Caught with no Tax what's the law say?

[stonyray]

So this isn't a moan or an attempt to dodge the law.

Basically I purchased a car locally 3rd of May. Drove it to my lockup and left it. I then taxed it the following week to use it regularly maybe 12th of May. You all know when you tax a car it says 'you are taxed from 01/05/18.

I got a letter about not being taxed dated the 3rd.

So legally doesn't this cover the day I eas driving with 'no tax'

Basic question is it driving while SORN that's the offence in which case guilty.

Or is it not being taxed in May but driving in May in which case not guilty as the tax regardless of when you buy it covers the whole of May.

Also if I do pay the fine am I entitled to a refund on Mays tax as apparently it counts for jack curse word

[optimusprime]

As I understand it .... correct me if I'm wrong though ...

As soon as a car is sold,the tax is then void.( in the eyes of the law)

You have to apply to tax in your name as soon as it “becomes yours”

I think a few people have been caught out by the seller sending off the V5 slip saying the date the car was sold ( like you would, to avoid speeding tickets etc) and the new owner not getting the tax put on at the point if purchase,the dvla then seeing a gap of the vehicle not bring taxed or declared sorn.

And you cant claim the last month if tax back either ..... i think ....

[stonyray]

Yeah the thing I'm bringing to light is if you tax your car at any point in a given month eg May. The confirmation says you are taxed from 01/05/18. Regardless of what day of the month you actually tax the car. So while on the 3rd I hadn't paid for tax and the fine stands. By paying for tax the following week I have covered the whole of May ergo. No fine.

[Rich]

May 26, 2018 10:52:56 GMT stonyray said:

Yeah the thing I'm bringing to light is if you tax your car at any point in a given month eg May. The confirmation says you are taxed from 01/05/18. Regardless of what day of the month you actually tax the car. So while on the 3rd I hadn't paid for tax and the fine stands. By paying for tax the following week I have covered the whole of May ergo. No fine.

They will know when you taxed it, just because the tax is back-dated doesn't mean you are retrospectively covered sadly. That would leave a loophole open to too many people chancing driving untaxed and then just hitting up a months tax if and when the fine came through and going 'nahh mate, it is taxed NOW'.
So you have technically committed an offense, there is not really any way round that.

[johnthesparky]

If you bought it on the 3rd, the previous keeper would pay for tax in May, you also pay for tax in May.....

But with insurance you could test drive it, load it onto a trailer and take it away, all of which is legal.... but if you sent in the v5 in the post it won’t let you SORN ituntil the details have been updated I think (the Fug I bought was on Sorn, I reapplied for Sorn online on the day I got it (with email to confirm), then by the phone system when I checked a few days later and it hadn’t updated.... and then still received a letter stating I needed to tax or sorn)

So you’d think it was taxed, and they won’t proceed as you can prove you retrospectively taxed it..... but their is no guarantee

Good luck!

[stonyray]

I just paid, its easier and I don't need the hassle also I have been pretty lucky over the last decade with tax and whatnot.

[paul99]

Seems a bit of a lottery wheather or not you get caught, but they've got you right this time.

Purchased my current daily and drove it home (along the A1, M25 and M4) so ANPR should have picked it up. Taxed it when home - no problem.
Forgot to tax at the start of the year (purely my memory, or the reminder got lost) recieved a letter saying not taxed around the 15th, taxed the day I got that, no problem.
Conversely, when I reclaimed the tax on a previous car (written off in a crash) I forgot to tick the SORN box and got fined for that

[datman]

I would ask for the month back, since you've paid the fine for not having it, under the sale of goods act that month's tax was not fit for purpose !

Had a right argument with dvla about 7 years ago about this and eventually wriggled out of paying a fine as i told them i was taking car to a garage for them to fix work for the mot which was done 2 days previously. Sent them copy of the garage receipt.

got out of a congestion charge fine once too, thats another story.


What really grinds my gears about this tax thing is i used to park cars at the side of the road with for sale signs on , they had tax on them. The only way i can now tax a car is to register it to myself, but i might only own it for a day or two, then i have to wait for the new v5 from dvla and i'm an extra owner. They really didn't think about the poor trader / part time car seller with that tax nonsense, and it really gets my goat that they often get paid for some months twice. Daylight robbery.

Feels all the more better driving tax exempt vehicles. (My daily is a modern EV, and my other cars and bikes are 40+)