It is illegal to drive an untaxed car, and it’s also illegal to drive without at least the most basic insurance. We’ve looked at whether you can insure your car without taxing it and what the process involves.
The official name for car tax is Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). Following new rules introduced in April 2017, the amount of tax you have to pay is calculated according to how much CO2 your car emits, as well as how much your car is worth.
No, you must take out an insurance policy for your car before you tax it (though you don’t need to have your documents to hand, unless you live in Northern Ireland).
The DVLA’s Motor Insurance Database automatically knows if a car is insured and has an MOT, and will use this information when you try to tax your car online or through the post office.
The only time your car can be untaxed is if you’ve declared it as SORN. In that case, you cannot drive or park your car on public roads, but you can still keep your insurance if you wish to (in case it is stolen or damaged while parked).
Before driving a car you’ve just bought, you must tax it. While the tax used to automatically transfer from the old owner to the new, this is no longer the case.
If you’ve bought a car from a dealer, it’s likely the dealer will handle the tax renewal, but double-check this before you get behind the wheel.
You have two choices for taxing your car:
You can tax your car instantly online by setting up a direct debit, or by paying with a debit or credit card. You’ll need a reference number that can be found on:
You can tax your car in person at the post office. You’ll need to take one of the following:
This depends on the car you drive. Car tax is calculated by the amount of CO2 that your car emits and how much it’s worth. Each car falls into a different car tax band, and the cost of tax varies for each one of those.
It usually takes up to five working days for renewed car tax to show online – this is the time the DVLA says it takes its system to update.
You must tax the car before you drive it, so this can mean having to sort it out at the point of purchase. If you buy from a dealer, they will handle the tax renewal for you, but make sure it’s done before you drive away.
Yes. You can use the 11-digit reference number on your V11 reminder letter, or the 12-digit reference number from the new keeper slip.
Another option is to tax your car at the post office. You’ll need a valid MOT certificate and the new keeper slip to do this, plus a paper copy of your insurance certificate if you live in Northern Ireland.
According to the DVLA, any new keeper who hasn’t got their car’s logbook (V5C) must apply for a replacement. This costs £25 and can take up to 4-6 weeks to process.
Yes. Many people use temporary car insurance to drive their car home from the point of purchase. If you have this type of cover, you can still tax your car. This allows you to take a little more time while shopping around for an annual car insurance policy.
You can check the status of your vehicle by using the DVLA’s Vehicle Enquiry System.
Your car insurance details are also checked at the same time, which is why you don’t need your insurance documents when you go through the process of taxing your car.
Any car that you buy will be untaxed, as tax does not transfer between owners. This mean it’s up to you to organise the tax (if you buy from a dealer, they can help with this).
In 2018, almost 500,000 people got caught driving without car tax in the UK. If you’re caught with an untaxed car that isn’t declared as SORN, you will be liable for a fine of up to £1,000.
You don’t need tax if you’re driving to a pre-booked MOT test, but you mustn’t make any stops on the way (including just dropping someone off).
| Response | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Level of excess | 44.84% | 37.5% |
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