Be prepared for new tax regulations introduced in October
Posted by: Neil Murphy | Posted on: August 13th, 2014 | 0 Comments
As October approaches we bid farewell to warm weather, longer evenings and the most important for drivers, the traditional paper tax disc. The disc will be replaced by an electronic system in a boost to streamline services and apparently save British businesses millions of pounds a year in administrative costs.
New rules mean that for drivers to be taxed on the road they will have to register their vehicle online and pay via direct debit or at the local post office.
If you don’t follow the new guidelines, that will be in place on the 1st of October 2014, your car will not be taxed. Number plate recognition cameras are in place to monitor each number plate on the road.
Saying farewell to the paper disc isn’t the only change that is being made. In the past if a used car is bought and there are still a few months left on the original tax purchase, the tax would be transferred over to the new driver. With the new system this will not happen, the buyer will have to register again and buy new tax to ensure the car is legal on the roads.
It is the sellers responsibility to inform the DVLA of the change in ownership. If this doesn’t happen they could face a fine of £1,000. To inform the DVLA of the change you can fill out a VSC form and send it to your nearest branch. The upside of the change will see the seller receive a refund for any full months left on their previously purchased tax.
The head of road policy at the AA, Paul Watters had this to say about the change, “This is a huge change and vehicle owners and drivers need to be aware of the rules. A driver, not registered owner, can be issued a non-endorsable fixed penalty for driving an untaxed car. An owner can be fined £80 for using an untaxed vehicle (one not registered off the road) and can be charged any back tax.”
Drivers are being told to check if their vehicle was taxed or SORN’d (declared off the road) before driving the car, to do this go here.
