Private plate retention and car tax/insurance question

[Simon813]

Hi All,

I know this has been covered previously in threads and I promise I have read them all before posting this!

So I’m going to collect my new car on Monday. I’m buying privately and the seller has only today realised that he needs to remove his private plate and place it on retention.

I have read online that this is instant if completed on the DVLA website and he can immediately place the original plates back on the car. My first question is, have I got that part right??

Moving on from there I assume the new V5 displaying the original reg isn’t going to be on his doormat by Monday when I collect the car. I appreciate there are risks around buying without having the new keeper part of the V5 when I collect but I feel able to trust the seller with that part.

Am I right to assume that in the intervening period between me collecting the car and the new V5 landing, technically he will still own the car for DVLA purposes and therefore it will still be taxed?

If that is correct is the tax immediately transferred to the old reg as soon as he puts the plate on retention online?

If all of that is right then I’m thinking I can drive the car home on the original plates and it will be taxed. The only final hurdle is insuring the car which I assume I do on the original reg. I think the insurance company ask if I am the registered keeper at point of taking out insurance so not sure how to answer that??

Any advice gratefully received.

Simon

[interstellar]

The tax transfers to the new reg immediately. Has he done it yet as they don’t all go through online so get him to do it first.

If he does it after 7 am tomorrow you might get the v5 on Monday, I have got it that quick several times before.

You would need to insure it on the new plate and say you are the owner and registered keeper.

Personally I would wait for the v5 before I collected it to be sure.

You shouldn’t drive the car home on his tax but many do.

[Simon813]

Thanks. When you say that I shouldn’t drive it home on his tax but many people do, why shouldn’t I?

[Fady]

Simon813 said:

Thanks. When you say that I shouldn’t drive it home on his tax but many people do, why shouldn’t I?

Don't have an answer but I don't get that. Government ends up getting a month's worth of tax off each of you anyway!

[interstellar]

Tax ends the moment the car changes hands. That tax belongs to him so if you are stopped you are not taxed.

Like I said people do it all the time but if you are stopped you are untaxed.

[Sebring440]

Simon813 said:

Thanks. When you say that I shouldn’t drive it home on his tax but many people do, why shouldn’t I?

If you're not transferring the car into your ownership when you buy/pick up the car, then the car is still taxed. Note, the plate retention thing has nothing to do with road tax (VED) or transfer of ownership.

But you will be driving it away uninsured, because you've told the insurance company that you are the owner/registered keeper, and of course, you won't be at that point. Best wait until it's all legal.

[sixor8]

Since it's near enough the middle of the month, you're not gaining anything by not buying VED online immediately on taking possession but, of course, you can't do this until the new V5c arrives (the certificate number changes). If you buy the car (V5c in big red writing states it is registered keeper not legal owner), it will still have valid VED from the previous owner until he does a change of keeper.

A couple times I have bought a car at almost the end of the month, and not had to buy it until the next month. DVLA don't know there's a change of keeper until they are notified (best done online) but the seller of a 2008 Alfa GT insisted on posting it off. Suited me, sir..... I drove it home, and waited for the V5c to arrive which was on the first couple of days of the next month.

[Simon813]

Thanks for the reply Sebring. So following on from your advice, if I ticked “no” for the “are you the registered keeper?” question then I would be insured.

Edited by Simon813 on Wednesday 17th April 21:24

[Sebring440]

Simon813 said:

Thanks for the reply Sebring. So following on from your advice, if I ticked “no” for the “are you the registered keeper?” question then I would be insured.

If the insurance company will let you do that (many will), then that's the way forward.

[Simon813]

Thanks all, sounds like that’s the way forward then, drive the car home on original plates, still registered and taxed to the seller (until updated v5 arrives) but insured to me with a declaration that I’m not yet the registered keeper.