We are hiring! Are you an experienced technician? Join our outstanding team »

Digital Tax Discs: Don’t Get Caught Out!

Reading time 4 minutes • Last updated on February 26th, 2021

Categories Driving Law »

Digital Tax Discs: Don’t Get Caught Out!

Last updated on February 26th, 2021What does this mean?

With the world moving in a continually paperless direction, the DVLA have thankfully started to play catch up. Along with the ability to register and transfer ownership and raise enquiries through the DVLA’s website, car owners can now tax their vehicles in a purely digital format, negating the need to wait for a current disc to arrive in the post or have to worry about displaying it correctly.

To recap, for decades, drivers have had to go through the arduous task of either attending a post office in person, or applying directly to the DVLA for a disc that served as proof of a correctly taxed vehicle. Failure to do so was an offence. This time consuming and antiquated practice was dropped in many countries in Europe and worldwide before the DVLA followed suit and adopted the same practice in 2014.

However, one of the benefits of the paper tax disc was the fact that it was transferrable between vehicle owners. Buying and selling a car was simpler as it could simply be driven away with the remaining tax still on it. A caveat of the new digital version was that, upon transferring ownership, any remaining tax would automatically expire, meaning that immediately upon purchase, the new owner must tax the car regardless of how much tax was left on it at the time of purchase.

This has, of course, created a new set of problems in itself. Firstly, there are still those who believe that the digital tax disc is transferrable like its paper counterpart. So it has been the case many times that the buyer has driven the car away with no valid tax; whilst the owner’s log book may take a few weeks to transfer, and give the driver a ‘grace period’ of sorts, the first sign of trouble for the new owner could be any one of several scenarios:

  • An automatic fine from the DVLA’s database
  • Clamping by a DVLA enforcement vehicle
  • A fine from the police if a vehicle check is carried out

Unfortunately, with the law having been in place for some time, there are no ‘free passes’ when it comes to this unfortunate set of circumstances, so any aspiring car owner really needs to bear in mind this fundamental change in the law to avoid a very costly ‘catching out’.

Secondly, there is now the ability to pay annually, bi-annually or monthly via direct debit; the last option being a new perk of the digital disc. However, if the direct debit fails, the DVLA may send out a letter to advise you of the fact. That’s not a guaranteed reminder. Failure to reinstate the direct debit will result in the tax being made invalid and any driving of the car illegal on a public road. Much like with the previous caveat, failure to receive a reminder letter is not considered a valid defence for not taxing the car, so the only way to avoid this is monitor direct debits closely and ensure that they don’t bounce; if they do, immediate rectification is the safest course of action.

It may sound like the new digital tax disc is out to penalise the driver; however, this is not the case. With some common sense and foresight, the new system is incredibly more convenient for those wishing to tax their car. It may take some time to learn the new regulations regarding vehicle tax but it’s a necessary step; there are no free passes unless the DVLA is at fault, so keep on top of your car tax as a matter of priority.

This article was written by The Windscreen Company, to help keep our customers up to date with the latest news in the industry. We specialise in providing windscreen repairs and replacements, for all makes and models of vehicle. To find out more about our services, simply get in touch today.

The information within this article was accurate on the date the article was last updated based on the information that was openly available on the topic online. The Windscreen Company accepts no liability for any loss or damage caused by or connected with any error or omission in this article. You should make your own judgement in regards to use of this document and seek professional advice on your particular circumstances.

Request a Callback Just fill in your details below and we'll get back to you as soon as we can!

    Contact Details

    Next

    Please fill in all required fields

    Vehicle Details

    Why do we ask this?

    The vehicle reg number helps us understand the exact requirements of your vehicle and provide you with an accurate quote

    Back

    Please fill in all required fields

    Explore more topics

    Search our resources

    © The Windscreen Company 2024. All Rights Reserved.
    The Windscreen Company is a registered company in England. Registered Number: 3545701 VAT Number: 720 0628 78

    Adtrak Logo

    Top

    By clicking "Accept All Cookies", you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyse site usage, assist in our marketing efforts, and for personalised advertising.

    More Information Accept All Cookies