Buying a car without road-tax

[Schermerhorn]

I might be buying a car later on without road-tax and will obviously have to drive it back home. What is the correct procedure for this; fill in the V5 document, retain the green slip (section 9?) to show proof of purchase, insure the car and then tax it? I have work on Monday and can't travel there without the car.

Anyone shed light on the matter?

[V8mate]

Take green slip, insurance doc and MOT cert to Post Office and buy a tax disc

[Distant]

Schermerhorn said:

I might be buying a car later on without road-tax and will obviously have to drive it back home. What is the correct procedure for this; fill in the V5 document, retain the green slip (section 9?) to show proof of purchase, insure the car and then tax it? I have work on Monday and can't travel there without the car.

Anyone shed light on the matter?

The only way to remain legal is to take all the paperwork (ie insurance)with you, and tax it locally before driving home.

[V8mate]

Distant said:

Schermerhorn said:

I might be buying a car later on without road-tax and will obviously have to drive it back home. What is the correct procedure for this; fill in the V5 document, retain the green slip (section 9?) to show proof of purchase, insure the car and then tax it? I have work on Monday and can't travel there without the car.

Anyone shed light on the matter?

The only way to remain legal is to take all the paperwork (ie insurance)with you, and tax it locally before driving home.

Or ask the vendor to tax it using their insurance and then pay them for it.

[Mr POD]

If it is local, Book it in writing into an MOT and drive to MOT, get the MOT and drive home.

Driving to and From a BOOKED MOt is the only legal way of driving without tax.

[V8mate]

Mr POD said:

If it is local, Book it in writing into an MOT and drive to MOT, get the MOT and drive home.

Driving to and From a BOOKED MOt is the only legal way of driving without tax.

Excellent answer. Though not to the OP's question

[Schermerhorn]

V8mate said:

Take green slip, insurance doc and MOT cert to Post Office and buy a tax disc

Insurance documents wont come through till Monday even if I insure it today hence the dilemma.

The car has a 12 month MOT but I'm under the impression as long as I have the v5 slip with me the car is 'insured' for a short period of time (ie 24 hours).

[Mr POD]

V8mate said:

Mr POD said:

If it is local, Book it in writing into an MOT and drive to MOT, get the MOT and drive home.

Driving to and From a BOOKED MOt is the only legal way of driving without tax.

Excellent answer. Though not to the OP's question

You can't drive it without tax.

The only 4 viable options are :

a) Leave a small cash deposit, come back for documents at a time the post office is open, go back and drive home.
b) Tax it on line, when post office closed. Might be able to do this from the Sellers address, but I wouldn't want to personally. Could you phone home and get wife to tax it after you've bought it?
c) Book it into a MOT. If you have a friendly garage, talk to them and explain that if you buy it you'll phone them before driving on the road and THEY MUST put it in the diary.
d) Get the seller to tax it before you complete the purchase.

Personally I'd go for a or d.

[Mr POD]

Schermerhorn said:

V8mate said:

Take green slip, insurance doc and MOT cert to Post Office and buy a tax disc

Insurance documents wont come through till Monday even if I insure it today hence the dilemma.

The car has a 12 month MOT but I'm under the impression as long as I have the v5 slip with me the car is 'insured' for a short period of time (ie 24 hours).

What info do you need to tax on line ? Can the insurance company give that info to you ?

[mechsympathy]

Mr POD said:

What info do you need to tax on line ? Can the insurance company give that info to you ?

The database needs to be up to date with the new keeper and address before that'll work.

Personally I would have no qualms driving it home untaxed (although I'd rather have the documents on me) as you are highly unlikely to get stopped. I would be wary of parking it on the road though unless the tax was only just out of date.

[HRG]

mechsympathy said:

Mr POD said:

What info do you need to tax on line ? Can the insurance company give that info to you ?

The database needs to be up to date with the new keeper and address before that'll work.

Personally I would have no qualms driving it home untaxed (although I'd rather have the documents on me) as you are highly unlikely to get stopped. I would be wary of parking it on the road though unless the tax was only just out of date.

I've just had this dilemma. The tax on the car I sold was being surrendered ergo paid at the same rate for the rest of this month, my other car is fully taxed in the garage. I had to wait a couple of days for the insurance to come through before I could tax it but I took my chances when I had to use the car hoping that if I got stopped the would be reasonable.

It's now taxed from the start of the month so effectively I've paid for tax on three cars this month even though I only ever use one.

Strictly speaking it's an offence however good your intentions are so you would be relying on goodwill should you get stopped.

[mechsympathy]

HRG said:

Strictly speaking it's an offence however good your intentions are so you would be relying on goodwill should you get stopped.

Which is a risk, particularly given the newish powers to seize uninsured cars.

[HRG]

mechsympathy said:

HRG said:

Strictly speaking it's an offence however good your intentions are so you would be relying on goodwill should you get stopped.

Which is a risk, particularly given the newish powers to seize uninsured cars.

I did check mine showed up on checkmid and made sure that I had my insurers number to hand.

[laser avant s2]

If the vehicles insured and motd then you can tax it online... print off the confirmation just in case of plod hth

[HRG]

laser avant s2 said:

If the vehicles insured and motd then you can tax it online... print off the confirmation just in case of plod hth

Not if you're not the RK, which you won't be for a newly acquired vehicle.

[DuncanM23]

My insurance company just offered to fax or email me my documents . I'll print these off and take them with the green slip to the post office tomorrow. Hopefully they won't be able to tell the difference between a laser printed doc from the insurance co, and a laser printed doc that I've printed. The insurance will be legal and valid, but it means I have a backup plan in case the docs don't make i here in the post by tomorrow, and hopefully I can then tax my new car with no issues.
Otherwise I'll have to drive home on Friday, and to work on Monday with no tax, and then get the tax at lunchtime, and that's not ideal.
Cheers
Duncan

[laser avant s2]

Think you can notify Swansea online as well iirc... do that 1st then the tax then... personally i would have thought if the guy your buying froms a half decent sort he should be able to sort the tax out for you prior to you collecting (obviously you reinbursing him on collection)

[HRG]

laser avant s2 said:

Think you can notify Swansea online as well iirc... do that 1st then the tax then... personally i would have thought if the guy your buying froms a half decent sort he should be able to sort the tax out for you prior to you collecting (obviously you reinbursing him on collection)

Afraid not... Tried it three days ago.

[laser avant s2]

[GreatGranny]

Has the OP just changed his Logon?

Even if you've applied for the tax online it has to be displayed in your car.

Thats why you are sent the reminder a few weeks before the tax runs out.

You will be fine with the printed out insurance doc. A lot of companies don't send out docs anymore. You just download them and print off.