Car tax reminders & fines
Discussion
Just noticed (randomly) my car has been untaxed for 156 days. No reminder, no fines through the post and no comms whatsoever. stopped by the police a couple of weeks ago (had something shut in the boot by accident) and they didn't even mention it.
Same car for a while, no change in or anything like that.
Clearly I will now tax it, but just wondered what happened to these "automatic" fines?
It does surprise me how despite these processes being seemingly automated, certain situations such as this don't seem to get picked up.
We see some posts on here from people who want to drive to an MOT centre without tax and obviously without an MOT and they're rightfully cautious. But it seems no one would know either way.
I changed the number plate on my car and completely forgot to tell the insurance. It must have taken 3 months before I got a DVLA letter saying it was taxed but not insured. Seems some of these things don't update in a hurry are perhaps aren't as automated as I assumed.
We see some posts on here from people who want to drive to an MOT centre without tax and obviously without an MOT and they're rightfully cautious. But it seems no one would know either way.
I changed the number plate on my car and completely forgot to tell the insurance. It must have taken 3 months before I got a DVLA letter saying it was taxed but not insured. Seems some of these things don't update in a hurry are perhaps aren't as automated as I assumed.
You can register to get VED and MOT reminders. But it's easier to pay VED by direct debit.
https://www.gov.uk/driver-vehicles-account
https://www.gov.uk/mot-reminder
https://www.gov.uk/driver-vehicles-account
https://www.gov.uk/mot-reminder
Getting confused about this now.
I bought the car in May 2023 - I was away at the time and got a trader friend of mine to acquire the car for me, which he did and I picked it up when I got back to the UK.
I don't recall what paperwork I did re the V5. The only V5 I can find is the previous owners one (I guess that came because the car was in "trade mode" at the time)
I do seem to recall taxing it and the dates fit to say that because I would have taxed it for a year and that would have been May 2023. The V5 I have says the previous owner acquired the car on 3rd of April 2023 which fits with the info from the DVLA (He bought it from the leasing company and then sold it to trade)
Edited to add that I have no email record of taxing it, but can see at charge from the dvla for £560 in May that can only be taxing this car.
So How on earth could I have taxed it without putting it in my name? What do I do now?

I bought the car in May 2023 - I was away at the time and got a trader friend of mine to acquire the car for me, which he did and I picked it up when I got back to the UK.
I don't recall what paperwork I did re the V5. The only V5 I can find is the previous owners one (I guess that came because the car was in "trade mode" at the time)
I do seem to recall taxing it and the dates fit to say that because I would have taxed it for a year and that would have been May 2023. The V5 I have says the previous owner acquired the car on 3rd of April 2023 which fits with the info from the DVLA (He bought it from the leasing company and then sold it to trade)
Edited to add that I have no email record of taxing it, but can see at charge from the dvla for £560 in May that can only be taxing this car.
So How on earth could I have taxed it without putting it in my name? What do I do now?
Edited by cashmax on Saturday 5th October 14:16
Alex_225 said:
It does surprise me how despite these processes being seemingly automated, certain situations such as this don't seem to get picked up.
We see some posts on here from people who want to drive to an MOT centre without tax and obviously without an MOT and they're rightfully cautious. But it seems no one would know either way.
I changed the number plate on my car and completely forgot to tell the insurance. It must have taken 3 months before I got a DVLA letter saying it was taxed but not insured. Seems some of these things don't update in a hurry are perhaps aren't as automated as I assumed.
The things update super quickly, often in less than 2hours.We see some posts on here from people who want to drive to an MOT centre without tax and obviously without an MOT and they're rightfully cautious. But it seems no one would know either way.
I changed the number plate on my car and completely forgot to tell the insurance. It must have taken 3 months before I got a DVLA letter saying it was taxed but not insured. Seems some of these things don't update in a hurry are perhaps aren't as automated as I assumed.
But there are exceptions where stuff goes wrong.
DVLA aren't particularly incentivized to issue fines, they don't get keep it for their own budget, they certainly don't get to pay it towards bonuses and dividends. So instead of acting like TFL / capita giving out fines like confetti they seem to be taking the view that if they give people a bit of time to sort their s
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