Very late VED/car tax renewal
Discussion
Just had a letter from DVLA saying that my vehicle is untaxed, and telling me to tax it, sorn it, or report it as sold. Was a bit shocked as I usually renew online as soon as I receive the renewal letter. It expired at the end of July last year, so I thought that maybe I'd only renewed for 6 months by mistake, but checked online records and gov/DVLA website says it has indeed been untaxed for the last 7 months. I've checked my records and no email renewal confirmation or payment showing on any of my bank/card statements, so it appears I'm bang to rights.
Bit shocked it's taken DVLA seven months to make contact about it though. Also amazed it's not been picked up by ANPR or anything before now?
No change of address or keeper since the vehicle came into my ownership 6 years ago, so no reason it's taken 6 months to contact me. No mention of a fine in the letter either, not sure if that will follow on after I've responded though? I'd like to back date the tax the date it was due (1st August 2023), so hopefully that will square things up with DVLA. But when I went to renew online the dvla website will only let me start it from 1st Feb 2024, no option to back date. I'm presuming that if I do that they'll come after me for the missing 6 months and be more likely to fine me as well? Am I best to phone them up and try to pay backdated over the phone?
Bit shocked it's taken DVLA seven months to make contact about it though. Also amazed it's not been picked up by ANPR or anything before now?
No change of address or keeper since the vehicle came into my ownership 6 years ago, so no reason it's taken 6 months to contact me. No mention of a fine in the letter either, not sure if that will follow on after I've responded though? I'd like to back date the tax the date it was due (1st August 2023), so hopefully that will square things up with DVLA. But when I went to renew online the dvla website will only let me start it from 1st Feb 2024, no option to back date. I'm presuming that if I do that they'll come after me for the missing 6 months and be more likely to fine me as well? Am I best to phone them up and try to pay backdated over the phone?
I got a Letter from Avon & Somerset police politely informing me the sheddy jazz had been caught on an ANPR camera in Bristol and was untaxed.
I was shocked as I'm normally all over stuff like this.
Did a check and the Tax ran out last September (oops)
Have to say the letter did the trick and it was re-taxed that very same day as the alternative was having my car seized there and then if I was caught by an ANPR police car, then paying £150 odd to get it released (plus having to cab it home)
I was shocked as I'm normally all over stuff like this.
Did a check and the Tax ran out last September (oops)
Have to say the letter did the trick and it was re-taxed that very same day as the alternative was having my car seized there and then if I was caught by an ANPR police car, then paying £150 odd to get it released (plus having to cab it home)
Edited by juice on Tuesday 27th February 14:01
I thoroughly recommend taxing vehicles by monthly DD. I started doing it with my bikes as it was easier to tax/untax (SORN) them online whenever it suited me, but we now do it this way for our cars too. And talking to friends it seems many others do the same. Yes it costs an extra 5%, but you will never ever be untaxed again, as it simply rolls over until you choose to stop it.
There seemed to be a blip at DVLA last year around July which resulted in reminders not being sent out. There was a thread on it around the time.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
TwinKam said:
I thoroughly recommend taxing vehicles by monthly DD. I started doing it with my bikes as it was easier to tax/untax (SORN) them online whenever it suited me, but we now do it this way for our cars too. And talking to friends it seems many others do the same. Yes it costs an extra 5%, but you will never ever be untaxed again, as it simply rolls over until you choose to stop it.
That’s what I do.cuprabob said:
There seemed to be a blip at DVLA last year around July which resulted in reminders not being sent out. There was a thread on it around the time.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
That's interesting. I've just rifled back though my pile of awaiting shredding paperwork and come across reminders for my vehicles that were due to expire end of May 23 and end of June, but no letter for the one ending 31st July. Seems a remarkable coincidence, and might also explain why DVLA haven't been more heavy handed and dished out a fine if they had system issues and missed sending reminders.https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
However, I'm also a bit concerned that this letter might just be the start of things, and their penalty will depend on how I deal with it from here. If I tax it from beginning of this month (as the only option the DVLA website is giving me), then I suspect they'll then sk questions about the previous 7 months? If I phone them up to renew are they likely to let me backdate it to august, or am I going to get a penalty regardless?
Or if I wanted to be naughty I could try and sorn it/claim it hasn't been on the road since August. I guess there might be some anpr records that prove otherwise though. Not worth the risk of trying that one, i don't think.
Pica-Pica said:
TwinKam said:
I thoroughly recommend taxing vehicles by monthly DD. I started doing it with my bikes as it was easier to tax/untax (SORN) them online whenever it suited me, but we now do it this way for our cars too. And talking to friends it seems many others do the same. Yes it costs an extra 5%, but you will never ever be untaxed again, as it simply rolls over until you choose to stop it.
That’s what I do.I bought my car in June 2022, taxed it by DD before I left the dealer. November last year I found out I had been driving untaxed for months. The DD had stopped even though I was under the impression it just carried on until I stopped it, which strangely is what happens with my motorcycle.
Edit: I went to the post office and taxed it, set it up on DD and expected a fine to come through the post for the missing months but have received nothing!
