# Renewing Road tax while abroad



## brendan (May 9, 2005)

We expect to be in France for all of June & July next year. Our Camper Road tax expires at the end of June. This must be a common enough occurrence, what is the drill? Not sure if I can renew online without reminder? DVLA site says they can post to address abroad which is no help as have no idea where we will be.
I'm sure if I contact DVLA they will tell me I must not drive on UK roads without displaying Tax disc. 
I'm perfectly happy to pay for the tax but how do I arrange it? 
As an afterthought is it worth applying for refund if I am out of the country? Unfortunately Journey out is planned for June 1 but return is August 2.

Brendan


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## thieawin (Jun 7, 2006)

You must have current UK Road Fund Tax to drive legally in France whilst visiting, so you cannot surrender and get refund.

You can renew early, by two months, I think.

Go online or visit local office

Tax in advance
You can renew your tax up to two calendar months in advance in person or by post at a Post Office® branch that deals with advance applications or a Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) local office.

Take or send:

Registration Certificate 
completed V10 ‘Vehicle licence application’ 
insurance certificate or cover note – must be valid when the tax disc comes into force 
valid MOT certificate - if the car or motorcycle is over three years old - must be valid when the tax disc comes into force 
the payment for vehicle tax 
a letter to explain why you’re taxing in advance if you’re making a postal application

As an alternative you can renew on line and have it sent to a fixed address abroad, you will have to be there to pick it up. You can renew up to 15 days in advance. That may mean staying still for a few days

Better still is to get a friend to renew at a DVLA or post office, they ring you, tell you they have disc and then you tell them which camp site adress to send to, In Europe most mail is reliable and only takes 48 hours. especially to France. If in doubt pay £50 to have it couriered by DHL or TNT, 24 hour.


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## 89017 (May 11, 2005)

This happened to us.
We go away every year during the months of June and part of July but it coincided with our road fund licence running out at the end of June.
What I did to overcome it was to to get a refund on the balance of the licence at the end of April and relicenced it for 12 months to start the beginning of May.
Bob


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## devonidiot (Mar 10, 2006)

You can renew your road tax on line using the information on your vehicle registration document.

I mislaid my reminder and used this method, the on line form shows how to do this.


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## 2kias (Sep 18, 2006)

We had the same problem with one of our cars. Just renewed for 6 months which moved the renewal date.


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

brendan said:


> As an afterthought is it worth applying for refund if I am out of the country?


As has been mentioned, you can easily obtain a vehicle excise licence renewal via DVLA's website - providing your MoT and insurance details show on their database electronically - but don't forget you must display the tax disc in your windscreen whilst abroad, otherwise you might as well not have road tax as far as foreign law enforcement agencies are concerned.

Dougie.


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

asprn said:


> As has been mentioned, you can easily obtain a vehicle excise licence renewal via DVLA's website


The problem is: how do you get the tax disc?

Gerald


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

geraldandannie said:


> The problem is: how do you get the tax disc?


In the post, which is the deficiency with this option if you're abroad.

Dougie.


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

Much the easiest is to surrender the licence at the end of April and renew before you go.

That way, if your holiday next year is likely to be in the summer, May onwards, you haven't got the same problem.

We forsaw the problem a few years ago. Took out 6 months at renewal time then surrendered it 2 months early to give us a convenient time for future renewals. It is now end of Feb. when we are never likely to be away in France.


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## brendan (May 9, 2005)

*Renewing tax disc while abroad*

Many thanks for all help on above. I spoke to very helpful chap at DVLA who confirmed that I can renew up to 2 months in advance at appropriate PO , ( my nearest at Fareham about 25 miles away).
I couldnt quite get the exact details from DVLA website. 
I understand I can make written application but may just pop in.

Might just get 6 month road tax so that next renewal falls midwinter. We don't tend to take camper abroad in the winter.
Brendan


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

*Re: Renewing tax disc while abroad*



brendan said:


> .....DVLA who confirmed that I can renew up to 2 months in advance at appropriate PO


Never knew that - in fact, our local postmaster (of a grizzly disposition :evil recently had a go at me for trying to renew one day too early. I'll wind him up with this later then. 

Dougie.


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## brendan (May 9, 2005)

*Tax renewal*

I think the critical point here is "appropriate Post Office" only a relatively small number of Crown Post office can issue the disc early, otherwise it's not before the 15th of the month at your local office or on line on receipt of you renewal form.
DVLA website has list of the offices authorised for early renewal.

Brendan


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