Road tax - grace period?

[MarkRae]

Hi,

One of my neighbours has a car whose road tax expired at the end of December. He reckons he's got a month's "grace period" to renew it. Is that correct? I was under the impression that a reminder is issued three weeks before expiry, but that the actual renewal needs to happen before the deadline.

Can anyone please confirm?

Thanks,

Mark

[Teleph0ne]

There is no grace period but if he taxes the car then it is unlikely that he will be prosecuted. If he was stopped by the police or reported for no tax then he would be prosecuted. The grace period is a myth

[Androcles]

Sorry it's rubbish.

See - scroll to the end http://www.dvlni.gov.uk/vehicles/renewtax.htm

[saxy_jag]

It's certainly not a month. When I insured my 'new' car a couple of months ago, I was a little worried about the length of time the cover note would take to arrrive. The person at the insurance company told me DVLA usually gives a discretionary 5 working days. Note the word 'discretionary' - I don't think it's a legal right, just a matter of good grace on their part.

Having said that, I've left it up to a month before now and never been hassled over it.

[sadielady]

There is no "grace period" If his road tax expired on 31st December on the 1st January he is breaking the law if he hasnt got a new one. If he has an accident and has no current VEL it will make his insurance invalid and he wll be taken to court and is likely to loose his vehicle as well as being fined

[MarkRae]

I agree. She happened to be parked right next to me in Sainsburys this afternoon and I just happened to notice the expired tax disc. If programmes like "Road Wars" etc are to be believed, traffic police have devices which scan number plates and check them for various things like having no tax, insurance, MOT, being stolen etc...

[boxtops]

No, you need to tax the car on or before the due date.

[Postdog]

last year I saw things which allowed five days (postman delivering) but NO WAY would you get a month. In fact I believe the grace was from prosecuting for failure to display, but the tax had to be applied for.

[tamborine]

Cars can stand untaxed for any length on private land.

[Myriad2112]

they probably wont do you if it was just a couple of days but I wouldn't drive it a month out.

[Teleph0ne]

Yes if she is using the car then there are cameras in most towns and cities that check this. if spotted she will be prosecuted, if not spotted then they don't usually take action. My car was not taxed for a couple of months as I wasn't using it. I didn't bother doing a SORN, it slipped my mind but no action was taken as I wasn't using it on the road. They are getting really hot on it now though

[trailertam]

Legislation provides a period of 5 days grace if your vehicle was previously taxed and you renew online. this is to allow time for your new tax disc to be posted to you, but as it is renewed online a computer check carried out by the Police will show that the tax has been renewed.
As your tax disc can be renewed up to 14 days before and after its expiry date the Police will not take any action untill after the 15th of the next month, and then it will be for not displaying a current tax disc rather than no tax.

[dothawkes31]

cars standing untaxed on private land have to have a SORN declaration, otherwise, roadworthy or notm they can be removed and scrapped

[New Judge]

And failing to tax a vehicle does not invalidate its insurance.

[Craftypig]

I remember as a youngster when our car tax was up for renewal my dad would put a sticker in the window saying "tax in post" and he would leave it in for as long as possible, dont seem to remember him ever getting done for it tho, those days are long gone what with new technology etc etc......