Scrapping of the tax disc - OOPS they hadn't thought of this

[ilesmark]

BBC News - Thousands unable to renew car tax, as new system stalls - read comment no 45

[kim]

The have been using NPR cameras pretty much exclusivity for a while now, no one has been going round checking discs recently. I can't see it making that much of a difference. I guess if they stop someone for something else it might be spotted, maybe they will start running VIN numbers through the database?

[moggy 1968]

The big difference is when you buy a second hand vehicle, because the tax disc is non transferable, so when you buy the vehicle you can't legally drive it home until you have bought tax. The days of rolling up with a wad of cash and driving it away have gone.

They should have a 7 day grace period. There are also suggestions of significant extra revenue for the govt from people who miss the renewal because they don't have the visual reminder of a disc in the windscreen.

[Skyliner]

It's about time we got rid of car tax as such and put it on petrol. Then they more you use the more you pay. Much fairer system imho.
Plus, no way to avoid.

[kito]

If you sell your vehicle just one day into the month you won't get refunded on that month but the new owner will need to buy tax. Win win for the robbing government as they get payed twice in one month. Thousands of vehicles changing hands each month is a LOT of extra revenue for the good old gov

[steffUK]

@ moggy 1968

not 100% correct, spoke to the DVLA about it. If you buy a vehicle and take it away on the day it is still taxed on that day. As you sign the V5 only with a date and not a precise time it is still taxed for that day and there is no way for the DVLA to find out when the transfer of ownership did happen. At least that's what they told me on the phone...

[*Touring Ted*]

Originally Posted by Skyliner

It's about time we got rid of car tax as such and put it on petrol. Then they more you use the more you pay. Much fairer system imho.
Plus, no way to avoid.

DEFINITELY... The same with insurance.

It's all a bloody scam anyway. Legalised robbery.

[moggy 1968]

Originally Posted by steffUK

@ moggy 1968

not 100% correct, spoke to the DVLA about it. If you buy a vehicle and take it away on the day it is still taxed on that day. As you sign the V5 only with a date and not a precise time it is still taxed for that day and there is no way for the DVLA to find out when the transfer of ownership did happen. At least that's what they told me on the phone...

I'm not sure the police will take it like that, once the car has been paid for and a receipt obtained, it's yours. If you then drive it, you have to tax it, and the police can easily tell if it is taxed in your name or not.