Changes in Road Tax from October 1st 2014

skhudy · 7 Mar 2014

I'm not too impressed with the road tax aka vehicle tax not being transferable to a new owner.. I've had a few cars and getting a few months roadtax in with the car always felt good! Bit of a hassle getting road tax immediately when you buy a car too imo

Also no tax disc on display - can't make my mind up if that's a good thing or not...

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/vehicle-tax-changes

From 1 October 2014, the paper tax disc will no longer be issued and required to be displayed on a vehicle windscreen. DVLA holds a digital record of taxed and untaxed vehicles.

When selling a vehicle to a new vehicle keeper, the vehicle tax will no longer be transferable. Vehicle tax will end when a vehicle is sold and the new keeper will need to get the vehicle taxed immediately before the vehicle can be used.

jtonline · 7 Mar 2014

In February I recall reading an article which said the reason for not allowing transfer of vehicle tax was that without a paper tax disc, there is no way for a private motorist to know whether a vehicle is taxed or not, so there would be a high risk of sellers lying about how much tax was left, potentially leaving the innocent purchaser driving around illegally with no tax.

However, I notice that there is now a service in beta, where you can check the tax status of a vehicle via a webpage.

foxhole · 10 Mar 2014

Will people go for the 6 month option more so they don't pay for tax not used if they sell before the 12month tax expires

jtonline · 10 Mar 2014

I don't think so because if you've been paying your tax annually you'll be able to get a refund for any full calendar months left on the tax period when you tell DVLA you no longer require tax.

If it's not a first registration vehicle you'll also be able to pay annually, every 6 months or monthly by recurring Direct Debit.

Trazor · 10 Mar 2014

jtonline said:
I don't think so because if you've been paying your tax annually you'll be able to get a refund.

And quite a few won't bother with only a month or two to go, win win for the government.
No point employing police on the beat looking for tax dodgers, win win for the government.

More tax avoidance for certain.

Another downgrading of services to save Money.

jtonline · 10 Mar 2014

Police can use automatic number plate recognition, internet connection or a walkie talkie to access the computer database as they do with insurance and MOT checks.

Being able to pay monthly by DD and not having to faff about with paper tax discs are both benefits to the vehicle owner.

I don't see the new system being a certain tax dodge or a downgrade of services.

nickso · 11 Mar 2014

jtonline said:
Police can use automatic number plate recognition, internet connection or a walkie talkie to access the computer database as they do with insurance and MOT checks.

That's all fine and well for PC Plod. Do Traffic Wardens and the general public have those options....I fear not. Tax potentially dodged there.....like most of the government schemes you really need to be caught on the road....round my way I reckon I could pay for virtually nothing and never be caught. If my car was cheap enough and I drove like a saint I could probably wager my potential fine would be far less than the legal running costs.

jtonline said:
Being able to pay monthly by DD and not having to faff about with paper tax discs are both benefits to the vehicle owner.

I didn't find it difficult. Monthly DD is a welcome bonus. I still don't understand why the DVLA/GOVT don't truly move into the 21st century and do as certain antipodean authorities do.....MOT and "road tax" are linked into the same payment. Solves some issues at least.

We do know of course they wouldn't do the sensible thing and include 3rd party insurance as part of the MOT/RT payment either....not seeing as our Govt makes so much money on insurance rip offs......cynical?...no...not me.

Dave54 · 11 Mar 2014

And of course unless I'm mistaken, they will get 13 months tax in the year when a car changes hands. Unless you officially change owners on midnight at the end of the month, there is always going to be a month that the old owner can't reclaim, as the reclaims are for full months only. The new owner will presumably have to pay for that full month too if they need tax for a part month.

jtonline · 11 Mar 2014

nickso said:
...Do Traffic Wardens and the general public have those options....I fear not. Tax potentially dodged there...

Traffic Wardens currently have hand-held scanners that they use to scan the barcode on the tax disc. I assume when the new system is in place they'll just type the vehicle registration number & make instead.

The general public can check whether a vehicle has insurance, mot & tax via Government websites.

nickso said:
...If my car was cheap enough and I drove like a saint I could probably wager my potential fine would be far less than the legal running costs...

You don't have to be driving badly for an ANPR camera to flag up to the police that you're driving without tax/mot/insurance. The size of the fine is not related to the fact that we won't be displaying tax discs.

nickjb · 11 Mar 2014

All sounds pretty sensible to me. It'll be easy to check with numberplate cameras and might squeeze a few more uninsured drivers off the road.

No reason why it can't be set to the day like insurance and MOT rather than the end of the month. if they don't that then it will be a pain as no one will buy a car in the last few days of the month.

nickso · 11 Mar 2014

jtonline said:
nickso said:

...Do Traffic Wardens and the general public have those options....I fear not. Tax potentially dodged there...

Click to expand...

Traffic Wardens currently have hand-held scanners that they use to scan the barcode on the tax disc. I assume when the new system is in place they'll just type the vehicle registration number & make instead.

The general public can check whether a vehicle has insurance, mot & tax via Government websites.

nickso said:

...If my car was cheap enough and I drove like a saint I could probably wager my potential fine would be far less than the legal running costs...

Click to expand...

You don't have to be driving badly for an ANPR camera to flag up to the police that you're driving without tax/mot/insurance. The size of the fine is not related to the fact that we won't be displaying tax discs.

Perhaps the point is people are lazy, without a visual check that takes seconds I doubt many will bother. A Traffic Warden electronically checking every car on his round will take some time. If they do it the sensible way you get an MOT and tax in one go and the sticker/disc/barcode is affixed by the garage....no hassle to the user.

Regarding ANPR, I am aware of how it works, you missed my point. Not all places have huge amounts of cameras, in my area I think I have a high chance of not being pinged by one....if I am the resultant fine for not having taxed the vehicle may well be less than the years I gambled not having one. If you don't drive like an idiot they are less likely to tail you and check you by any method.

Dave54 · 11 Mar 2014

I thought that the ANPR systems on the police cars worked all the time. I was watching one of those police programs a bit back, and I'm sure they and they were just driving around when the thing pinged somebody coming the other way.
I'm not sure though.

AlanE · 11 Mar 2014

Dave you are right. All that needs happen is for your vehicle to be in view of the camera of an ANPR equipped car and the number plate is checked.

Think they are checked against database downloaded to each vehicle, if I remember correctly each day.

Dave54 · 11 Mar 2014

AlanE said:
Dave you are right. All that needs happen is for your vehicle to be in view of the camera of an ANPR equipped car and the number plate is checked.

Think they are checked against database downloaded to each vehicle, if I remember correctly each day.

Good! I'm not that keen on being watched by big brother, but I'm not that keen on people driving around un-ticketed, and uninsured either. You don't see half as many real old bangers about these days as you did at one time.

I'm just (but only just

) old enough to remember as a very small boy fascinated by cars, some of the old nails you'd see around with completely bald tyres down to the canvas, before they brought in the "ten year test"

JulianP · 11 Mar 2014

Have I got this right:

Let's say you sell your car with less that a months tax left on it.

You cannot get a refund for this and the new owner can't (effectively) buy it with tax - he/she then has to immediately buy new tax?

Sounds like another stealthy tax grab by the gubbinsment to me?

Changes in Road Tax from October 1st 2014

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