Can I Tax My Car If I Lost My Tax Disc?

Car tax is based on the engine size and co2 emissions of a vehicle. Through this blog post, we aim to discuss whether a vehicle owner can pay their car tax if they have lost their tax disc. For a deeper understanding of car tax payments, we will also explore how car tax is paid at the post office, the documents required by vehicle owners as well as the consequences of paying car tax late or not at all.

Can I Tax My Car If I Lost My Tax Disc?

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) abolished the tax disc system for car tax payments in 2014. Three years later, there were nearly 700,000 untaxed vehicles on UK roads; which means there was a loss of nearly £107m in car tax revenue. Today, although car tax is still enforeceable; however you don’t need a tax disc to keep your payments updated.

A lot of vehicle owners in the UK pay their car tax through a local post office that deals with car tax payments. In order to tax your car at the post office you will need to carry any of the following documents to serve as proof of vehicle ownership:

Your vehicle registration certificate; V5
Your V11 reminder from the DVLA
A valid Ministry Of Transport (MOT) certificate

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

Car owners in the UK require a V62 form to make an application for their duplicate vehicle logbook; also termed V5C. It may also be required when the vehicle logbook does not arrive within six weeks of registering the vehicle with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

However, if you have purchased a new vehicle and have not received your V5, after a lapse of four weeks you can apply with a V62 without having to pay a fee.

It is important to note that you may only be able to pay your car tax only if the vehicle is registered in your name and you can provide any of the following documents to prove your ownership of the car:

incase your V11 reminder notice which states the vehicle owner’s name and the amount of car tax due for the next tax term

a V62 logbook application form which shows that you have applied for a V5 while the previous one has gone missing

a V5C/2 Green slip that is issued to new car owners while the ownership of their vehicle is transferred from the previous owner

In case you are applying for a V62 form due to your V5 being damaged or lost, you will also be required to make a payment of £25 along with the submission of your V62 form. These payments can be made in any of the following ways:

Debit/credit card
Direct Debit
Cash
Cheque
Postal Order

The easiest and quickest modes of payment are using your credit or debit card or online transfer of funds through your bank account.

Can I Tax My Car While Waiting For Log Book?

Yes, you can pay your car tax while waiting for your logbook. If you have purchased a brand new car and you are the first owner, dealers usually arrange for payment for your car tax. Most of the time your car tax is included along with the price of your car and any registration fee that is to be levied.

In the case of a second-hand car, if the dealer does not arrange a logbook transfer to your name, you can do the same by contacting the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) on their website. However, it is advisable to purchase a vehicle with an updated logbook to avoid fraud or the purchase of a stolen car.

However, in the absence of a logbook or V5, your car will be declared as SORN; Statutory Off-Road Notification until the new logbook arrives which can take up to a few weeks. Your initial fine will be £80 which is due to be paid in the next 28 days. If you are unable to do so within the given time, this fine may be increased to £1,000.

How Can I Apply For A Log Book?

You can apply for your car’s logbook or V5 online through the DVLA website or through the post. It usually takes 6 weeks for your new logbook to be delivered.

Payments can be made through local post offices registered for car tax. You may use a debit card, credit card or direct debit facility to make your car tax payment(s).

You must apply for a V5 immediately for a fee of £25, in case you have not done so. Not carrying your logbook can lead to a penalty being charged by the DVLA.

Informing the DVLA of the need for a new logbook is essential for all new car owners or those who have been transferred ownership of the car.

How Much Car Tax Do I Have To Pay?

Car tax or Vehicle Excise Duty in the UK is calculated on the basis of a few factors including the engine size and CO2 emissions of the car.

However, the UK road tax system is divided into two separate rates. The first-rate applies during the first year of a car on the road when its CO2 emissions are also accounted for while calculating the tax rate. It may range from £0 for zero-emission cars to £2,245 for cars that emit 255g/km or more.

From the second year onwards, the CO2 emissions will not account for road tax, rather the original cost of the car will be considered for calculations.

Cars that are valued at or above £40,000 will be taxed a further £335 annual supplement that runs for five years. After this time-lapse, they will be taxed at the current tax rate applicable during the tax term.

The current (2021-22) road tax is set at a flat rate of £155. This is an increase from £150 in the 2020/2021 financial year) to adjust for inflation. There’s a £10 annual discount for alternatively fuelled vehicles such as hybrids, mild hybrids and plug-in hybrids. Therefore, their owners pay £145 annually.

When Do I Get A V11 Reminder?

Car owners receive a reminder from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency around three weeks before their vehicle tax is about to expire. This is called a V11 reminder. This letter can be taken to the nearest local post office which has car tax facilities and used as a reference to pay your car tax. If a vehicle owner loses their V11 letter, they can use their 11 digit reference number from their logbook known as V5C.

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.

What Happens If I Pay My 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.

What Happens If Someone Does Not Pay Car Tax?

If a vehicle owner fails to pay their car tax, they may face an initial fine of up to £80 reminding you to clear your tax dues within 28 days. If you fail to pay the fine within the given time, this fine can increase to up to £1000 and the defaulting party be taken to court.

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.

Conclusion:

With this detailed discussion, we can conclude that although tax discs are obsolete, car tax can still be paid online, through cash, cheque or your local post office. Car owners will need either their vehicle registration certificate, a V11 reminder from the DVLA or a valid Ministry Of Transport (MOT) certificate to pay their car tax.

FAQs: Can I Tax My Car If I Lost My Tax Disc?

Can I tax my car without a certificate?

No, you cannot tax your car without an insurance certificate or a certificate of registration that indicate that the vehicle is insured and is registered to an owner.

Can I tax my car without my V11?

Yes, you can tax your car without a V11 reminder from the DVLA if you have your vehicle logbook or V5C. In case you have misplaced your V5C, you will need a V62 that shows that you have applied for a duplicate vehicle logbook. If you have recently purchased a new car you will need a new owner Green Slip that shows that the vehicle is yet to be registered in your name.

Can I tax my car at the post office without a V5C?

Yes, you can tax your call without a V5C if you can provide your V11 reminder for car tax payment or the new keeper green slip in case you have recently purchased your car. You can only tax a vehicle that is registered in your name.