Driving temp without road tax?

unwashed potato! · 2026-01-11T19:49:09+0000

Not me but a friend.

Road tax expired. They changed bank and so direct debit failed to take at renewal.

Realised it now.

Goes to renew online but they haven't ever received the v11, all they have is the v5c/2 (greenslip you get when you buy the car)

But the car was bought years ago and trying to code from that online to renew seems to fail.

Going to call dvla to get all sorted, but in the mean time what happens if they drive without road tax? As when you renew it covers the whole month so seems silly to stop driving for a week, lose work etc, because they haven't paid the £6 road tax for Jan, and when they do on sya the 20th, it is the same price to cover all Jan.

Surely worst case they get told off and then told to go sort, and if they show they have taken steps, perhaps police won't mind?

FBi7 · 2026-01-11T19:52:55+0000

If caught by Police, car seized, points and fine. If involved in an accident, insurance may be null and void.

For the sake of waiting til the morning, not worth the risk.

adidan · 2026-01-11T19:56:02+0000

Vehicle tax Direct Debit payments

Set up, change or cancel your car tax Direct Debit, swap to another payment method, and what to do if you miss a Direct Debit payment

www.gov.uk

It's says you can sort out online with the V5C.

But yeah, if you ain't taxed then you ain't taxed. Not worth the risk, as @FBi7 says, it can spiral into a very serious situation.

E: And your mate doesn't need to be stopped, ANPR will automatically alert the Police if it's flagged as untaxed

unwashed potato! · 2026-01-11T20:37:51+0000

adidan said:
It's says you can sort out online with the V5C.

But it doesn't work. Just comes back with saying the code isn't valid. Figured because it's nearly been a couple years since owning the vehicle, but other wise unsure

unwashed potato! · 2026-01-11T20:46:20+0000

FBi7 said:
If caught by Police, car seized, points and fine. If involved in an accident, insurance may be null and void.

For the sake of waiting til the morning, not worth the risk.

I guess you're confident that it can be taxed in the morning after a call? If the car isn't properly in their name (who knows as never received a v11 so assume the garage never sent the proper documents off or they never sent their green slip) how can it be done quickly?

adidan · 2026-01-11T20:52:11+0000

unwashed potato! said:
But it doesn't work. Just comes back with saying the code isn't valid. Figured because it's nearly been a couple years since owning the vehicle, but other wise unsure

It's an odd one, I'm confused as to how the DVLA have happily been taking direct debits in the past but now they seem to be having a problem when your friend tries to pay.

Definitely needs a call so a fine is avoided but I'd advise against driving untaxed. I doubt the Police and DVLA will be concerned with explanations when it comes to dishing out fines or worse.

Howling · 2026-01-11T21:37:37+0000

unwashed potato! said:
But it doesn't work. Just comes back with saying the code isn't valid. Figured because it's nearly been a couple years since owning the vehicle, but other wise unsure

Code won't be valid if a newer V5C has been issued than the bit you've got. I had the same issue with my Mustang last year - had to wait 2 weeks for the DVLA to issue me a new V5 just so I could tax the bugger... and no, they don't let you tax it until you have the v5 (at least, that's what the extraordinarily unhelpful woman on the phone told me)

Uther · 2026-01-11T21:51:32+0000

If he drives anywhere with ANPR or the possibility of police then he needs to be taxed before driving it (or even parking it on the road...)

jigger · 2026-01-11T22:16:59+0000

unwashed potato! said:
But it doesn't work. Just comes back with saying the code isn't valid. Figured because it's nearly been a couple years since owning the vehicle, but other wise unsure

They owned the car for years without the log book? I’d want that cleared up first as TAX could be the least of their concerns.

Bunko · 2026-01-11T22:28:02+0000

As stupid as I was, similar thing happened to me. I thought I had the log book but I actually never received it and it was still registered to the garage I bought it from. A quick call to dvla and they told me what form I needed, straight to a post office to tax no issues. Log book arrived within a few days. Give them a call and explain.

HoneyBadger · 2026-01-11T22:33:10+0000

Get a taxi or a lift from a friend until it’s taxed. I don’t understand why this is even a question in the first place.

unwashed potato! · 2026-01-11T23:11:26+0000

jigger said:
They owned the car for years without the log book? I’d want that cleared up first as TAX could be the least of their concerns.

yep silly indeed, but i get it. why would you even check your logbook until you sell the car? they bought it, taxed it with the slip, and never thought anything of it until now when they need to manually retax it due to changing banks.

unwashed potato! · 2026-01-11T23:11:38+0000

Bunko said:
A quick call to dvla and they told me what form I needed, straight to a post office to tax no issues

was it taxed same day?

muon · 2026-01-11T23:39:44+0000

unwashed potato! said:
yep silly indeed, but i get it. why would you even check your logbook until you sell the car? they bought it, taxed it with the slip, and never thought anything of it until now when they need to manually retax it due to changing banks.

It's like buying a house and saying, who needs the deeds.

I also believe it might be illegal to have a car incorrectly registered. As speeding fines etc. would go to the wrong place.

unwashed potato! · 2026-01-12T00:05:17+0000

muon said:
As speeding fines etc. would go to the wrong place.

now we might be getting to the real reason why they didn't bother, but we can only speculate.

muon said:
It's like buying a house and saying, who needs the deeds.

sure. but thinking about it, i assume i have the v11 for both my vehicles, but i haven't seen them in years. after taxing the vehicle, which as you don't get to use the previous owners paid tax for that month, now gets done while at the dealers garage, you'll never need the v11 until it's sold and does everyone know what a v11 is.

perhaps the government need to have a better system in place that a car can be bought and the new owner can have it indefinetly without it being properly registered in their name. seems like a major fault in the system if that can easily happen

Bunko · 2026-01-12T08:29:06+0000

unwashed potato! said:
was it taxed same day?

Yes, just filled the form out (V62 I believe) and it was all done by computer at the post office and taxed instantly.

Nasher · 2026-01-12T09:21:09+0000

If caught you'll get a fine, £100 through the post (maybe more now). I know a couple of people who have been caught out. Fixed ANPR cameras spotted them.