After 93 years in existence the time has come to bid farewell to the paper tax disc which has taken pride of place in the left hand corner of all road worthy vehicles.
From 1st October 2014 the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will no longer issue paper tax discs and instead the system will become digital. Vehicle owners will still need to ensure they have vehicle tax to drive their vehicle or keep their vehicle on the road. Ever changing technology will now see automatic number plate recognition cameras used to ensure all motorists have vehicle tax.
Motorists will now be able to make payment for their vehicle tax either annually, six monthly, or monthly over a 12 month period. Direct debit payments will be essential tool for many motorists to manage the cost of vehicle tax over a period of time.
The abolition of the tax disc will see changes for sellers of used vehicles as you are no longer able to transfer the remaining period of a tax disc to a new owner of the vehicle. The new owner will need to purchase vehicle tax before they can use the vehicle. The onus is on the seller to inform the DVLA of ownership change, otherwise the seller could be liable for any speeding or parking fines. It is essential for sellers of vehicles to complete the V5C and return this to the DVLA. If a vehicle is scrapped the owner should obtain a Certificate of Destruction to ensure they are not fined for failure of taxing a vehicle or declaring a vehicle as Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN).
If you sell a vehicle after 1st October 2014 and have notified the DVLA they will automatically forward a refund for any remaining months left on the vehicle tax.
Motorists who fail to ensure their vehicle tax is valid will be guilty of a motoring offence, which could lead to a penalty or fine. If you are liable for this offence please contact our Motoring Defence team at BakerLaw LLP on 01252 733770. We will be happy to provide initial free, no obligation advice. All members of our team have extensive experience and proven track records in guiding our Clients through this process.
Disclaimer
This information is for guidance only and should not be regarded as a substitute for taking full legal advice.
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