FAO: Car Traders on Here (taxing a car)

[AGAR]

Hi guys,

just a quick question. If you had a car on your forecourt upon which the tax had lapsed, would you be able to re-tax it without showing an insurance cover note like any "Joe Public" would have to do?

The reason I ask is because the car I am hopefully about to buy has an expired tax disk. I've asked the car trader to re-tax it for me before I go down to see it, however, can he do this without me providing an insurance cover note for him to use?

I've also just heard from someone that the tax rules have changed and state that the V5 for the car must be in the trader's name for them to tax it. Is this true?

Cheers,

Agar

[LHD]

Both points are correct.

A valid insurance certificate (and MOT if required) must be used to tax a car.

Also the vehicle has to be registered to someone (named on the insurance certificate) to be taxed.

So that would mean adding another name (trader) on the V5.

[AGAR]

LHD said:

Also the vehicle has to be registered to someone (named on the insurance certificate) to be taxed.

So that would mean adding another name (trader) on the V5.

Has this always been the case or just a recent development? Seems to be quite annoying as it will (perhaps unneccesarily) add to the number of previous owners on the car. However, I can see the reason why it is done this way.

[bigmoose]

You can tax a vehicle on the green slip, so as a dealer and a customer wants his car taxing, I fill in the green slip with my company details and take along with MOT and Insurance to post office and get tax. The only thing that I do is put the date of sale the day before and say that the logbook was sent off. Then when the customer comes to collect the car I tippex the details and write their details in. Jobs done.

[confused_buyer]

The dealer can tax it on their insurance (which will just say "any car the custody or in control of the policyholder") however many franchised dealers will not do this.

The bigger question is whether they would want to tax a car you simply want to view rather than have agreed to buy as if you don't buy it they have a car sitting there with tax expiring month after month.

[confused_buyer]

LHD said:

Also the vehicle has to be registered to someone (named on the insurance certificate) to be taxed.

So that would mean adding another name (trader) on the V5.

Not quite correct - you can tax a car once using the V5/C slip without changing the keeper.

Edited by confused_buyer on Wednesday 23 June 22:23

[rehab71]

bigmoose said:

You can tax a vehicle on the green slip, so as a dealer and a customer wants his car taxing, I fill in the green slip with my company details and take along with MOT and Insurance to post office and get tax. The only thing that I do is put the date of sale the day before and say that the logbook was sent off. Then when the customer comes to collect the car I tippex the details and write their details in. Jobs done.

This is 100% right, do it all the time!

[AGAR]

Thanks for the helpful replies.

I'm hoping he doesn't have any problems taxing it for me, but if he does I'll now be able to tell him to use the green slip method.

Cheers,

Agar