Used Car, no road tax, okay to drive home?

Tresa B

I used work for a car insurance company and this is what we were told by the FSA to say :

It is illegal to have a vehicle on a public highway without car tax. Once obtaining your insurance and the vehicle go onto the dvla's website : www.vehiclelicence.gov.uk There you can purchase your car tax online. You must ahve valid insurance and a valid MOT to do this so make sure you have the information to hand as it will search the motor insurance database but if it cannot find your vehicle details you will have to put the MOT certificate number. Once you have done this print out the page which shows your receipts - how much you have paid and the vehicle it is for. When you collect the car make sure you have your insurance documents or an e-mail confirmation print-out, your MOT certificate which you should collect from the current owners, the receipt from the car tax to prove you have purchased it and will be getting it in the post and any other documents you have relating to this. This will prove to the police that you have everything sorted even if you don't have the official documentation yet.

If the car does not have an MOT, arrange an MOT to start as soon as you pick the car up and then you can drive the car the short distance to the garage to get the MOT done. Once it is done and the certificate issued go to the post office to pay your car tax and get a receipt from them so you can then drive the car home.

I hope this helps you

pirate_princess

put it on a trailor

C S

I asked the AA about this and was told it was illegal

brian_stirland

no vehicle is allowed on the road without road tax, with the exception of the Queen and a vehicle with trade plates.

jamand

You take your chances - NO TAX it shouldn't be on the road - your insurance could be void if you have an accident and they find out!

Contrary to above - there is NO LEEWAY on ROAD TAX -

stu_the_kilted_scot

It is ILLEGAL for any vehicle without a valid vehicle exice disc to be on a public road. End of story.

The only exception to this is to take it a SHORT DISTANCE to a PREBOOKED MOT test.

Borrow a trailer or get a garage to tow it, but store it OFFROAD at other end. Remember they don't need to SEE the vehicle now to issue fines,it only have to be untaxed and not under a SORN

Goofy Goofer Goof Goof Goof !

NO!! If your caught you will risk having your car being impounded and crushed.

Bardic

In short, no you may not drive it on the road. There is NO "grace period" nor is it any good to have a receipt from buying tax online. The offence is "failing to display" the tax disk and is absolute. Either you display or you commit the offence. The only way you can get it home legally is either have it trailered or have the dealer you bought it from deliver it on his trade plates.

Having said that, most coppers can apply a little discretion if you can prove you've paid but haven't yet received your disk, but it's up to you whether you rely on that!

WelshLad

I would ring the DVLA and get the offical answer.

ragingmk

It is OK for you to drive the vehicle home. Make sure that you have with you your Bill of Sale document to prove you have just bought it plus all other relevant documents - MOT etc.

Chris

No. The only other way around it, apart from what has already been said, is to buy trade plates. It is only when your road tax has just run out that you get so many days to pay it, but it is not 14.

Sparky

Yes you can, you have the car insured, which would be an assurance to the police that you fully intend to tax it, should they stop you. If you are stopped, the police will require evidence of tax within two weeks of stopping you.

telboy everton forever

it will be ok to drive it home but you must get it taxed as soon as poss

GARTH

do not risk it. if your in a breakdown organisation like aa get them too tow it back to your home.

Hoodoo

Yes I think the law allows you to have no road tax for up to 14 days to get a new one. Not 100% sure though best check it out.

pstzqueen

You could be okay for 14 days because you need insurance to get your road tax, so the insurance comes first.
I think your allowed 14 days grace, so get it done ASAP, but you should be okay to drive while your doing it - you would be very unlucky to get stopped by the police.

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