Road Tax - What is the cut off date for the next month?

[maillme]

Hi there,

Im wondering what the cut off date for road tax is in order to get a full month (Brand New Car).

For example - if i tax my care on the 31st March, will i get the same amount of road tax as if i had tax'd my car on the 1st april?

Im battling things out with Arnold Clark at the moment - and need clarification on this.

many thanks,
Neil

[Wonabethirty]

Neil, your Road Fund Licence will expire on the last day of March next year, you should have waited until April 1st or taxed your car for 1 year and 1 week so that your RFL commences the last week in March and is due for renual the last week in April 2009.

[Wonabethirty]

Should be RENEWAL! (sorry)

pp, by registering your car on the last day of the month, you have in effect lost one months tax!

[sddsddean]

The 'cut off' point is the 15th of the month. Lets assume you are taxing your car in April. If you go to the post office between the 1st and 14th of April, the road tax will run until 31st March next year. If you get your tax between 15th and 30th, your tax will run until 30th April next year. So the only bit you can 'gain' on is you get 2 weeks 'for free' if you tax it on the 15th.

[Ethel]

If you buy road tax in the from the 14th it MUST NOT be displayed until the 1st - it is not valid and your car will not be taxed.

You do not get free weeks by buying early.

If you do not have a reminder (you won't have as this car is new to you) you cannot buy the tax more than two days before the 1st of the month. If you do, it will be dated from the 1st of that month:

If you want the tax disc to start on the first day of the next calendar month, you cannot tax your vehicle more than two days in advance.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVe hicle/HowToTaxYourVehicle/DG_069680

[moomintroll1]

If the vehicle is registered as new on 31st March and taxed for 12 months, the tax will start on 1st March and run for 12 months from there.

For brand new cars, as Wonabethirty says, the dealer can add 1, 2 or 3 weeks' tax on as required, to ensure the customer gets 12 full months.

If they didn't purchase the extra week when they registered the vehicle, you will have lost a month's tax for March.

[sddsddean]

Yes, Ethel is quite right. I didn't explain that very well!!! I meant you can have it for 2 weeks before you use it. Sorry for any misunderstanding.

[maillme]

Hi there,

thanks alot for the responses - ok,. here is my scenario.

I purchased a car form Arnold Clark, it was due to be ready by end of March - and so i paid them my desposit on the 31st (so they could get their figures for the month i assume) and i was rather disgruntled when they told me it wouldnt be ready till the 1st.

I asked them if because of this, had they taxed my car (and i assume registered) on the 1st - would i have gained an extra month's road tax - to which they told me no.

As it turns out, they never got my car to me until the 4th of April, so my concerns are that they have lied to me to get their deposit into March's figures - and as a result i have lost a months road tax.

Does this sound as if i have?

many thanks once again,
Neil

[maillme]

Hi All,

An update - got the official line from the DVLA - so it looks like Arnold Clark have pulled a fast one to get the sums for their March figures!:

"Technically if you purchased and registered a brand new vehicle on the 31st of a month you would lose a whole months tax for that one day. If you purchased and registered it the day after you would start the month with a fresh disc for 6 or 12 months.

The opportunity to pay for an extra 1, 2 or 3 weeks of Vehicle Tax (in addition to the 6 or 12 monthly rate) only applies when an unregistered vehicle is being registered and taxed for the first time. Thereafter Vehicle Tax can only be purchased for either 6 or 12 months."

Neil

[redcrx]

ask the garage for the months road tax back. That would be an absolute minimum for the hassle for waiting those extra days and helping them out with sales figures.

[maillme]

Hi there,

They offered compensation but have yet to deliver!! - hence why im now taking it forward!

thanks again for all your help,
Neil