# Returning to UK taxed but without disk query



## Lesleykh (Apr 13, 2009)

Hi,

Our tax expires while we're away. We know we can renew it online, but we can't see how we'll receive the tax disk while travelling which means we'll be returning to the UK taxed but without the disk in our van.

From our reading of the DVLA website it sounds like we'll be committing an offence by driving without a valid disk displayed, even though the tax has been paid. 

Has anyone done this? Does anyone know for certain what the rules are? Are there tax disk recognition cameras at Dover performing automated checks these days?

What have others done in this situation? Any suggestions?

Cheers - Lesley


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## Bryandh (Oct 6, 2010)

Silly perhaps, If you have internet access, pay online, print receipt, but suggest leave old disc in place and put receipt/note in window (as in days gone bye) "Tax disc in Post".................then cross fingers and toes :wink: 

Good luck


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## motormouth (Jul 3, 2010)

It is an offence not to display a current tax disc. You would be pretty unlucky however to get a fine if you explained the situation to any police officer who happerned to stop you. I think they would take the view that filling out all the paperwork wouldn't be worth the hassle if your tax disc was waiting at home for you. They can also check straight away these days if any vehicle is taxed, insured and MOT'd.


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

well if there are any cameras they didn't pick me up last October!

Ours ran out at the end of September, but we couldn't renew more than 30 days in advance (you can't just use a regular post office to renew, despite being told this by somebody, and rolling in to the main PO in Bognor with all the papers only to find that I would have to go to Portsmouth for it :roll: ). 
If you're away for a longer time it is possibly best to cash in the old tax disc & get a new one; you would lose a bit of money but at least you would be legal. :roll:


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

I agree with previous poster. Buy it online. APNR cameras read the number plate so as long as you've bought a new tax disk then you won't be triggering them.


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## grizzlyj (Oct 14, 2008)

Hi

If the tax disc gets sent to a UK address, could it then be forwarded to an address of your choice?

So pick a campsite perhaps? Or find out the address of a post office somewhere you know you will be and send it Post Restante?

I would also assume cameras etc wouldn't pick you up as being untaxed, but if it is an offence to not display it then you may end up being unlucky?

Jason


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## grizzlyj (Oct 14, 2008)

Sorry, forgot to also ask, are you away now then?

We'll be away when ours expires in May, but I'm buying a new one and getting a refund on the old ones remaining whole months.

Jason


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## Tobysmumndad (Nov 12, 2007)

*Taxing in Advance*

You can tax up to two months in advance. The relevant DVLA website page: Taxing in Advance

We did this for the motorhome and Smart car. The local DVLA office will require a short explanatory letter e.g: "I am taxing this vehicle in advance because I shall be abroad with it when the current tax disc expires."


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## Lesleykh (Apr 13, 2009)

Yes, we're away now. In Greece - Finnikounda. 

We'll have to think where we might be able to get it sent. We don't tend to stay on campsites for too long. 

We'd rather not technically break the law, but this might be one of those times where we have to chance it and hope not to come across a jobsworth!

Thanks for your advice, guys.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

It is an offense not to display a current tax disc, but your reason is quite understandable so with a bit of luck and a dash of common sense fro the Police you will be OK. Also the cameras check your number plate against the data base at Swansea to see if the vehicle is taxed. If it is taxed the camera will see that you are and you will not be picked out and stopped. The camera will not know or care whether the disc you are displaying is valid. I would not worry too much. 

In the past I have re-taxed online and had the new disc sent to my home address and then forwarded to me to where we are staying in Spain, Alan.


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## Bryandh (Oct 6, 2010)

As a previous poster wrote ANPR, wherever it is used, at landing port or on the road will identify you as having paid your RF (presuming you do so before returning) your only problem would be a "jobsworth" and we all know there are plenty about. Providing you have proof of payment then in your circumstances I would not worry to much about a "technical" breach of the law.................... enjoy your trip instead of worrying, time for that when you come back IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT !!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: 
(Sorry for caps)


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## camallison (Jul 15, 2009)

We had a similar situation returning from Germany, and ANPR cameras didn't pick us up, but a police patrol car in motorway services did! He saw an out-of-date tax disc and came over to "nick" us. When I explained, and showed the print-out, he simply checked online from his car, and wished us a pleasant onward journey.

I obviously met a patrolman who applied common sense. He didn't lecture us, just wished us well.

Colin


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## Patty123 (Oct 4, 2010)

You can apply in advance by post or at a local DVLA office if you are going to be away when your disc expires.


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## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

As it has been said it's an offence not to display, done it and got the tee shirt,I didn't display for 15 minutes and got done outside the local tax office, I removed the disc from my car because I had to hand it over to have it changed to a cherished plate, 15 frinking minutes

Barstewards

Loddy


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Snap Loddy. I picked a new car up from a dealer and drove to the local tax office. I parked outside, leaving a friend in the car to fend off any Traffic Wardens if necessary. I went in taxed the new car and came out again to find my friend trying to stop a warden who was writing a ticket for me. I produced the tax disc to be told that she had started writing the ticket and that was an end to the matter. Jobsworth. I did eventually manage to get the ticket rescinded though.

