Car tax, along with car insurance, is a legal requirement and you can’t drive without having a taxed vehicle. Often referred to as road tax, it’s a tax that drivers in the UK must pay to drive and park their cars on public roads. Its official name is Vehicle Excise Duty and it’s paid to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).
There are different rates of pay, and the amount will depend on the car you drive. Cars with lower CO₂ emissions don’t cost as much to tax. New rules around how much drivers pay based on emissions were introduced in April 2017.
It’s important to note that some vehicles are exempt from car tax charges. These include:
Tax for electric vehicles came in on 1 April, 2025.
You can’t tax your car without having insurance in place, so this will need to be done first. If you’re driving a car for a short amount of time, you can take out temporary car insurance and this is accepted when arranging road tax.
It’s possible to take out a policy that just covers how long you’ll be driving for, whether that’s for a one-day business meeting or an hour while you drop something off. Once you’ve arranged cover, you arrange tax on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) website, over the phone, or at your local post office.
In all exemption cases, road tax is still needed, it’s just that this will be free of charge.
To tax your vehicle, you must have a valid insurance policy. It also needs to have a valid MOT certificate.
There are several ways to arrange car tax:
You can’t tax your car first. You must have insurance in place and then tax the vehicle from there. It’s important that you double-check you have cover in place and that the car’s taxed before you drive anywhere.
While you can get temporary insurance cover, it’s not possible to get temporary car tax in the UK. You can tax the car you’ll be driving for either six months or a year, however, you do get a reimbursement of the full months of remaining tax if you declare the vehicle SORN. You can also arrange car tax if you’re using temporary car insurance.
You could be fined £80 if you drive a car that’s not taxed. This amount drops to £40 if you pay within 33 days. This could go up to £1,000 or five times the value of the vehicle’s road tax, whichever is greater, if the case is taken to court.
Plus, if you drive without tax, you could invalidate your insurance policy or at least see the cost of your insurance rise. This applies even if you’ve taken out short-term cover. If you drive without insurance, you could be fined £300 and have six penalty points added to your licence. You could face a driving ban if you go to court for driving without insurance.
The only time you would not need to tax – or insure – your car is if you’ve declared it SORN. A Statutory Off-Road Notification is when you legally declare the car is off the road. Once registered as SORN, the car must be kept off public roads, even when it’s not being driven, and stored on private property.
Yes, you can but there are some considerations. Your temporary insurance policy must be active on the date you tax the car and meet all of the UK’s legal requirements. Your insurance will be checked automatically by the Motor Insurance Database and you’ll need to arrange a new policy if it expires before you complete the tax process. Remember, you need insurance to legally drive on public roads in the UK.
Please note if your cover is for less than a week, the MID may not be updated by the time the policy has ended.
Before you tax your car, you’ll need to make sure you have insurance cover in place. Whether you’re driving for a day or a month, speak to our highly skilled team who can help you arrange a flexible policy.
To find out more about arranging temporary cover, you can get a quote online today. Alternatively, if you have any questions or need further advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Legally, you can insure a vehicle that’s not taxed in your name, but you’ll need to tell the insurance provider that you’re not the owner or registered keeper. It’s important that you know the difference between the owner and registered keeper.
The owner and registered keeper are often the same, but it’s worth making sure you know the difference when you’re getting an insurance quote.
When you buy a car, you must tax it straight away. You’re not allowed to drive it home without having tax in place. So, even if someone in your family has given the car to you, it must be taxed and insured before you drive anywhere.
You cannot tax your car without having insurance in place first. If you’re waiting for your insurance quote to come through, hold off looking at arranging tax until you’ve checked the details of the cover you’re buying. When you’re happy, pay for your policy and once you’ve got confirmation that you’re insured, you can tax the vehicle.
With Tempcover, we can arrange short-term cover for you in a matter of minutes, so you won’t have to wait too long before taxing the vehicle.
UK law mandates a minimum level of continuous third-party motor insurance for all vehicles, even when parked. This applies whether the car is on the road, driveway, or in a garage. The police can instantly verify insurance status via the Motor Insurance Database. It's not just a legal obligation, but also a measure to ensure your car's protection.
In the UK, vehicle owners must have insurance and tax, unless a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) is declared. Cars over three years old also require a valid MOT test certificate on an annual basis for taxation, ensuring they meet road safety and environmental standards. Hence, it's crucial to arrange insurance and MOT prior to taxing your vehicle.
