Taxing car with MOT due that month

[MickC]

Just thought i would tax my car while I remember, I just received the Tax reminder.

However, I get the following message when I try to tax online:

DVLA said:

Sorry, it has not been possible to match the vehicle with a MOT Test Certificate at this time and you are unable to complete your application for vehicle tax using this service.

This does not necessarily mean the vehicle does not have a valid MOT Test Certificate. To apply for vehicle tax, the vehicle must have a valid MOT on the date the tax is due to begin.

Now they are right, my MOT expires 17th and the car isn't booked for a service (and MOT) until 12th. However, I don't recall ever seeing that message before, as long as the car was MOT'd at the date of taxing, you could tax it for next month. Has it changed?

Doesn't matter to me much, except that if my MOT was due (e.g.) 30th March, I'd have to remember to tax it in the 2 days after the MOT was done. Actually since an MOT can take up to 48 hours to get into the DVLA database, I might not be able to tax online at all before it expired. Just seems to me more pointless officialdom given APNR would flag no MOT as well as no Tax in the event I neglected either and got pinged. Whats the point except to inconvenience a (generally) law abiding citizen? Or (tin foil hat on) are they hoping I'll forget and they get to charge me an extra £100 penalty?

Just as an aside, I was quite offended by the big 'Tax it or lose it - we can always spot an untaxed car - Tax now at gov.co.uk' implying that I might be a lawbreaker.... it seems they wont even let me tax it yet!

[Lee540]

Taxing from the renewal will make the start date of 1st April, and MOT expires mid March.

If you only just bought the car for example and taxed it now, it would be taxing it from 1st March and work fine.

Edited by Lee540 on Tuesday 6th March 15:32

[MickC]

Lee540 said:

Taxing from the renewal will make the start date of 1st April, and MOT expires mid March.

If you only just bought the car for example and taxed it now, it would be taxing it from 1st March and work fine.

Edited by Lee540 on Tuesday 6th March 15:32

Yes i know that. But has it always worked that way? Maybe I'm usually just too lazy and only remember to tax it at the end of the month, after its been MOT'd mid month. Can't they assume I'm a good upstanding citizen and since I already MOT'd and Taxed it last year I'm quite likely to do it again, and anyway if I don't as they keep telling me they will catch me with ANPR?

[littleredrooster]

AFAIK, the MOT always had to be valid for the start date of the tax, not the application/payment date.

[SS2.]

MickC said:

But has it always worked that way?

It has - there must be an active MOT in place on Day X before VED can be purchased to commence on Day X.

[TooMany2cvs]

MickC said:

...as long as the car was MOT'd at the date of taxing, you could tax it for next month. Has it changed?

No, not changed.

At the date your old tax expires, and is renewed, your car's (currently) unMOTed.

[MickC]

SS2. said:

MickC said:

But has it always worked that way?

It has - there must be an active MOT in place on Day X before VED can be purchased to commence on Day X.

Ah well. Good reason to stagger the MOT date 6 month from tax date. Except this car is only 20 quid tax, so 6 month not available, bah.

[TooMany2cvs]

MickC said:

Ah well. Good reason to stagger the MOT date 6 month from tax date. Except this car is only 20 quid tax, so 6 month not available, bah.

Or just get a bit more organised to do the MOT early? Up to a month to keep the same expiry date, remember?

Anyway, it's being tested on the 12th. That still leaves two and a half weeks to tax it online before the end of the month.

[MickC]

TooMany2cvs said:

Or just get a bit more organised to do the MOT early? Up to a month to keep the same expiry date, remember?

Anyway, it's being tested on the 12th. That still leaves two and a half weeks to tax it online before the end of the month.

Yes Yes. But I want to tax it NOW Just have to wait