It's not much wonder we become distrustful of law enforcers when they behave like that, Alan.


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

I surmise from the two previous posts that the local tax office is a lucrative haunt for traffic wardens and others who are similarly incentivised. I guess the trick is to park a few hundreds yards away.


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## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

You can also tax 2 months in advance in a Post Office with V10 form, see DVLA website,There are ANPR cameras at all ferry prots and on the exit lane from channel tunnel but as previously stated these only read number plates so you would be shown as taxed 
I did have a similar problem last year when in Spain and Emailed the DVLA for their view.They said that as far as they would be concerned the vehicle would be taxed.
Although it is an offence not to display a valid disc if this was reported to them by the police or any other person they would be unlikely to take any action as the vehicle tax had been paid and they would only inform the registered keeper that the vehicle had been reported as not displaying a disc.
I wouldnt worry ,you would very unlucky to be reported between the ferry port and your home.I would however print a copy of the Email confirmation from the DVLA that you have paid the tax, it may come in useful.
Also I am sure you will ,but make sure you take the V5 doc with you as you need the doc number on it to renew the tax.


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## JohnWebb (May 1, 2005)

The problem with cashing and retaxing is that our wonderful Civil Service rules make it very difficult. There was a time when you could do this but now you have to SORN it for a minimum of 28 days. The logic totally escapes me but I presume it is a desire to be as controlling as possible with no perceivable benefit to anyone?



bognormike said:


> well if there are any cameras they didn't pick me up last October!
> 
> Ours ran out at the end of September, but we couldn't renew more than 30 days in advance (you can't just use a regular post office to renew, despite being told this by somebody, and rolling in to the main PO in Bognor with all the papers only to find that I would have to go to Portsmouth for it :roll: ).
> If you're away for a longer time it is possibly best to cash in the old tax disc & get a new one; you would lose a bit of money but at least you would be legal. :roll:


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Before the days of internet and e-mail I always used Post Restante.

Is this still available in most European countries?

It is always a bit of a restriction as one has to decide a couple of weeks in advance which one to use and then one's route is fixed - not really my style.

On balance, I think I would risk not having a disc (bit out of date for police with ANPR) so if one travels at night there are not likely to be any traffic wardens around.

Geoff


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

ANPR cameras are NOT linked to the DVLA Road Fund Licence database !!

Thats why you see DVLA vans parked at the roadside with their own tripod mounted cameras that ARE linked to "their" database

(Stated from a position of personal knowledge!!)


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Thank you MrPlodd. How do they decide whether or not a vehicle is taxed? Alan.


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Is it likely that the gendarmerie would show an interest?

From my dealings with them  they don't seem too sympathetic to UK drivers.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Erneboy

All an ANPR camera does is recognise a registration mark, it then needs to interogate a database to cross reference that registration mark against anything in the database.

The ANPR cameras that are on the roadside are linked to the Police National Computer (PNC) to check for stolen vehicles or those that are "of interest" The are NOT connected to the Road Tax database (which is 3 months behind the real world anyway)

The DVLA have their own vehicles and their own ANPR cameras that ARE linked to the VEL database, HOWEVER all they can do is check to see if there is a current VEL IN EXISTANCE :? for that vehicle, they CANNOT tell if its in the windscreen or not !!!


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Mrplodd said:


> Erneboy
> 
> All an ANPR camera does is recognise a registration mark, it then needs to interogate a database to cross reference that registration mark against anything in the database.
> 
> ...


They can certainly pick up no insurance and no MOT.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

MrPlodd, thank you once again. I don't know why you are telling me (with emphasis using capitals and exclamation marks) that these cameras cannot read the tax disc on a windscreen. I posted exactly that a few posts back. 

I also suggested that whether or not vehicles were taxed would be decided by reference to the DVLA database which you now confirm is the case where cameras are interested in road tax. As this topic is about road tax I contend that the information I gave earlier was accurate in the context of this thread.

There is no need to lecture me as though I am a child although, sadly, your attitude is not untypical of many in your profession, Alan.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Well pardon me for trying to be as helpful as possible !!


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

If I have mistaken your intent and meaning I am sorry but given the style of your post you can hardly be surprised that I took it as critical.

How is lecturing me being helpful? How is telling me I am wrong and then repeating exactly what I said being helpful? I am sorry but I missed the helpful element completely. Maybe it was concealed by the capitals, which are normally regarded as shouting in case you didn't know, and the exclamation marks, Alan.


