Renewing your tax disc should be straightforward - you should receive a reminder form in the post about 2 weeks before your current disc runs out. You can use a reference number from this form to renew at a post office, online or on the phone. If you don’t have a renewal reminder, you will need a reference number from your car registration certificate.
In order to renew your road tax, you also need a valid MOT certificate (if your car is over 3 years old) and valid insurance. This is normally done by showing certificates at the post office, or can be checked on a computer if you renew online or on the phone.
If you are the registered owner of a car, you are responsible for paying road tax, so you must tell the DVLA if you sell or scrap your car. If you decide to keep your car off the road for sometime, you must make a SORN declaration (Statutory Off Road Notification).
It is almost impossible not to pay road tax now, if you are the registered owner of a car. The DVLA does monthly checks for untaxed cars and will send you an £80 fine within 4-6 weeks of your tax running out. The fine is reduced to £40 if you pay within a month, but can increase to £1000 if you continue to drive without a valid tax disc, and your car may be clamped.
When you order a new tax disc you can backdate it by 14 days, so if you are a little late renewing you can avoid a fine, as long as there is no gap between the two tax discs. However, you musn’t use your car on the road before you receive the new disc.
The only time you can drive a car without valid tax is if you are unable to renew your tax because your MOT has run out. Then you can drive your car to a pre-booked MOT test.
MOT If your car is over 3 years old you need to get an MOT, and renew the certificate every year. It is illegal to drive without an MOT (you can be fined up to £1000 if caught), and you cannot renew your road tax without a valid MOT certificate.
The only time you can drive without an MOT is to a pre-booked MOT test. The MOT system is currently becoming computerised, so police patrol cars can check on specific cars.
You are most likely to get in trouble for not having an MOT if you’re involved in a crash. You may have problems with the insurance company - check your policy to see if your car requires a valid MOT for the insurance to be valid. Most policies require the car to be ‘roadworthy’ for insurance to be valid, but of course a valid MOT does not necessarily mean the car is roadworthy at the time of the accident.
MOTs are renewed yearly, although you can go to the garage for a test at any time. If you go for the MOT less than a month before your old certificate runs out, the new certificate will start after the old one runs out (ie. your new MOT will last slightly over one year). At any other time, the new MOT certificate will be dated from the day of the test.
Insurance It is illegal to drive a car without at least third party insurance. This insures against claims by other drivers but does not insure you or your vehicle (you need comprehensive cover for this). You will be unable to renew your road tax unless you have at least third party insurance.
If you are caught driving without insurance there are serious penalties - you will be fined and get points on your licence. It is also possible that your car can be seized and you may face prosecution.
Common problems
If you are a registered car owner, you need to have insurance and keep your tax and MOT up to date. The most common problem is forgetting to renew your MOT certificate until you find you cannot renew your road tax. Many people set up some kind of MOT reminder to make sure this doesn’t happen. Try searching for ‘MOT reminder’ online to find a service that will email you.
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For more consumer advice visit http://www.whatprice.co.uk
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