Those details are available to the police for on-road checks and investigations. It is has become extremely difficult to avoid paying tax due to monthly database checks carried out on all vehicles. You will be fined if you are found to be driving without road tax, and, if you do not pay, a County Court judgment can be issued or authorities may clamp, tow or even crush your vehicle.
You could face the same penalties imposed for driving without road tax if you do not do this when your tax expires. Furthermore, due to the data available to the DVLA, it is very easy for the authorities to know you have committed an offence. There is no grace period. Once your road tax runs out, you must either renew or declare the vehicle SORN immediately. If you wish to declare your vehicle as SORN, you can complete a form online using either the digit reference number on your vehicle tax renewal letter V11 or the digit reference number on your logbook V5C.
If you are going abroad for any reason, you can register your car as SORN two calendar months in advance by post. When buying a vehicle, you must ensure that the vehicle is taxed before driving it. Changes in the law mean that time remaining on a tax disc can no longer be transferred over to the new owner, and new owners must make the purchase prior to driving the new vehicle.
When selling a vehicle, any full months remaining on the road tax will be refunded once form V5C is completed and returned. It is important that you take into account the fact that if you forget to pay — or purposely avoid paying — road tax then your car insurance may be null and void. If you are involved in an accident while your vehicle does not have road tax, you are classed as uninsured and will be subjected to all penalties and charges associated with driving an uninsured vehicle. It is important to check the terms and conditions of your insurance policy for details.
If you are facing a penalty for driving without road tax, take legal advice immediately to establish if you have a defence. Possible challenges could include:. A specialist motoring solicitor can advice on your options and support with any resulting legal proceedings. The matters contained in this article are intended to be for general information purposes only. This article does not constitute legal advice, nor is it a complete or authoritative statement of the law, and should not be treated as such.
Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the information is correct, no warranty, express or implied, is given as to its accuracy and no liability is accepted for any error or omission. Before acting on any of the information contained herein, expert legal advice should be sought.
You can apply for a SORN online for free, but you must cancel it if you wish to drive the car again. The DVLA recently launched an advertising campaigns to warn drivers of the consequences of evading vehicle tax. Jump directly to the content. Sign in. Just a fine, and if the tax has not long ran out the fine will be fairly small.
Just a fine, or an impounded and subsequently crushed vehicle which is annoying. I thought they were pushing the whole "you can't escape our database" etc.? Or was that all hot air? They do send a fine out if its not taxed or SORN even if its just sitting in your garage. Takes them a couple of weeks though. You are not required to tax a vehicle if you are not driving or parking it on a public highway. SORN lasts for 12 months and must be applied for again when expired.
In order to tax a vehicle, suitable insurance cover must be provided plus a valid MOT must be in place if applicable. An MOT certificate is required for cars that are more than 3 years of age. If tax disc is purchased within 2 weeks, the surety deposit is refunded. If tax is not purchased, the deposit will be lost and the vehicle may be re-clamped or impounded. On top of clamping fees or impound fees, prosecution costs and fines may apply.
If there is not valid tax for the vehicle determined by the officer contacting the DVLA, the officer has the power to seize the vehicle and have it impounded. Generally speaking, if a car is driven without any valid road tax, car insurers are still obliged to honour and pay for any claims made for the vehicle.
Although driving without tax is an offence, it is irrelevant in most cases to what is stated as being a prerequisite for insurance cover.
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