Police can use Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to check if your vehicle is taxed via the DVLA's database. If untaxed, you risk being stopped by the police, facing a substantial fine, and having your vehicle impounded. Reclaiming it involves paying release fees, storage costs, and outstanding tax. Therefore, taxing your vehicle is not just a legal obligation, but also sensible from a financial viewpoint.
Upon purchasing a vehicle, the seller should supply you with a V5C/2 or New Keeper Supplement. This will contain a 12-digit reference number necessary for taxing your car. This can be done online or at a local Post Office. Always keep your V5C/2 accessible for the required reference number.
In the UK, driving an untaxed car is typically illegal, with exceptions such as driving a vehicle to a pre-booked MOT test. This is permissible as a car cannot be taxed without a valid MOT certificate. Apart from this exception, it's vital to tax your vehicle before driving on public roads.
Yes, you can tax a newly purchased car online. Simply use the 11-digit reference number from your V5C if you're the current keeper, or the 12-digit reference from the new keeper slip if you've just bought the car and are awaiting your V5C.
In the UK, car tax cannot be arranged before securing appropriate insurance. If you’re waiting for an insurance quote, you should hold back on buying tax until you are sure you understand your cover specifics. Remember, insurance is mandated by law.
Yes, you can instantly tax and insure a car. However, temporary insurance details may take a week to appear on the Motor Insurance Database (MID), potentially delaying online vehicle taxing. Remember, driving without valid tax and insurance is illegal in the UK, so ensure your cover is confirmed before driving.
You can drive your car without tax to a pre-arranged MOT appointment, provided it's insured and the journey is solely for the test. However, driving without an MOT certificate is prohibited. If your car fails the MOT due to a dangerous defect, it must be transported by trailer or recovery vehicle. Check your insurance policy, as some insurers may not cover a vehicle without a valid MOT or tax.
The DVLA only provides six- or 12-month Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) options, not daily road tax.
Yes, you can insure your vehicle for a single day. This is suitable for short drives like business meetings or quick drop-offs, you can arrange this cover and tax your vehicle via the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) website, phone, or local post office. Ensure both insurance and tax are sorted before driving.
Yes, you can drive your untaxed car to a pre-booked MOT test, provided you have valid insurance and travel directly to the test centre. Make sure you carry some proof of booking like a confirmation email. This is permitted as a car can't be taxed without a valid MOT. If the car fails the MOT due to a serious fault, arrange repairs at the garage or use a recovery vehicle for transportation.
Driving without road tax in the UK doesn't result in licence points but incurs a fine, communicated through an automated letter to the vehicle's registered keeper. Continuous neglect of vehicle tax can lead to severe consequences, such as car clamping or impounding. Therefore, it's crucial to consider the financial penalty and potential repercussions.
Failure to tax your vehicle can result in a fine up to £1,000 or five times the annual road tax rate by the DVLA, whichever is higher. Your vehicle could also be clamped, incurring additional release fees. It's cheaper and legally advisable to tax your vehicle on time, avoiding costly oversights. Always ensure your vehicle is taxed.
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras detect untaxed vehicles by scanning registration plates and cross-referencing with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) database. If your vehicle is untaxed, the system alerts authorities, potentially leading to fines, clamping, or impounding. Therefore, it's vital to keep your vehicle properly taxed.
Yes, road tax can be secured with temporary car insurance, as it is recognised as valid by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). You can tax your vehicle online, via phone, or at a Post Office. Tax is mandatory for any vehicle used or parked on public UK roads, even for short periods. Check your vehicle's tax status on the DVLA website if unsure.
Standard speed cameras don't check for vehicle tax, but ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras do. They read your vehicle's number plate and verify tax and insurance against government and DVLA databases. ANPR cameras, either fixed or police-mounted, can identify untaxed vehicles on public roads. Driving without tax can result in an automatic fine, vehicle clamping until tax is paid, or court action.
Driving an untaxed car, even briefly or for repairs, is illegal unless you are going to a pre-booked MOT appointment. This could invalidate your car insurance. Using a car temporarily or transporting it to a garage can be challenging. Always ensure your vehicle is properly taxed and insured to avoid legal issues.
Upon purchasing a car, the tax does not transfer with the vehicle. You must tax the car yourself prior to driving. Be aware that you cannot drive a car taxed in another person's name, as the tax policy is voided when the car changes ownership.
Car tax must be in the name of the vehicle's registered keeper, as stated on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) issued log book (V5C). If you receive a tax reminder or warning from the DVLA, ensure the V5C is in your name to avoid complications. It's your responsibility to correctly tax your vehicle.
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