Question for John Robson.
Discussion
Or any other knowledgable person for that matter!
Suppose I pick a car up on a Saturday, it has no tax. I insure the car on the Friday and the covernote is posted the same day. Now I can''t tax the car until perhaps the Monday at the earliest, because the form states that I must bring proof of ownership, MOT and insurance details. How do I stand legally...well lets re-phrase that, I know I shouldn''t drive it because it will not be taxed but would I be REALLY unlucky to be done for it if I was to explain the situation or is it really black-and-white don''t do it?
Edited by .mark on Thursday 28th June 14:47
Where are you getting it? If from a dealer, get the covernote sent direct and they should tax it for you.
This is what I have just done (got insurance from 00:01 Friday, garage taxed using cover note during the day, i drive off, all legal re tax, on Saturday).
If private be nice to the guy(gal?), get him/her the cover note and ask them if he can tax it for you.
I'm guessing that as it has no tax it is a dealer or trader anyway.
I think you may be on thin ice if you get caught without tax.
Sparks
Edited by Sparks on Thursday 28th June 14:57
Thanks Sparks but it's a long story! The car already belongs to me but has been off the road for a while, it was insured under a policy that has expired (the car has been insured by the location it is stored at though), and due to the duration of time off the road the tax was reclaimed. I believe the post office require a current insurance documnet. Wish I hadn't been so tight and reclaimed the tax now - isn't hindsight wonderful!
You can't get hold of all docs by Friday to tax it?
Assuming this is the case, get all the forms from the PO and complete them. Keep with you (along with V5 & cover note). In the unlikely event of being stopped admit to wrong doing, but explain that you could not get to PO, cover note was late what ever. Produce all docs and promise to do it first thing on Monday.
Only a really hard nosed PC is going to do you, but I think you have 2 weeks grace (you do when renewing), so long as you can prove that you are getting it.
You may also have to 'present' the tax disc to prove you did get it.
Not much help, but I got a new disc, but forgot to put it in the car. Drove round for 3 months before I noticed! technically an offence (i.e not displaying a valid tax disc). Did not get noticed.
Sparks
Edited by Sparks on Thursday 28th June 15:20
I was sort of in this situation last year. I'd been living in France for about 8 months and my tax disc had run out (you don't need them in france - no road tax). Anyhow phone the police up in the UK and said I wanted to return to the Uk with my car, but had no Tax but would get it the first day I was at home (as insurance doc had been set to UK address). I got nothing but "if you do that then you totally illegal and wil be prosecuted to largest order etc plates taken from DVLC etc,etc,etc." They expected me to leave the car in France get a tax disc and then go back to france pick the car up and then return back.
F**K that. Is there no sense in this world anymore. I clearly wanted to buy my road tax, and showed willing etc to do so.
Mark, What sparkes is saying is about right, allbe it you are breaking the law in respect of the no tax. I have come across this before check the docs and leave it at that. If I am a little unconvinced by the story I sometimes issue a HO/RT/1 (producer) and tick the 'other' box and ask them to produce the tax disc. But make sure you have all the relevant docs with you. Otherwise it's like "is it your car" "yes officer but I only got it today" "I take it that it's not taxed then"."how did you know that" "because the last 10 people I stopped without tax used the same excuse"
Bosshog,
be careful running a british car in France without a tax disc. Yes the French don't need them but your car must be legal to the country of registration. Also if your car is insured in the UK but used abroad the insurance company could refuse to payout as the vehicle documentation was incorrect.
M
quote:My understanding was that you can renew your tax disc 2 weeks BEFORE it expires (hence the 2 weeks grace confusion) but was never sure about which tax disk to display, so I usually put the new one in the holder and the old one next to it on the dash for a few days, I would have thought though that being able to renew 2 weeks early would mean it is OK to use the new tax disk from then - JR, can you confirm this? ================ Graham and Rosie
I don't think you do get two weeks grace on renewals, you know. I'd always heard there's no grace, you get plenty of warning when it's up for renewal. I know someone who has been done for not displaying a tax disc, even though he had it in the glove box but didn't put it in the window. I also know that your new tax disc doesn't start until the first day of the month it runs from (if you get my meaning) - like this weekend you can't technically renew your tax disc today (if it runs out June 30th) and put it in the car today - you should wait until Sunday morning before you display it.
quote:Right, I've calmed down now, sorry for the rant everyone. Well this was my first thought aswell at the time, but I phoned the insurance company up at the time, as I was told that if the car is totally road legal (which it was) then I was covered. I must admit though if push came to shove then I won't be surprised if they turned around and said "actually...."
Bosshog, be careful running a british car in France without a tax disc. Yes the French don't need them but your car must be legal to the country of registration. Also if your car is insured in the UK but used abroad the insurance company could refuse to payout as the vehicle documentation was incorrect. M
As far as I understand it is it an offense to not have Car Tax PAID and DISPLAYED with one exception: A kit car/imported car that has a pre-booked SVA/MOT is allowed to travel to and from that test without tax (as the car at that time doesn't have registration plates). It does have to be insured (They do it on the chasis number and issue a cover notice). When you pass the SVA you have to go to a licence office and register the car with proof of ownership, the SVA certificate and proof of insurance. They will then charge you for car tax and issue your Disk. You are NOT allowed to drive untaxed to the register office (I had to go by bus)
At ALL other times your car must have car tax and be displayed on the vehicle.
That is my understanding of the law regarding untaxed cars and that was how it was explained to me when I registered my kit car. I hope that is of use.
Smeagol
Edited by smeagol on Friday 6th July 21:42
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