Car tax question

[Steve]

Basically I need to tax the saloon today as ive swapped the insurance over but haven't got a certificate yet. Can I tax it at the post office without a certificate even though its on the database? or if I tax online can I drive it without having the tax disc displayed?

[Rexy]

you wont be able to tax it via a postoffice, But you will be able to tax it online. Providing the V5 is in your name and has your address on it.

You should be ok to drive it without the tax disk in the window, well ive never had a problem but you might or could get some Job's worth who will moan at you... So print off the reciept they give you and stick that in your car window ;)

[Steve]

Ive emailed my insurance company to see if they can email me a certificate but if no reply by this afternoon i'll do it online. I'm not sure if its legal to drive without it displayed though as ive heard stories of people getting done for not having it displayed even though its legally taxed. Anyone know if thats true?

[L14MNP]

Yeah they can/will still do. The offence is for not displaying it, which is a joke when you have bought it and are waiting for it to arrive. It is not like you aren't paying road tax, they have databases to check but seemingly only care about it being displayed :S
You can tax online if you have the V5 mate, IIRC you need the number from the 1st page.

[Steve]

Yeah I thought so, the problem is I need to use the car tonight and dont fancy paying a fine for a car that is taxed but doesnt have the disc displayed. What a world we live in! lol

[L14MNP]

LOL I know, the world is OK it's the PC state of 'Great' Britain mate!
I would say you should be OK, even if the police are following you because you're a Nova and dare to be on the road after about 8pm then they may just check the details via your no. plate. Which will obviously come back OK if you purchase the tax online - unless their systems don't update that soon? lol
I would use it for a journey, just watch where you go/don't park when the wardens are still on duty etc.
As said, stick the receipt/confirmation email in the car. Most Police officers will be fine with you.

[L14MNP]

RE getting fined, you will get 14 days to produce a valid tax disc, so when it arrives all will be well, and no fine issued. A ball ache I know!
It works though, when I bought my SR (had been SORN 2 years) and had nowhere to keep it (other project in garage) and still owned my Astra, and both were parked on the road. I stuck the tax disc from the Astra in the Nova so if it was just glanced at I may get away with it. Turns out it was, then they saw the Astra had no tax so I got the 14 day thing, two days later took the tax disc to the station and said it had fell off in the heat, all was cleared up and no fine :)
By this time I had MOTd and taxed the Nova lol
If I can get away with that you should be OK!

[Steve]

What a pain in the ar$e, just tried taxing online but apparently it takes up to 14 days to get on the database, just recieved an email with the certificate so hopefully the post office will accept that. If not i'll be car-less till it arrives in the post.
Nice plan with the switching tax discs, glad it worked.

[L14MNP]

Fingers crossed mate! Another problem is which PO you use, some of the old women seem to go out of their way to make things awkward for anyone trying to buy tax! This is not just my experience either lol

[wisewood]

You could phone the post office, get their fax number, and pass this on to your insurance company and ask them to fax a.s.a.p a copy of the certificate. Then tell the post office its been faxed. Job done.

[L14MNP]

Your Post Office has a fax machine :eek:
I must move out of the sticks lol Good idea if they will let you though :)

[Jack]

You can, and will, get nicked for not displaying, as the law is you must display it.

Its just an outdated rule from before the time of online tax applications.

[Steve]

The law sucks imo!! lol Cheers anyway, managed to get a copy of the new insurance certificate emailed to me and the post office issued a tax disc so all sorted now. The saloon is finally on the road.