and not declared SORN, you will be fined.
The only way you can legally keep your car parked up without paying tax is if you declare you car as SORN and park it on private land. It is an offence to be the registered keeper of untaxed vehicle. You could end up being prosecuted for a criminal offence in a Magistrates Court and face fines of up to £1,000.