Just tried to contact DVLA with the phone number on the letter and all I get is a recorded message saying their phone service is closed for maintenance. Tried another number on their website and it just says they're too busy and to try again later. Nearest Post Office is about 25 mile round trip, and I'm not sure if they can back date earlier than the start of the current month anyway?
mjb1 said:
Just tried to contact DVLA with the phone number on the letter and all I get is a recorded message saying their phone service is closed for maintenance. Tried another number on their website and it just says they're too busy and to try again later. Nearest Post Office is about 25 mile round trip, and I'm not sure if they can back date earlier than the start of the current month anyway?
It can't be back dated, it will start from the beginning of the current month, but why on earth are you putting your head above the parapet and bringing it to their notice by trying to phone them. Just tax it and if you get away without a fine and back tax go and buy a lottery ticketmartinbiz said:
It can't be back dated, it will start from the beginning of the current month, but why on earth are you putting your head above the parapet and bringing it to their notice by trying to phone them. Just tax it and if you get away without a fine and back tax go and buy a lottery ticket
Because I thought back dating it might help avoid the fine, or at least some of it. Looks like 7 months would be £360 fine in place of £186 tax. If it can't be backdated then the only options are for DVLA to ignore 7 months of missing tax or penalise me. I've no idea how lenient DVLA are when it come to these matters. I'm guessing not receiving a renewal letter from DVLA isn't a good enough defence against missing the renewal, and if I contest it then lose at court it's £1000 fine.mjb1 said:
martinbiz said:
It can't be back dated, it will start from the beginning of the current month, but why on earth are you putting your head above the parapet and bringing it to their notice by trying to phone them. Just tax it and if you get away without a fine and back tax go and buy a lottery ticket
Because I thought back dating it might help avoid the fine, or at least some of it. Looks like 7 months would be £360 fine in place of £186 tax. If it can't be backdated then the only options are for DVLA to ignore 7 months of missing tax or penalise me. I've no idea how lenient DVLA are when it come to these matters. I'm guessing not receiving a renewal letter from DVLA isn't a good enough defence against missing the renewal, and if I contest it then lose at court it's £1000 fine.martinbiz said:
You will also have the back tax added to any fine and costs so you can probably double that if you try to fight it, added to the fact that you don't appear to have a defence anyway. just tax online today and then it's just a waiting game
Do you have a source for that? All I can see is that they base the fine at 1.5x the missing tax plus £30. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vehicle...Would seem particularly draconian to then demand the missing tax when it appears the fine is already designed to recover it. Especially when there's apparently no way to voluntarily pay the back tax and minimise the fine.
The lack of renewal letter and waiting 7 months to make contact both seem a bit unfair too - just a way to maximise their income from penalties.
And when you've bought your tax, sign up here: https://www.gov.uk/driver-vehicles-account and set up email and SMS reminders for vehicle tax reminders for all your cars. 
Driver and vehicles account website said:
Use your account to check your details held by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
You can:
You can:
- view your driving record, for example vehicles you can drive
- check your penalty points or disqualifications
- add and view details of your vehicles - including when the MOT expires
- check the tax rates for your vehicles
- set up vehicle tax reminders by email and SMS - if you pay tax every 6 or 12 months
- choose to stop getting vehicle tax reminders by post
- renew your photocard driving licence
mjb1 said:
martinbiz said:
You will also have the back tax added to any fine and costs so you can probably double that if you try to fight it, added to the fact that you don't appear to have a defence anyway. just tax online today and then it's just a waiting game
Do you have a source for that? All I can see is that they base the fine at 1.5x the missing tax plus £30. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vehicle...Would seem particularly draconian to then demand the missing tax when it appears the fine is already designed to recover it. Especially when there's apparently no way to voluntarily pay the back tax and minimise the fine.
The lack of renewal letter and waiting 7 months to make contact both seem a bit unfair too - just a way to maximise their income from penalties.
Tam_Mullen said:
Pica-Pica said:
TwinKam said:
I thoroughly recommend taxing vehicles by monthly DD. I started doing it with my bikes as it was easier to tax/untax (SORN) them online whenever it suited me, but we now do it this way for our cars too. And talking to friends it seems many others do the same. Yes it costs an extra 5%, but you will never ever be untaxed again, as it simply rolls over until you choose to stop it.
That’s what I do.I bought my car in June 2022, taxed it by DD before I left the dealer. November last year I found out I had been driving untaxed for months. The DD had stopped even though I was under the impression it just carried on until I stopped it, which strangely is what happens with my motorcycle.
Edit: I went to the post office and taxed it, set it up on DD and expected a fine to come through the post for the missing months but have received nothing!
If you're not seeing it, I can only imagine you're not looking at bank statements either, which is peculiar.
TwinKam said:
I thoroughly recommend taxing vehicles by monthly DD. I started doing it with my bikes as it was easier to tax/untax (SORN) them online whenever it suited me, but we now do it this way for our cars too. And talking to friends it seems many others do the same. Yes it costs an extra 5%, but you will never ever be untaxed again, as it simply rolls over until you choose to stop it.
Why do it monthly DD when you can do it annually DD and save the 5%?Best of both worlds.
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