Road Tax - Pain in the backside

[Cottis]

My road tax is due today. Went online about 10 days ago to do the renewal and it said the Insurance Docs did not check out. My insurance also expires on 31st July 2013. Have the renewal quote through (£140 cheaper for some reason ) so it will roll over and as of this morning I am covered again as per normal. Evidently they will not accept insurances that are due to expire in the next few days.

Anyhow, DVLA will not allow me to renew the disc until their system updates with my new renewal of insurance. Not tried yet today, so not sure how long that will take.

BUT, just checking online and it appears I cannot drive the car without displaying tax unless the application for the tax disc was made BEFORE the previous one expired. Obviously this is impossible for me. If you have applied successfully prior to the previous duty expiring, you have 5 days grace.

Never had this before but as far as I can tell, I am going to lose 5 days (or however long it takes to arrive assuming my application is successful later on today) driving out of this years licence cost. Don't see why I should line DVLA's pockets 3-4 weeks in advance of actually needing duty. After all, the roads I drive on are crap and the people I have to share the roads with are even worse.

Rant over. Grrrrr!!!

[diesel des]

Dont you have a few weeks grace with tax as long as it is backdated to leave no overlap?

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[Sonic]

I've never had a problem with renewing it online and personally if you're insured correctly and just waiting for their system to update i'd just wait it out for a couple of weeks and drive as per normal.

Alternatively i think you can head to the post-office with your proof of insurance and get it done immediately.

[Cottis]

THe online system now accepts my application, so at least that bit works (although the insurance money has not left my account yet) Up to £1k fine for failing to display tax disc, although I doubt they would levy such an unreasonable punishment. Just makes things difficult when it should be simple, especially give that I never use vehicles that are not MOT'd, insured and taxed. Makes a mockery of law abiding people.

I will trundle around in the Derv for a few days until it arrives.

[stocious]

It's circa 1k euro to tax an s2 here...

[rynaqui]

1,100 over here

[Cottis]

I will be getting 6 months this time to ensure I dont have this problem again. €1100 sounds very painful when you factor in costs to keep the thing running before you get to see a road ha ha

[rynaqui]

It's run ok the first year of ownership, but being as nitpicky as I am I want everything in tip top condition and end up spending money on things I don't really need. It's all the forums fault really though .

Don't have the option locally as far as I am aware to have the road tax for 6 months at a time..wonder where all our road tax goes?

[Cottis]

Just got off the phone to DVLA and the Police (both of whom tried to pass the buck the other)

Basically, do not have you insurance expiry at the end of the month. If my insurance expired on the 1st Aug and not the 31st July, the system would allow me to have tax. How effing daft. The system (or post office) will not allow me a tax disc until I can prove that the vehicle is insured in the month for which I want to purchase tax for.

The police said there is a 14 day grace period where you do not have to display road duty if you have already purchased it prior to the previous duty expiring. If (like me) you have purchased road tax after expiry (I could do nothing else) then it is an offence to drive the vehicle or have it on a public highway until you are able to display the tax, despite having paid for it.

DVLA said it is at the discretion of the police and the police sounded like they did not give a stuff. Typical. Just waiting for plod to come round and give me a ticket for not making it SORN ha ha. What a typically crud system.

[Cottis]

THey look like my local roads. The only positive is that I was hoping it would deter cyclists but they now just use the middle of the road. Best not get me started on that ha ha

[rynaqui]

The road going up home..feels like you're driving on 3 wheels at one point, it's horrid and there's no other way to get home

Oh yes and cyclists, making the road theirs . Why don't they have to pay any road tax??

[Monkeymagic]

Police Will not be interested in tax mate as the dvla enforce it.
There is an offence of failing to display. However you sound like you have a fairly water tight defence.
Getting 6 months won't really help as you'll get another 6 after and it Will still need renewing at same time as insurance.
The answer is renew your tax a week before insurance renewal as you need a minimum 7 days

[vonbeck]

No I think he means to get 12 months next time so it will not happen again


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[Cottis]

That is what I meant. Cheers vonbeck. I dont buy 6 months normally as they charge you extra. Would rather buy a few more litres of super. Website will not allow you to renew unless you are covered for part of the first month of tax cover according to dvla

[Ross]

You'll be fine once its paid for. I spoke to DVLA and their advice was not to worry for 5 days, but after a month you're likely to get fined if its not sorted. That reminds me though, still need to put my tax disc in my Golf, its been stuck on my fridge for 5 months!

The pain is trying to get a SORN vehicle running, MOT'd and then taxed... Again, advice I was given was dont worry but ensure you have a receipt for an MOT booking if you drive it, and not in the town your mum/son/brother lives in 100 miles away...

Right now the DVLA are insisting I pay £80 for my old S2 which they never got the V5 for after 2 attempts and numerous other contacts. I get told they're taking me to court every now and then, 8 months and the automated letters keep coming. Point is they enforce car tax and aren't above the law.