Car tax

[Forumadmin]

Just received my renewal reminder. It took me less than a minute to re-tax the Jupiter. www.direct.gov.uk/taxdisc , no fee, no MOT, just make sure you have insurance.

[Tony Fearn]

Just tried to do the same for Sarah Jane (1933 Flying Fox) earlier today.

Reminder said I needed an MOT on the LHS of the page, then on the RHS of same page said it was not needed - ie pre-1960.
Tried on-line to see if it would sort out. No. Automatically cancelled!
Rang the 0300 telephone number on the reminder. 'Linda', from Wales, went through it all again on my behalf but said that she couldn't do it; so suggested either a 70 mile round trip to my nearest DVLA office; posting everything off to the DVLA, or just going to the post office.

She must have known that the post office in C le M was closed for refurbishment, and that I would have to go to Accrington to tax the car.

So I did, and 'S. J.' is now road legal for another 12 months.

I've spoken with Balotelli and he's going to send me his T-shirt...."Why is it always me"!

Progress? I've taxed the cars at the post officefor donkeys years.

Tony.

[Alf Heseltine]

Tony, no problem, just taxed the Javelin using the renewal reminder ref. number. They say 5 days for the post delivery.

Regards, Alf.

[Tony Fearn]

Hello Alf,
You're as lucky as Keith.
Did your renewal form have these two conflicting items on it?

Tony.

[Forumadmin]

Yes it did. But as no MOT is appropriate it did not check for one.
I got this email within a minute.

THIS IS AN AUTOMATED EMAIL - PLEASE DO NOT REPLY AS EMAILS
RECEIVED AT THIS ADDRESS CANNOT BE RESPONDED TO.

Confirmation of Tax Disc Application

Thank you for using DVLA Vehicle Licensing Online (http://www.taxdisc.direct.gov.uk).
Your application for a new Tax Disc has been successful.

I would complain to the relevant authority.
Last week I had a similar problem with the Santander Computer, which said it had told me something and had not. Complained by the Internet and was credited with £10 after the customer service department phoned me up.
I doubt if that will happen with the DVLA.

[Jack]

So what we are saying is that if I insure the Javelin the garage, currently in pieces, that I can have a tax disc for it? How curious. I wonder how many tax discs we might see from less scrupulous people going to the post office and then removing the writing from the disc to put onto their £250 a year modern car?

Obviously it wouldn't be in the computer, but if you have a disc I suspect the police would let you on your way if stopped - the computer is wrong more often than the disc is fake. Easy enough to blame the post office if the computer doesn't get updated.

Of course from the moment it is taxed I'd have to declare it SORN every year, currently not a problem because it has been off the road since before SORN declarations.

Jack.

[Tony Fearn]

Yes it did. But as no MOT is appropriate it did not check for one.

How did you get round the on-line YES?/NO question about MOT? see below -

"Please read and confirm the following statements:

Does the V5C registration certificate hold your current address? Please note, this service cannot change your address. YesNo

The vehicle has an MoT, Goods Vehicle or Passenger Service Vehicle (PSV) test (if required). This must be valid when the tax disc starts. YesNo

I confirm that there is valid insurance covering the use of the vehicle when the tax discs starts and that the policyholder has given permission for this to be checked electronically. YesNo

I am aware that if I choose to pay by credit card, an additional charge of £2.50 will be applied. There is no charge for using a debit card. Please note you cannot use a credit card at the Post Office to buy a tax disc (Customers taxing a vehicle that do not have to pay tax should also select yes). YesNo

I understand that the tax disc will take up to a maximum of 5 working days to arrive by post. YesNo"

Tony.

[Jack]

How did you get round the on-line YES?/NO question about MOT? see below -

The vehicle has an MoT, Goods Vehicle or Passenger Service Vehicle (PSV) test (if required). This must be valid when the tax disc starts. YesNo

Tony.

Hi Tony,

The key bit here I suppose would be "(if required)" - by law our cars are no longer required to have an MOT, so we can answer "Yes" in the same way that we answer "Yes" even though we don't have a Goods Vehicle or PSV test.

Jack.

[Forumadmin]

I did not even blink when answering that question and I did not think about it as that is a checklist for you before starting. I knew the system checks you have a valid MOT. As I said, it only took a minute from opening the renewal to getting the email back from the DVLA. You do not expect me to think as well , do you?

[Forumadmin]

It does not work anymore. Just tried to tax the Javelin and the system says I do not have an MOT. A complaint to the ministry.

My MOT on the car runs out in two days. It could be an interesting discussion at the Post Office.

To answer Jack's point on taxing the wreck in the garage. Yes you can/could do but you would need valid insurance. SORN now is only useful if you do not want to insure the car.

[Chris Spencer]

Coincidence enough I went to the post office last Saturday to tax the Rover which has been on SORN for over 12 months and the post office computer said the car did not have a valid MOT certificate - just as well I took the original certificate with me then (which does not expire until November) it was depressing having to part with £124.50 to put six months tax on car that does a few hundred miles a year - at least after 1st April next year it gains historic (free of charge) road tax status

[Tony Fearn]

at least after 1st April next year it gains historic (free of charge) road tax status

Hello Chris.
Have I missed something? Is there now a rolling historic year?

Tony.

[Chris Spencer]

Hello Chris.
Have I missed something? Is there now a rolling historic year?

Tony - It looks that way - in the budget it was announced that any vehicle built before 31st December 1973 will now become subject to historic road tax - therefore extending the cut off date from 1972 to 1973 - however, this does not commence until April 2014 so my Rover will have to be 41 years old before being eligible - the government have stated that the policy will be reviewed on an annual basis - so not exactly rolling exception for all vehicles over 41 years old but it looks likely that that is the way it is heading

[David Morris]

Hi,

I contacted the DVLA at Swansea earlier this year about the problems with the on-line tax renewal and the dispensation for those of us who do not need an MoT. At that time, if you checked the box saying that an MoT was not needed, it just chucked you out! They agreed it was a problem, but added that it has been passed to their technical department to resolve.

We shall see! I suspect it is low on their priorities?

All the best,

David

[robert lintott]

I saw somewhere there was a computer problem between Vosa who keep the MOT data and DVLA who do the Tax --or is it the other way round ? I use my local post office --under threat of closure --and they do not ask for an MOT for pre 60 cars and of course there is no tax .

For Chris , did I not suggest that your P6 could well have been manufactured in 1972 since you said it was first registered in Jan 73 ? and the DVLA operate a dispensation I believe because it is made date not date of reg which counts ? Bob