When does my friend need to tax his car?

[Huntsman]

Supposing I my friend forgot to tax his car online and he was going to do it on the first day of the month, perhaps I he forgot and can do it when he gets home tonight.

Is that ok?

Will the DVLA send a special agent to shoot me him?

[kambites]

I think you get a month's grace or something.

[eybic]

I'm pretty sure your "friend" gets 5 days before anything is done.

[touching cloth]

This is the dvla we are talking about, they won't shoot you. No, they'll shoot someone with a name a bit like yours but who lives in a different town and drives a different car.

[john_p]

The 5 day grace period only applies if you buy the tax online before the end of the month. After then, you have to get it taxed at the post office, or risk a fine for not displaying while you wait for the online one to arrive.

I'd imagine if you do it online it will show on the relevant databases as taxed, but I'd be hesitant to leave it on the road just in case..

[Scuba_steve]

touching cloth said:

This is the dvla we are talking about, they won't shoot you. No, they'll shoot someone with a name a bit like yours but who lives in a different town and drives a different car.

This.

[pilchardthecat]

I've done this a couple of times (i don't have any friends as i'm a bit of a tt). Last year i forgot for about a week, then just went online, paid, waited another week for the little circle of legality to arrive. Despite lying awake at night with a loaded shotgun over my knee, i can confirm that no blackened transit vans pulled up outside, and no special forces agents absailled through the window.

[bazking69]

Be aware that failure to display is still technically an offence.

[vit4]

touching cloth said:

This is the dvla we are talking about, they won't shoot you. No, they'll shoot someone with a name a bit like yours but who lives in a different town and drives a different car.

[anonymous-user]

Had the same a few months ago.

If you buy online you can drive on the old tax disc for 5 days while the new one is delivered but you should carry the receipt with you.

If you haven't bought a tax disc you cannot drive the car. If you buy it from the PO and don't display there is no 5 day period so you get a fine.

There is a 14 day period from when the tax runs out for you to SORN or re-tax the car, any more than that and you get an immediate fine because they assume you are driving it. You can't drive it in this 14 day period.

[Major T]

I taxed one of my cars 14 days late, and the another 18 days late last month, online, no problem.

They were driven during this period. Now tax is paid, they were also (retrospectively) taxed during this period.

Edited by Major T on Thursday 1st July 11:51

[Denis O]

touching cloth said:

This is the dvla we are talking about, they won't shoot you. No, they'll shoot someone with a name a bit like yours but who lives in a different town and drives a different car.

No problemo.

They'll miss the shot as they're not that accurate!!!

[mrmr96]

As said, do it ASAP. Pref at post office then you have the disc in your hand and can display immediately. If you can't get to the post office just do it online and keep the receipt with you and keep your fingers crossed.

I think the fine is £80, isn't it? "Automatic" fines are posted out if you don't renew the tax. (There was some really gay advert on TV about it when they first started doing this a couple of years ago.) However these will be driven by the database, so buy online and database is updated. However you'll still need the receipt and to argue the toss with Police/traffic warden if they notice your disc isn't on display as, has been correctly pointed out already, it's "failure to display" which is the office.

Bottom line:
1 Postoffice, or failing 1 then,
2 Online and keep receipt with you

[109 Bob]

You only get the five days grace if you buy online before the old one expires.

The five day grace is so you do not get charged with failure to display.

You will not get a automated fine for not paying or declaring sorn for one month after the old one expires, although this might not be the case if you're stopped driving an un-taxed vehicle. tax = ved, but you know what I mean.

Your best bet is to go to the post office & get a new one, you will not receive a fine.