Drivers & vehicle owners are being asked to make sure that they are aware of the changes to vehicle licensing that will be happening at the end of September.
It has been widely publicised that vehicle tax disks are being abolished from the 1 October after being in existence for 93 years. From this date vehicles will no longer be required to display a paper tax disk. Checks on whether vehicles are taxed or not will be done automatically by the network of Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras or checked electronically by police officers should the need arise.
[quote_box_right]Over 1.7billion tax discs have been issued since 1921 – if they were put in a line, they would go around the world three times.[/quote_box_right]You will still need to pay vehicle tax to keep or drive your vehicle on the road. The DVLA will still send out reminders but will no longer issue tax disks.
An important point to note is that when you buy a second hand vehicle on or after 1 October 2014 you will not have the benefit of any unused months of tax left on the vehicle. The vehicle tax is no longer transferred with the vehicle, so new owners will need to tax the vehicle before they drive it away. You can tax the vehicle using the New Keeper Supplement (V5C/2) part of the vehicle registration certificate (V5C) online or by using our automated phone service – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week or you can use the Post Office.
[quote_box_right]in 2013 the DVLA issued 42.2million tax discs weighing over 72 tonnes – that’s heavier than a Challenger 2 tank.[/quote_box_right]If you sell a vehicle after the 1 October and notify the DVLA you will be given a refund for any unused full months left on your tax. You will no longer need to make a separate application for a refund of vehicle tax. DVLA will automatically issue a refund when a notification is received from the person named on DVLA vehicle register that the:
- vehicle has been sold or transferred
- vehicle has been scrapped at an Authorised Treatment Facility
- vehicle has been exported
- vehicle has been removed from the road and the person on the vehicle register has made a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN)
- person on the vehicle register has changed the tax class on the vehicle to an exempt duty tax class
From 1 October 2014 vehicle owners will be able to pay vehicle tax by Direct Debit, this can be paid
- annually
- 6 monthly
- monthly (12 months tax paid for on a monthly basis)
This will be available for customers who need to tax their vehicle from 1 November 2014.
If you have a tax disk that expires after the 1 October 2014 you can take the paper disc out of your windscreen if you wish but you don’t need to do anything until your tax expires when you will then use the new system.
