Can I Tax My Car In Advance?

If you are concerned about whether or not you can tax your car in advance, you will find detailed guidance in the following blog post as we discuss whether or not paying your car tax in advance is an option, how much in advance can car tax be paid and what are the acceptable modes of payment. Additionally, we will also review the essential documents that are required when a car owner wishes to pay their Vehicle Excise Duty or car tax in advance.

Can I Tax My Car In Advance?

Yes, you can tax your car in advance. If you are going to be away from home and you know that your car tax or Vehicle Excise Duty is due to run out, you can tax your car in advance. In other cases, especially at the start of the tax term, you can choose to pay your Vehicle Excise Duty in advance for the entire year or for six months. 

For individuals who choose to pay their car tax in monthly instalments, it is important to keep in mind that any payment made during the month counts as the entire month’s payment. This means that even if a payment is made after the first day of the month, the individual will still be paying for the entire month. 

While making an early payment can be advantageous, payers should be aware that paying after the 15th day of the month may not be as financially beneficial.

Even though it is quite common for vehicle owners to make monthly payments for car tax, the DVLA provides many options for paying car tax; including monthly, six-monthly, or annual payment plans. 

However, it is important to note that if you pay car tax on a monthly or six-monthly basis you will also be paying a 5% surcharge. For those looking to save money, paying the car tax on an annual basis may be the better option.

How Can I Tax My Car In Advance?

There are different ways through which you can tax your car in advance. You can choose any of the convenient options from the list below to pay your Vehicle Excise Duty:

• online
• local post office
• over the phone

If you choose to pay your car tax advance payment online, you can simply visit the DVLA’s website, click on the “Start Now” tab and follow the instructions for your payment. You should have a valid debit or credit card to pay your car tax online. Alternatively, you can also use your bank’s direct debit facility.

If you opt to pay your car tax through a local post office that deals with matters related to car tax, you will have more payment options. These include the following: 

• cash 
• cheque 
• debit or credit card 
• Postal Order 
• Direct Debit

However, in this case, you will need to carry some of the important documents related to your vehicle’s registration to the post office. 

If you wish to make the advance payment for your car tax over the phone, you can call the DVLA at 0300 790 6802 and speak to a representative. They will take you through the process for the payment. 

In this case, too, you will need to use an electronic payment option similar to an online payment for car tax. This means that you can choose to pay via debit or credit card or through your bank’s direct debit facility.

Which Documents Will I Need To Tax My Car In Advance?

You will need the following documents to tax your car in advance at the post office:

• vehicle registration certificate or logbook
• an application for advance payment along with reasons 
• complete V10 form (for reasons shared below)
• an MOT or goods vehicle testing (GVT) certificate (in case you need one) 
• a cheque, postal order or banker’s draft with the full amount payable to DVLA Swansea (unless you are making an online payment with a debit card, credit card or through direct debit)

A V10 form is only needed for advance payment of car tax through the post office under the following conditions:

• you have not received a V11 reminder for car tax payment from the DVLA
• there has been a change to your vehicle details such as a change in tax class
• you have experienced a break in taxing the vehicle as it was not being driven 
• the vehicle that is being taxed is currently declared SORN

Conclusion:

The above discussion helps to conclude that a vehicle owner can tax their car in advance. The most common advance payment for car tax is usually of two months before the previous payment for Vehicle Excise Duty is due to run out. However, depending on your choice of payment instrument, you can also pay your car tax six to twelve months in advance.

References:

Apply for vehicle tax in advance – GOV.UK

Everything You Need to Know About Vehicle Tax and Insurance | Age Co

Car tax guide | Everything you need to know | The AA