Road tax nightmare!

[_Al_]

Road tax is due this month so I've pulled out the file; in doing so I've realised I'm not named on the V5!

The trader who sold it to me just handed me the vehicle taxed/mot'd etc so I drove off. It never occurred to me to check if he'd filled out the change of owner form.

He hadn't.

What happens here then?

It's an offence not to report changes to the DVLA, but is it my fault or his? Am I going to get a fine, even tho I'm trying to renew it on time?

How can I renew it without a V5 in my name?

[plotloss]

Theres a form, a V62 I think, that allows you to buy RFL without a V5.

Filling in one of these means you get a new V5 with your details through the post in about a week.

[_Al_]

Ok, thanks mate, was worried for a min there...

[paolow]

plotloss is right, and the service is usually good, but itll cost you £19 to use it

[lanciachris]

Err. be aware that your insurance is probably going to be invalid atm then as well, as it will state that you are the owner / registered keeper.

[kevinday]

Back in the days when in lived in Blighty, (or the blighted land as it should now be called under Tony Bliar and co) you could fill in the change of keeper section on the V5 at the time of applying for the tax.

It is your fault I'm afraid. IIRC there are 2 sections to the V5 to be completed, one by the seller and one by the new keeper. A dealer will never fill it out, the old owner will have completed their section as sold to a motor trader, you then complete your section and send it off. I would just fill in the V5 and take it and all the docs to the PO and hope for the best. Your insurance is probably not invalid, you are the owner of the car, you do not have to be the registered keeper, unless your policy specifically says so.

[_Al_]

I'll try and send off the V5 tomorrow at the post office then, hopefully it'll work.

Could really do without the £1,000 fine it mentions, as I've just finished uni and haven't got a proper job.

Fingers crossed..

[cptsideways]

Filling in that form does not put you down as the registered keeper. There is another form for that.

[bumpkin]

according to the advert i saw last night it is the seller who is responsible. also unless things have changed as long as you have some sort of bill of sale you are the legal owner.

it is ridiculously easy to get a replacement V5, at least it was a couple of years ago when i had to.

[JohnL]

You can no longer tax your car with a V62. You have to fill out the V62, send it off with your cheque, 3 weeks or so later a new V5 will arrive with your name on it. Then you can tax it.

If you have the old V5 with the tear off slip at the bottom, you can tax it with just the tear off new-owner slip.

The address on your insurance certificate and on the V5, or the little tear off change of owner slip, must also be the same.

>> Edited by JohnL on Tuesday 30th March 12:43

[_Al_]

Just for the sake of completeness : the DVLA have now sent me the updated log book, (apparently) ending the story..

Thanks for the advice guys..