The end of the Road for the Tax Disc

The DLVA scrap the Tax Disc after 93 Years. What happens now?

From 1 October 2014 it is no longer a legal requirement to show a valid tax disc on your motorhome or car, but you must still have it taxed.

In one of the biggest changes in the 93 year history of the vehicle tax disc, it is being scrapped. From 1 October 2014, the paper tax disc will no longer need to be displayed on the windscreen of your motorhome or car.

If you have a tax disc with a valid period still left to run after 1 October, the DVLA advises that you remove it from the windscreen and bin it.

To keep or drive a vehicle on the road you will still need to get vehicle tax and DVLA will still send renewal reminders when a vehicle tax is due to expire.

You can apply online to tax or SORN your vehicle using the 16 digit reference number off the vehicle tax renewal reminder (V11) or using the 11 digit reference number from your log book (V5C).

When Buying a vehicle

The abolition of the tax disc will affect what happens when you buy or sell a vehicle.

From 1 October, when you buy a used vehicle:

the vehicle tax will no longer be transferred with the vehicle
you will have to get new vehicle tax yourself before you can use the vehicle

You can tax the vehicle using the New Keeper Supplement (V5C/2) part of the vehicle registration document - online or by phone (24/7) or over the counter at a Post Office®.

When you sell a vehicle

If you sell a vehicle after 1 October and you have notified DVLA, you will automatically get a refund for any full calendar months left on the vehicle tax.

You can easily check online the tax status of any vehicle that you intend to drive, including rental cars, if you know the vehicle registration number and vehicle make.

Paying your Tax by Direct Debit

Direct debit will be available for customers who need to tax their vehicle from 1 November 2014.

This can be done

annually
6 monthly
monthly (12 months tax paid for on a monthly basis)

Provided an MOT remains valid, the payments will continue automatically until you tell DVLA to stop taking them or you cancel the Direct Debit with your bank.

The Direct Debit will be cancelled and payments automatically stopped when you tell DVLA that you no longer have the vehicle, or that the vehicle has been taken off the road and a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) made.

Click here to check if a vehicle is taxed

Click here to tax a vehicle

Want to know More?

The DVLA own website of course gives chapter and verse about what you need to do. They can be found here.

But, one of the best places we've found online to get more detail in a simple and easy to read format is from the Caravan Guard website. They migh even sort you out a better deal on your motorhome insurance!