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## Patty123 (Oct 4, 2010)

Sorry BrianJP you cannot renew your disc 2 months in advance at the Post Office, it is either by post or your local DVLA office.


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## asprn (Feb 10, 2006)

erneboy said:


> There is no need to lecture me as though I am a child although, sadly, your attitude is not untypical of many in your profession


Alan, I'm sure many would expect me to post in his defence for the most obvious of reasons, but that's not why I'm doing so - I'd do the same here regardless (almost..) of whoever had posted that reply.

I think you've completely misunderstood the tone of his reply - I read it without any hint of lecture or consescension, and was quite surprised at your response (particularly as you're not given to responding that way).

Incidentally, only VOSA/DVLA prosecute for no tax, and only the Police prosecute for failing to display. Also, ANPR cameras are flexible in what they look for ("flag"). If a force has (say) a no-insurance initiative for a month, they will be set to flag up uninsured motors. Same for MoT, or lots of other intelligence-led stuff. The photographs taken by ANPR cameras are almost irrelevant - it's the data-checking they do against the number plates which counts (I say "almost" - they can be used as evidence of offences, e.g. disqualified driving if the picture is clear enough to identify the driver).

Dougie.


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## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

Sorry Patty123 but you can renew in advance in a Post Office.But not anywhere.
It has to be one designated for advanced licensing.If you look on the DVLA website there is a PDF list you can download of designated Post Offices around the country that can do this.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Thank you Dougie. 

As I said I may have misunderstood the intention but the post was addressed to me and the way it is composed certainly looks like lecturing to me.

In addition the post was pretty well superfluous as it confirmed what I had said about cameras checking if vehicles are taxed but did so in a way which seemed to be correcting me even though it was confirming what I had said.

This matter is between Mrplodd and myself. I am quite happy to apologise without reservation if I was incorrect in my interpretation, only Mrplodd can know what he had in mind when he composed his post, Alan.


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Can I ask again?

Would the traffic police in France, Germany etc have an issue with a UK vehicle driving around without a current tax disc.
Do they know and understand what a UK tax disc is.

And if you were stopped by foreign police for infringing road tax laws would your vehicle be impounded until you had legalised it.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Erneboy

It would appear that I have given the wrong impression in my initial post  . 

I was certainly not trying to lecture anyone, just trying to clarify the points as I saw them, and give as much info as was able to.. 

Being of a certain age now I sometimes lose track of what others have said in previous post and double up on what they have said. It would seem this is one of those occasions

Dougie,

Thanks for your comments, you seem to have read it as I had intended it to be read.

Lets all chill a bit here eh ?/

(please note, no capitals, no exclamation marks just a few smileys :wink:


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

In that case please accept my unreserved apology Mrplodd, clearly I misunderstood and should have asked what you meant instead of jumping straight in. Live and learn, no lasting harm done I hope, Alan.


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## Patty123 (Oct 4, 2010)

Sorry it was be just Post Offices that deal with MVL's by post because I work in a large Post Office and we do not issue advance disc's, we always refer customers to the local DVLA offices .


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## Phil42 (Apr 4, 2006)

For me, this thread raises the question: Why do we still have tax discs in the twenty first century when police etc can check in seconds whether a car is taxed? If they want to try and catch people who haven't paid their tax, a more efficient method might be to do random online checks. All a bit nineteenth century .

And as for authorities abroad, why would they need to know if a car from U.K. is taxed?

Phil


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## Phil42 (Apr 4, 2006)

And while I'm here, what about those ridiculous things you have to buy at borders and stick on the inside of you windscreen? A devil of a job to get the thing and the sticky stuff off and I can't think that cameras can spot them.

In Hungary, you pay the required fee and then keep your receipt. Allegedly, cameras check foreign number plates to see if you've paid. Makes a lot of sense.

Phil


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## DJMotorhomer (Apr 15, 2010)

Hi

What would happen in our case,where we are selling the house to tour Europe for at least 12 months and will have no HOME address for DVLA to send a tax disc to or to come back too, and no next of kin to forward it on ?

Dave & Jan 8O 8O


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## waz (Jan 5, 2008)

Phil42 said:


> And while I'm here, what about those ridiculous things you have to buy at borders and stick on the inside of you windscreen? A devil of a job to get the thing and the sticky stuff off and I can't think that cameras can spot them.
> 
> In Hungary, you pay the required fee and then keep your receipt. Allegedly, cameras check foreign number plates to see if you've paid. Makes a lot of sense.
> 
> Phil


I lived in Hungary Phil and there system is, as you say, very up to date

Waz


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## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

Thats easy.
If you dont give the DVLA a new address when you sell up ,then the new owners of your property are going to get any communications regarding your vehicle.You will have to give the DVLA an address somewhere in the UK !!!!


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## DJMotorhomer (Apr 15, 2010)

Hi Brian

What then if we never come back, wot then :roll: 

Dave & Jan


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