Car Ownership Transfer

[joe.s-b]

What is the situation about tax when a car ownership is transferred

[bhg481]

The seller gets the tax remaining back from the government (whole months left only), the buyer has to tax back to the start of the month he buys it, or declare SORN.

[roslyn251254]

i.e. the government get the tax "twice" for that month from the buyer and the seller!

[KARL]

The tax relates to the vehicle and is paid by or on behalf of "the keeper". The seller can leave any tax in place and either come to an agreement with the buyer regarding recompense or else include it in the agreed sale price (if the seller paid the tax and has a call on its value, see below).

Although the car is being sold and it is a stated legal requirement to let the DVLA know the car has been sold, in a peculiarly British way the DVLA nevertheless (and as a contradiction) refuses to have anything to do with confirming/recording ownership (which "has nothing to do with the registration of the vehicle") and there is no official record kept of who owns any vehicle in the UK (apart from individual, private contracts of sale).

The responsibility regarding tax, fines, etc. is what is being transferred, supposedly irrespective of who owns the vehicle - the authorities want to know who is the keeper, not who is the owner (although they may be one and the same, just don't expect them to want to know who is the owner) although they insist informing them of a sale is a requirement. This must be among the handiest/best examples of nonsense available.

[lankeela]

I'd dispute that - the most nonsensicaI is the government bringing in compuIsory microchipping for dogs but that is not proof of ownership!

[joe.s-b]

Thanks. I will wend my way through the DVLA shambles.

[Prudie]

I thought it was entirely up to the seller whether they leave the car taxed or claim back any unused months? As said it's the car that's taxed not the owner.

[bhg481]

Not any more Prudie. When the tax disc was abolished a year ago the rules changed; the original owner gets refunded for all complete months remaining and the new owner has to SORN or tax back to the beginning of the month.

[Prudie]

Thanks I never knew that

[tamborine]

Make sure the road tax is in the name of the driver

[ummmm]

And if a car has multiple drivers?

[bhg481]

The road tax belongs to the car not the driver tamborine.

[hc4361]

Just make sure the road tax is in the name of the registered keeper.

[fiction-factory]

i.e. the government get the tax "twice" for that month from the buyer and the seller!

I'm not sure anything has changed there has it?

[tamborine]

Owner's insurance covers multiple drivers

[ummmm]

Tambo - you said to make sure the road tax is in the name of the driver. How can you do that if a car has multiple drivers?

[tamborine]

Op says ownership transfer. I presume theyre selling or buying a car.

[Canary42]

Note: you still have to go through the DVLA bureaucratic rigmarole even if you don't pay any tax (e.g. low emissions).

I know, I've just done it.

[EDDIE51]

FF yes it has changed. Previously if you sold a car with 6 months tax for example the new owner could just use the car until the tax expired and then re tax it. Now the seller has to claim back the tax and the new owner has to immediately re tax it from the 1st of the same month.
So if a car with tax to the end of June is sold on the 15th January the seller gets 5 months tax back ( February to June) while the buyer has to tax it from the 1st January. So the tax is paid twice for the month of sale, January.

[EDDIE51]

Tambourine the tax is under the registration number of the car , nothing to do with the name of the driver,owner or keeper. ( who can be 3 different people.)
In my case motability is the owner,my wife is the keeper and I am the driver.

[fiction-factory]

Yes, eddie, sorry- I was just comparing the new system with one where the seller sent the tax disk back for a refund under the old system ( the purchaser had to buy a new one just as now)