Car Tax In Europe

[LDC134]

We are taking our car on a long trip to Europe - the UK car tax disc will expire whilst we are away - do we need to renew it for Europe ? I realise we need to get it when we get back to the UK but I can't see why we need to have it in Europe. Your help much appreciated, as always

[shoota]

There is a facility now to issue automatic fines if a car is not taxed or sorned continuosly.
Have you the ability to tax it online using your V5 so that, although you don't have the disc, the tax will have been paid?

[LDC134]

Hi Shoota
Thanks for your answer - yes, I can do the tax online no problem. But I don't know if I need to pay car tax if I am not even driving the car in the UK. Maybe I need to let the tax office know the car is not sorn or being taxed to avoid any fines.

[Baldric]

Any ideas here?
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=8&t=872287&mid=0&nmt=Travelling+around+europe+-+road+tax%3F

[shoota]

Nowadays it has to be one or the other so I would seek their advice on what to do if the trip is longet than a couple of months.
I think it would be best to swallow the extra expense and keep it taxed continuosly because they will probably want you to export it and then re-import it if the trip is going to be a very long one. That would be very complicated and extremely expensive.
Had you considered taxing it now and getting a refund on the unexpired bit?

[meglet]

Won't it need to be taxed as you drive it back home in the UK from your trip though? I thought the offense was "failure to display" a tax disc, not failure to have paid. So even if you bought it online you would still have display it to ensure you are not committing an offense.

[LDC134]

All very useful information, many thanks.

[bednobs]

have to agree - how are you going to get from the port/train station to your house with an untaxed car? AFAIK, the offense is failure to display, but as most people are caught by ANPR, you could probably get away with that if it WAS actually taxed