New Car Tax
Published Date: 26th Sep 2014
A short, yet sweet explanation on how new car tax is changing as of the 1st October 2014
Firstly you will no longer be required to display a tax disc on any new, used or existing car you own. As part of a massive change to the VED (vehicle excise duty) by the DVLA, these little paper discs will cease to exist. Although you will still need to pay your car tax so don’t get too excited.
What should I do with my old tax disc?
If you have a tax disc which expires after the 1st October 2014, you can simply take it off your car and throw it away. We would suggest you make a note of your tax disc expiration date, so you can renew it before it runs out.
So, how do I tax my vehicle?
The DVLA will send a V85/1 or V11 reminder before your car tax is due to expire. All you need to do to tax your vehicle is choose one of the following options.
Apply online at https://www.gov.uk/tax-disc
Apply over the phone by calling 0300 123 4321
Apply within your local post office, find your nearest post office here - https://www.postoffice.co.uk/branch-finder
How do I pay for my car tax?
Your can pay for your car tax in monthly payments by Direct Debit, which can be set up at your local post office from the 5th October 2014 or from the 1st October 2014 via the Gov.uk website. By using this method, your car tax will be automatically renewed as long as you have a valid MOT certificate.
How will the police and parking attendants know if my car is taxed?
The DVLA has a digital database which stores records of payments for every tax disc and links them to registration number plates. This database is available to police, parking attendants and number plate recognition cameras – which are dotted around roads all-round the country.
What if I sell my car?
Car tax will not be transferable from the car seller to buyer as of October 1st 2014, and therefore the seller will receive a refund directly from the DVLA for the time remaining up to the end of that calendar month. You are also obliged to notify the DVLA to any changes of ownership or face a fine of up to £1000.
How safe is the New Car Tax system?
On the surface of things, not much has been mentioned about the safety and crime prevention of the new car tax system. One thing that has been mentioned is that it will make things easier for the police to catch those who avoid paying car tax and cut down the resources and man hours relating to this.
Another take and potential loophole for criminals is that; there is understanding that you can potentially clone a car, by copying the registration of a similar car (same make and model) and you could pass freely through number-plate recognition cameras and your cloned car will scan as the original, therefore avoiding the costs of insurance and tax. This will most lightly benefit criminals because they could identify two similar cars, steal one, copy the number plate off the second and drive freely around the UK and the police wouldn’t have a clue.