Can I Tax My Car For 1 Month Only?
By
HuutiMoney
There are a number of convenient options available to vehicle owners to pay their car tax on time and avoid being fined by the DVLA. Through this blog post, we aim to learn whether a car owner can tax their vehicle for a month or not. In addition to this, we will also explore how time frames affect your car tax payments and how unpaid car tax affects your insurance; as well as review car tax payment options.
Can I Tax My Car For 1 Month Only?
No, you cannot tax your car for 1 month only. Car tax is an advance payment that can either be paid in a lump sum for 6 months, a year or through monthly instalments using direct debit. If your car tax is due for expiration, the DVLA will send you a V11 reminder so that you can make your payment in time.
If your car is declared SORN and has been parked ever since you might think of paying car tax for the shortest possible timeframe if you are only taking the vehicle out to sell it. However, you will have to pay at least six months of car tax. Once you make the sale and inform the DVLA of the change in ownership of your vehicle, you can also apply for a car tax refund for the remaining months that you will no longer be the owner.
The DVLA gives car owners the option to make car tax payments on a monthly, six-monthly or annual basis. While the first two options carry a 5% surcharge, you may find it more financially feasible to pay your car tax on an annual basis.
You can tax your car 2 months in advance before your current car tax expires; however, if your car tax expires at the end of the month, you can pay the amount by the 5th day of the month. These payments can either be through cheque, postal order, online or through direct debit.
However, if you do not intend to run your car on public roads, you are not required to pay your car tax. Instead, you should apply for Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) through your local post office dealing with car tax.
Can I Tax My Car On The Last Day Of The Month?
If you tax your car on the last day of the month, you will lose an entire month’s payment. The reason for this is that car tax runs on a month-to-month basis. If you pay your car tax on a monthly basis and make a payment at the end of the month, it will be counted as the payment for the running month that is about to end.
If you pay your car tax on a six-monthly basis, making a payment at the end of a month reduces your payment to five months in the future. Similarly, in the case of an annual payment, it will be taken as an 11-month payment for the next car tax term.
Can I Pay Car Tax Late?
If you pay your car tax late, you will have to pay a fine of £80 in addition to your car tax bill. This is a penalty charged by the DVLA for non-payment of car tax by the due date mentioned in your V11 reminder notice. If you make this payment within 28 days, the fine will be reduced to 50 per cent making it £40. However, you will not get any points on your license at this time.
To pay your late payment fine, you will need the following documents:
- Vehicle registration number
- Penalty letter issued by the DVLA
- Debit or credit card to make the payment
However, if you do not pay the fine within the stipulated time, the amount can increase to £1,000 and you can be taken to court or your vehicle can be clamped so that it cannot be driven until the fine is paid.
Can Unpaid Car Tax Affect Valid Insurance?
While your car insurance is technically valid when your car tax is unpaid; however, it lies at the discretion of your insurance company. In the case of an accident, the other party may be able to make a third-party claim through your insurance but your insurance company will not cover damages since your car tax was unpaid.
In fact, if you are fined for unpaid car tax, they may even revoke your vehicle insurance. This will make it extremely difficult for you to successfully attain vehicle insurance from another company.
Car insurance will also not remain valid if your vehicle is deemed unworthy. Therefore, in addition to making sure that your car tax is duly paid, and your MOT is updated, you need to keep a regular check on your vehicle’s performance such as brakes and oil.
How Can I Pay Car Tax?
To pay your car tax online from the post office, you will need the following documents;
- Your V11 letter
- An MOT test certificate
- The amount of payment mentioned in the V11 letter
If you have misplaced your V11 letter or your V5C, your car tax can still be renewed through the local post office. At this time, you should also apply for a new Registration Certificate using a V62 application form A for £25.
Payments can be made in any of the following ways:
- Debit/credit card
- Direct Debit
- Cash
- Cheque
- Postal Order
Once you’ve paid your car tax, you can check if your vehicle is taxed.
Conclusion:
The above discussion clarifies that a car owner will not be able to tax their vehicle for a month. The minimum time frame for which car tax can be paid is 6 months; however, these payments can be made in monthly instalments using a direct debit facility. In special cases such as when someone intends to sell their car after a month, they can pay their car tax for 6 months and have the remaining amount refunded from the DVLA once they’ve sold the car.
FAQs: Can I Tax My Car For 1 Month Only?
Does car tax go from the 1st of the month?
Yes, car tax is accounted for from the first day of the month to its last day. Therefore, it is better to pay your car tax at the beginning of the month to avoid losing a month’s payment.
Can I tax my car before the end of the month?
Yes, you can tax your car before the end of the month. If someone makes a car tax payment during the month, the entire month will be taken into account. Therefore, it may be wise to make car tax payments as early as possible during a month’s tenure.
Can I drive my car while waiting for tax?
While it is illegal to drive your car while waiting for tax, you may be permitted to do so if you are driving your car for an MOT test.
Can temporary car insurance be used to tax a car?
Yes, temporary car insurance can be used to tax a car; whether it is done online or from the post office.
Can you tax a car for a day?
No, it is not possible to tax a car for a day as the DVLA does not permit temporary road tax. Vehicle owners can either pay for 6 months or a year before driving their car.
References:
How do I tax my car? Your questions about car tax answered – Ageas.
Vehicle tax Direct Debit payments: Change how often you pay – GOV.UK
Can you tax a car for just one month? – Page 1 – General Gassing – PistonHeads UK