Taxing a car question

Weazle · 28 Mar 2011 at 01:29

Howdy guys,

Just bought a second hand car and it came without a tax disc (presumably it had a SORN).

It does have an MOT certificate valid to November this year and I rang up my insurance to have it insured from Sunday 27th as I called them on Sunday afternoon (it was bought 26th but I didn't get it home until late). I should get my insurance cover note this week.

Now considering its near the end of the month and its untaxed do I tax it for March or April?

I did drive it on Sunday but didn't get pulled over ... but afraid that any cameras might pick it up. Its also parked on the street so it may affect the SORN .... any worries on this?

Are teh DVLA, police, etc lenient considering I just got the car?

Thoughts, etc would appreciated especially on the month of taxation as well as penalty notices, etc from driving it around (but not for long as I had to move stuff).

Thanks.

stokecity_m · 28 Mar 2011 at 01:30

it is an offence to use or permit your vehicle to be on the public highway, without valid insurance cover, valid road tax and a valid MOT

Weazle · 28 Mar 2011 at 01:32

Edited with more info in my original post.

macca672 · 28 Mar 2011 at 07:38

I believe if you tax it now then you will still get the full six months plus the few days remaining in march. I always used to tax mine a week before the end of the month to avoid the queues at the post office. Now I just do it online

[TW]Fox · 28 Mar 2011 at 07:51

macca672 said:
I believe if you tax it now then you will still get the full six months plus the few days remaining in march. I always used to tax mine a week before the end of the month to avoid the queues at the post office. Now I just do it online

It will be valid for 6 months yes but you can't use it until the 1st.

macca672 · 28 Mar 2011 at 07:59

[TW]Fox;18771088 said:
It will be valid for 6 months yes but you can't use it until the 1st.

hmm never knew that but then mine was a renewal not a new one with the vehicle sorn

Weazle · 28 Mar 2011 at 09:41

Getting the full 6 months if taxing it from April or from March you mean ?

stoofa · 28 Mar 2011 at 11:03

macca672 said:
I believe if you tax it now then you will still get the full six months plus the few days remaining in march. I always used to tax mine a week before the end of the month to avoid the queues at the post office. Now I just do it online

This is not quite the case.
If he taxes it so that 6 months run from April then he CANNOT use it on the road until April 1st.
The onyl way he can be legal now is to have the tax valid from the beginning of March - he then gets six months from 1st March - running out at the end of August.

My brother was in a similar situation.
He was going to collect his new car on Wednesday, however he realised that would mean buying 6 months tax, but only really getting 5 months and 2 days.
He's now picking the car up on Saturday so he'll get 6 months tax for his money.

Finglonga · 28 Mar 2011 at 11:22

Weazle said:
I did drive it on Sunday but didn't get pulled over ... but afraid that any cameras might pick it up. Its also parked on the street so it may affect the SORN .... any worries on this?

You may find it clamped if it is not taxed or worst case scenario it may be taken away.

You either need to tax it now and lose most of the month or get it taxed to start from the 1st April and park it off road until the first.

Weazle · 28 Mar 2011 at 12:52

I'll play it safe and get it taxed from March.

teulk · 4 Apr 2011 at 21:29

As for driving an un-taxed vehicle and then getting it taxed as an after thought to avoid any possible prosicution for being caught on cameras etc, well its pretty pointless as all they have to do is cross reference the date and time of the offence with the date and time you taxed the vehicle.