Buying tax online

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 24 Jun 2011, 18:57

I am right aren't I that I can tax a car for July right now?
As it's payday and I had her V5 with me I thought I'd go online and buy Juliet's tax for next month.
I was cautious, looking for any option to say buy for next month, but I saw none ans the start date was 01/06/2011, so I cancelled and filled out their questionaire to say exactly why.
Pretty sure with the reminder letter it starts for the month after your tax runs out so their system must be able to handle it.
Something to watch if you decide to tax a sorn vehicle online using the V5.

Post by **myglaren** » 24 Jun 2011, 19:11

My daughter taxed her SAAB three weeks before it was due (not due until the end of June).
Then bought a Rover 75 and has claimed the tax back before it becomes due.

It was my impression that you could only tax a car two weeks before the due date but my son claims it is now a month - he missed out, waited until the last day and by then the tax on his 306 had increased by £15.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 24 Jun 2011, 19:32

i think if you buy it up to 5 days after its due you are still alowed to use youre car without displaying a disc,

i think if i did thisi would print out a recipt to stick in the car window just in case,

regards malcolm

Post by **CitroJim** » 24 Jun 2011, 19:39

As I understand it, if the car in question is currently taxed then when you renew at a PO or on-line the tax will run from the date of expiry of the old tax and this can be done from the 15th of the month onward.

For example, if the tax runs out on 30/06/2011 and you apply for 12 months on 15/06/2011 then the new tax will expire on 30/06/2012.

However, if the car is untaxed at the time of application then the tax is back dated to the first of the month in which you applied. So if you apply today then the new tax (assuming 12 months) will expire 31/05/2012.

I've been int his boat several times. Basically you can't buy tax in advance.

The reason is simple. Tax is available in 6 or 12 month lumps with expiry only at the end of a month. Say you bought 12 months today. Given that tax always expires at the end of the month if you bought 12 months to expire at the end of June 2012 today than effectively DVLA would be giving you 6 days of free tax. They're far too mean to do that!!!

It's a bit petty though...

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 24 Jun 2011, 20:37

I'm sure tax discs have a valid from date stamped on them so it is definitely pettiness.
Still don't understand why with mot and insurance databases they don't offer monthly direct debit payments, even if 12 months worth worked out at more than if bought outright just as two lots of 6 months do.
They'd probably have more income from it too.

Post by **CitroJim** » 24 Jun 2011, 20:54

Nope, that's the problem - there's no valid from date. Only an expiry date which is always at the end of the month.

Years ago tax discs just had the month and year of expiry on them but the same still applied.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 25 Jun 2011, 08:27

CitroJim wrote:
However, if the car is untaxed at the time of application then the tax is back dated to the first of the month in which you applied. So if you apply today then the new tax (assuming 12 months) will expire 31/05/2012.:

although i would think if the car was untaxed and not declaired SORN when you apply online, they might try back datting to when the last disc ran out

regards malcolm