Classic Car Tax Exemptions; Rolling 40 year basis?

[Gooly]

Just wondering if the classic car tax exemption is done on a rolling 40 year basis, in which case anything built before Jan 1 1978 should now be exempt as opposed to 1977. The govt website still cites 1977 but other sources state a rolling 40yr system; which is correct?

govt website:
https://www.gov.uk/historic-vehicles/vehicles-exem...

FT article quoting Osbourne talking about 40yr rolling exemption:
https://www.ft.com/content/ede6b15a-eb97-11e5-bb79...

[Hatson]

Gooly said:

Just wondering if the classic car tax exemption is done on a rolling 40 year basis, in which case anything built before Jan 1 1978 should now be exempt as opposed to 1977. The govt website still cites 1977 but other sources state a rolling 40yr system; which is correct?

govt website:
https://www.gov.uk/historic-vehicles/vehicles-exem...

FT article quoting Osbourne talking about 40yr rolling exemption:
https://www.ft.com/content/ede6b15a-eb97-11e5-bb79...

https://insidedvla.blog.gov.uk/2015/11/17/whats-the-story-with-black-and-silver-number-plates/
It will roll forward to Jan 1st 1978 but not until April 1st 2018

[Riley Blue]

This government web page explains the 40 year rolling exemption:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vehicle...

[Lotobear]

Yes, my 1976 Alfa Spider fell into the bracket last year - you have to apply to change it to a historic.

[droopsnoot]

Gooly said:

The govt website still cites 1977 but other sources state a rolling 40yr system; which is correct?

The dvla site usually says exactly what is the case "right now", without talking about stuff that will happen in the future, in this case as noted above, on April 1st. I guess it makes it easier for them - if something changed between now and then to stop the change in exemption date, they don't have to do anything to the site.

[tortop45]

Last year was for the 76 cars i no cos i got one of my cars on histric.this year is the 77 cars.you have to wate till the 1st of april as its the dvla.s finance year. Still apply before that though to change log book over to historic.

Edited by tortop45 on Thursday 11th January 19:35

[droopsnoot]

I wasn't sure about applying in advance, whether I'd just get my V5 back with "not yet eligible" if I sent it in before the proper date. In the end I went to the local Post Office on April 1st when it became eligible, handed it over, they did the change to historic status and posted off the V5, and issued me with the 12 months free VED at the same time. Took hardly any time at all, though I am told that some POs claim not to be able to do this. Whether that's a difference in POs, or a difference in counter staff knowledge, I don't know.

[James B]

tortop45 said:

Last year was for the 76 cars i no cos i got one of my cars on histric.this year is the 77 cars.you have to wate till the 1st of april as its the dvla.s finance year. Still apply before that though to change log book over to historic.

Edited by tortop45 on Thursday 11th January 19:35

Interestingly enough i got a 77 car through last year as it's actually the year of build they base it on and not the registered date. My car was registered very early in Jan 1977 so I assumed it must have been built before then. Sure enough, after a pleasant chat with Porsche GB, i received a letter confirming the build date sometime mid Dec 1976. The DVLA accepted that as a 1976 car and hey presto another car on the tax exempt list.

[tortop45]

Thats interesting as im about to do the same.an early 77 car which was built in76.so i must be a year out.so il be doing paper work this weekend.as a bonus from may the 20th this year cars of this age won.t need a MOT eather.

[droopsnoot]

Yes, it's based on year of manufacture, and I recall (though I couldn't find it written anywhere) that if it's registered in the first seven days of the new year, DVLA will presume it was built in the previous year without any extra documentation being required. Mine was registered on January 13th, but fortunately the Vauxhall Heritage Centre were able to provide confirmation of the build month.

On the flip side, I have also read that cars becoming eligible this year (well, I thought it was last year but obviously not) can't get away with that, because in 1977 the application for first registration included a box to confirm the car was brand new. So if you then apply to have the manufacture date set earlier than the registration date, you run the risk of being given an age-appropriate registration and, in fact, there was a chap in a recent magazine who had experienced this - got VED exemption, but got an earlier registration too.

[tortop45]

Getting a age related plate doesnt botter me at all. But your not going to belive it but my car was first registered the same day as your car.the 13 jan 77.but have found out that it was built in 76 going by the vin number.so just going to down load it from the jag heratage trust and send it of with the logbook.result...

[droopsnoot]

Ah, mine was registered 13th Jan 76, so it's already exempt as it was built earlier than that.

I wouldn't mind it having an age-related plated, I'd just hate to lose the history on the "original" plate. Fortunately mine didn't fall into that category, but it would frustrate me to have receipts, old photos and so on for "my" registration, but have to put a different one on the car. Maybe to the extent that I would put off the VED exemption, had it happened to me.

[tortop45]

I wouldnt let that put you of as its no diffarant that putting a personl plate on it.plus all your paper work will show its history for if you won.t to sell.