Tax Discs

[paul.h]

As part of the governments latest cut backs, sometime next year we will not get a tax disc to display when paying the tax. This will be another step to make it easier to avoid tax/insurance/MOT/etc for those not able/wanting to pay and if they copy somebody elses number plates are probably not likely to get caught.

 

If anyone is involved in a crash it may be wise to get the VIN of the other car, on a Citroen this can be seen at the lower left (passenger side) of the windscreen from the outside and would be easy to photograph as well as the number plate - unless a hit and run. If the car owner though has not informed DVLA they have the car he/she may still not be traceable, but would help avoid trying to claim from the wrong person.

[Johndouglas]

Isn't the tax disc already obsolete?   If the traffic police tap in your reg number they can see immediately whether or not you have current tax;  whether you have an MOT certificate or whether you have insurance.   Even a police car running around with a number plate camera on board sounds an alarm if it reads a plate without tax, insurance or MOT.   So your tax disc is probably only ever looked at by a parking attendant.

[paul.h]

I think the tax disc is of more benefit to the public than police and maybe parking attendants. I know somebody whose no. plates were stolen - only takes a few minutes so the ANPR system is easy to avoid.

 

A few years ago somebody drove into the side of us on the M60. I saw the car crossing the lanes but had nowhere to go to get out of the way. Details were swapped on the hard shoulder but since nobody was injured the police were not called and damage was minimal. I took photos of the other car including the  driver and once home I then noticed the tax disc on it was 6 months out of date and this was confirmed on the gov website - had I noticed at the time the police would have been called and the car crushed. I contacted the police but nothing came of it and the motorway cameras were not recording. The other driver's insurer did not own up to causing it and due to the lack of witnesses the insurers went 50/50. There was no claimed damage on the other car so the illegal driver got away with it, but I lost the excess and got a higher premium despite being a protected policy (% discount remains but due to a claim you are a higher risk with increased initial premium).

[seefive]

Another issue with this change ( from October this year) is that private used car buyers will not be able to "inherit" the remaining tax, presumably to tighten up on uninsured drivers.

 

This means every time a car changes hands privately there will be a refund application and a new tax application. Neither of these transactions currently happen.

 

I can't believe this is efficient..

[paul.h]

How will this work - you are not suppposed to use an untaxed car. So if you buy privately, hand over the cash and want to drive the car away it could be some time before you are able to tax it. You would not tax it before paying in case the deal does not happen (similarly the owner would not cancel the tax) and you would not want to leave the car in case the old owner and car disappears.

 

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

It looks as if the Government will also gain an overlap in tax months if paying 6/12 monthly. I read on the Caravan Talk forum that in South Hams area disabled drivers who display a blue badge and also a low emissions tax disc now get 3 hours free parking vs 1 hour - without a tax disc this would be lost but I do not know if this happens elsewhere.

[coastline taxis]

they might be following down the footsteps of the netherlands. Have went there regulary over the last 15 years to see old workmates/friend and when you buy a car over there both old and new owners have to go to the postkantor (post office to us) with I.D  and all vehicle docs and everything is swapped over and new log book issued on the spot all for a fee of course. If you dont the prevous owner has a 1000 euro fine  and new owner gets a 1500 euro fine all manditory and the vehicle is confiscated

[paul.h]

If they do it wont be at a local DVLA office, arent they all supposed to be closing as part of the cut backs.