How late can you be paying tax?

Chronos-X · 14 Jun 2006 at 19:52

It turns out my tax expired at the beginning of this month and I've just been handed the reminder letter by mum :rolleyes:

Its now the 14th of the Month - officially my tax expired on the 30th of last month. I've just put the order through on the direct.gov.uk site for a new disc - it said it was due to be taxed but didn't complain otherwise.

Am I alright or should I hide under the nearest table, waiting for the feds?

agw_01 · 14 Jun 2006 at 19:54

14 days is about the maximum time you can have before they send out an automated fine.

However, because you've bought tax before you've recieved a letter, I think you'll be ok

If you get a letter, either ignore it or reply with an invoice/receipt showing the date you bought the tax.

Tax Evader · 14 Jun 2006 at 20:02

I was well over a month late with mine (hence the name). Never got a £80 'late-payment' letter and never paid the 'back tax' (around £13 IIRC). Never heard a thing.
You won't get busted by the police with camera vans because their data is three months behind.
Just get the tax on and forget it...

West · 14 Jun 2006 at 20:12

My tax runs out at the end of this month, so if i were to leave it 5 days at the end of the month before taxing.. I wont get the fine? I just wanna know if I have to declare as SORN or not...

ob1 · 14 Jun 2006 at 21:12

Tax Evader said:
I was well over a month late with mine (hence the name). Never got a £80 'late-payment' letter and never paid the 'back tax' (around £13 IIRC). Never heard a thing.
You won't get busted by the police with camera vans because their data is three months behind.
Just get the tax on and forget it...

Every police force now has a unit dedicated to doing just that, pulling people over for no tax. They'll have a camera linked to a live database that lets them off the leash if you drive past, they stick it to their windscreen usually.

However just 2 weeks wouldnt warrant DVLA action normally especially if you have since paid, so they'd report you but DVLA is not obliged to act. I got pulled over after buying a car and I was ok and tax had been out a month in that case, luckly they arent quite so petty.

Theres documents online stating their rollout plan but basically they have plans to link their live database thing upto all sorts of camera on motorways, in town and cctv ones even. Orwell must have had a time machine I swear

West said:
My tax runs out at the end of this month, so if i were to leave it 5 days at the end of the month before taxing.. I wont get the fine? I just wanna know if I have to declare as SORN or not...

It only costs a stamp to SORN it..

Tax Evader · 14 Jun 2006 at 21:21

ob1 said:
Every police force now has a unit dedicated to doing just that, pulling people over for no tax. They'll have a camera linked to a live database that lets them off the leash if you drive past, they stick it to their windscreen usually.

That is exactly what I was referring to.

BUT, unless it's changed since Aug 2005 when I checked with the police... their system is still three months 'behind' (?)

MNuTz · 14 Jun 2006 at 21:25

I had 2 cars declared SORN and where both off the road, however, the police said it was still council property so threatened to take them away unless i paid £200 per car. So £400 later i get a fine from the DVLA saying i owed £80 for not taxing /declaring SORN soon enough.

I sent a very nice letter with an £80 cheque as requested and explained that i had already had to pay £200 for this car and that it was declared SORN. Cheque was returned with an apology. Nice ending for a change

Smiley Man · 14 Jun 2006 at 21:32

ob1 said:
It only costs a stamp to SORN it..

cost me nothing, i done it online

all i needed was the V5

Lopéz · 14 Jun 2006 at 22:06

To the best of my knowledge, Tax Evader is correct. Several times I have been pulled in a newly taxed vehicle because they have it declared as SORN.

I also know somebody who works on the PNC (Police National Computer) database and 3 months is indeed the "out of date" period at the moment. Even the MOT "live" check isn't exactly "live" at the moment. The insurance one (AFAIK) is though.

Fishman · 14 Jun 2006 at 22:28

I would imagine the database the police have is upto 3 months out of date unless everymorning they update with 3 month old data

perhaps they do a periodic update while they are getting the live update sorted.

ob1 · 14 Jun 2006 at 23:06

Well last time I bothered to read all this offical bumph they put out, it was only 1 police car per force equipped with the live database and automatic license plate reader. Their average car wont have that and it might well be 3 months like you say.
They were accurate to within a few weeks for me.

Its expensive technology but they like it because it ups' their detection rates and someone who has no tax can likely be done for a few things which looks good

PeterNem · 14 Jun 2006 at 23:25

Chronos-X said:
It turns out my tax expired at the beginning of this month and I've just been handed the reminder letter by mum

Its now the 14th of the Month - officially my tax expired on the 30th of last month. I've just put the order through on the direct.gov.uk site for a new disc - it said it was due to be taxed but didn't complain otherwise.

Am I alright or should I hide under the nearest table, waiting for the feds?

I was in the exact same position as you are... except I never actually received a reminder/renewal letter from DVLA, which is the reason I forgot.

Mine expired end of last month, so when I realised (on Sunday) I paid for it online. New disc arrived this morning.

AFAIK a post office an only start tax from the first day of the next month, whereas online it seems it will just start from wherever your last tax ended, so it's definately better paying online as otherwise you'd have to drive around untaxed until the post office disc came into effect.