What happens if I don't tax my car?

[Annie]

I DID tax my car, online.

A week later the tax disc hadn't arrived so I phoned the DVLA. It must be lost in the post, they said, it happens all the time. We'll send you another.

New Tax disc arrived 15 days after I had paid for it, and ten days after the old one expired. In the meantime, I popped into my local Police Station to ask what I should do. Don't use your car, they said.

Even though I had paid for the tax, and had an email to prove it, I couldn't use the car, because it is an offence not to display the Tax Disc.

And, I wondered, where did the other one go, and who might be using it?

Annie

[dry suit diver]

its great being able to do it over tinternet, have done it 4 times now.


just wish I could get an MOT online save having to go and be patronised every year.

[Buoyant Babe]

Originally Posted by dry suit diver

its great being able to do it over tinternet, have done it 4 times now.


just wish I could get an MOT online save having to go and be patronised every year.

Yeah, my tatty tin can has just failed it's MOT. I was expecting it, which is why I booked it in a few weeks early. Not too much work to do though, thankfully.

[colinicky]

Originally Posted by Annie

I DID tax my car, online.

A week later the tax disc hadn't arrived so I phoned the DVLA. It must be lost in the post, they said, it happens all the time. We'll send you another.

New Tax disc arrived 15 days after I had paid for it, and ten days after the old one expired. In the meantime, I popped into my local Police Station to ask what I should do. Don't use your car, they said.

Even though I had paid for the tax, and had an email to prove it, I couldn't use the car, because it is an offence not to display the Tax Disc.

And, I wondered, where did the other one go, and who might be using it?

Annie

As she says but also due to the fact you have not notified them of SORN technically you are commiting another offense according to what I was told

[UKPhil]

Originally Posted by Annie

I DID tax my car, online.

Even though I had paid for the tax, and had an email to prove it, I couldn't use the car, because it is an offence not to display the Tax Disc.

Annie

Its all on the computer now, so a bit stupid that we still have to display the discs?!?

[colinicky]

Originally Posted by UKPhil

Its all on the computer now, so a bit stupid that we still have to display the discs?!?

Not really ,it is a quick visual check for the police & traffic wardens etc that a car is taxed ,otherwise they would be entering every reg no into their computers to check .Then we would complain they weren't doing any real police work .

[supergirldiver]

Originally Posted by colinicky

Not really ,it is a quick visual check for the police & traffic wardens etc that a car is taxed ,otherwise they would be entering every reg no into their computers to check .Then we would complain they weren't doing any real police work .

so isn't this real police work?? :-)

[dry suit diver]

Originally Posted by supergirldiver

so isn't this real police work?? :-)

popcorn and coke anybody

[colinicky]

Originally Posted by supergirldiver

so isn't this real police work?? :-)

Maybe you would call it proper police work but the police would then priortise & cars without Tax (& probably then no insurance mot etc ) would be low down the list & I am sure you would complain if you were hit by an uninsured driver ?
Personally I would like to see the system they had in place in Holland a few years ago were you took a vehicle for MOT & you didn't get it back untill you produced your insurance & paid the road tax . If you didn't get an MOT then the police would visit you within 3 days to find out why .If you had forgotten , sold the vehicle & not notified them or scrapped it & not told them TOUGH you were fined .No if's, no buts

[Simon A]

Originally Posted by supergirldiver

so isn't this real police work?? :-)

No it's not. This is a Civil offense and the police force was created to deal with Criminal offenses.
And in my opinion there should be no such thing as a tax disk, you should pay your tax when you in sure the car and you should get an insurance disk that you have to display. That way when some scroat hits you know if the vehicle is insured or not.

Simon A