Boring Car Tax question

[NonnoMum]

Not sure if "Legal" is the right place but a quick question.

My DSD has bought himself a car. Fine. It was kept off road by the previous owner so he bought it needing to tax and insure it. Fine.

I thought he was picking it up in a few days when the tax disc came through but came home tonight to find in parked in our busy residential road.

Am I right in thinking driving it at all without a tax disc is illegal? Or will he actually be covered as the tax disc is in the post (apparently)?

Thank you in anticipation.

From this site FAQs

^I have not received the tax disc. Can I use the vehicle without the tax disc displayed?

When you apply for a tax disc online or by using our phone service you are able to legally continue to drive your vehicle for up to 5 days after the tax disc has expired while you wait for the new tax disc to arrive. This will only apply when you have applied for a new tax disc before the current one expires. You should continue to display the expired disc on your vehicle, until the new one arrives.^

Not sure how that applies to a previously SORNed car, though.

Even leaving the car parked on the road without a tax disc is an offence. The fact that the tax disc is in the post does not stop it being an offence. The safest thing is to get the car off the road immediately and keep it off the road until the tax disc arrives.

If you enter the car details here it will tell you if it is taxed. Even though the tax disc hasn't yet arrived in the post, it will be covered.

Any check made of the vehicle by Police will show that VEL is not held. It is at risk of being towed away if it is thought to be abandoned. If it is off road then it won't be checked on the street and although you are still without VEL for those few days, you are unlikely to be reported.

There is no grace period but unless there are other accompanying offences, no decent police officer would make the report to DVLA if you can show you have paid, despite not displaying the VEL.

Please feel free to ignore me.

I think it may be an offence not to display a tax disc, even if it's in the post. Sorry

Thank you for your replies.

FWIW I did manage to persuade him to get in in our (v tiny) drive (meaning I'll have to get two toddlers half way down the road but hey, ho...)

But was cross that he drove it halfway across town with no disc at all (not even an out of date one).

Cheers.

Zuzu, you are right, they can ticket you for that.

SORN is not transferable so once your husband bought the car, it just becomes an untaxed vehicle until he SORNs it (and shoves it in a garage) or taxes it.

He's running a slight risk tbh.

This time in the month you will be given latitude as its a change over date. Technically you COULD be prosecuted, but unlikely, especially if he's only just bought it and can prove it.

It's home now, it's off the road, no offence.

If the car isn't taxed I think you might find that your insurance will be invalid too. I'm under the impression that Tax and MOT have to be in place to insure the car to be on the public highway.
But I could be wrong.

Contrary to popular belief not having valid tax and MOT does not automatically invalidate your insurance. However, if you are involved in an accident and the car has a fault which would have been picked up at MOT that can result in the insurer refusing to pay out.

Harriet, if your car fails an MOT, you are allowed to drive between the test centre and home/the garage repairing it ONLY. Tax is not required for cover insurance wise in any circumstance.

< Ex PO worker who regularly has own legally parked cars wrecked by passing motorists>

when yu tax your car online it does say that you have 5 days grace to display it after the last one ran out as long as youve taxed it in time - not sure how it works if its mid month.

if a car fails its mot it shouldnt leave the garage as its nt roadworthy - something we learnt a few weeks ago ourselves!

Oops, thanks Married and PRH. Sorry to confuse anyone.