New car tax laws

[Viking]

DVLA are currently running a beta service for online tax renewal, so maybe there's some new functionality behind it.

[th3_f15t]

The video in that link in the first post mentions that you can tax a car at point of sale at the same time with the new owners slip.

I agree with Viking, its not a story but something I dont think everyone is aware on. In theory the new system is better and more convenient. I'd even opt for reminders via email only if I could.

[MateyGuv]

To police this new system more road cameras will have the number plate recognition system capability to find people who are not taxed or insured - which is great. But this same system can and is used to track people's movements. Great for keeping us all safe from the worst of society but it's not unreasonable to assume that data of normal motorists could be sold by the DVLA as a revenue stream. They already release personal details of drivers for a fee to anyone who wishes to pay it.  

[Viking]

The DVLA were on the radio the other day explaining the new system.  They use 10 (that's TEN) cars over the whole of the UK to monitor tax avoidance, and also the British Transport Police camera system. The standard Police ANPR system will flag an untaxed car and will allow the Police to pull them over and fine them / take action but is not linked to the DVLA system tfor the purposes of issuing fines automatically. There was no mention of any further cameras being implemented to increase road coverage by DVLA, unless you know different?

[Tfsi_Mike]

This is a non story really. Essentially, the changes are that you no longer get a paper tax disc. You get the option of paying by direct debit if you wish, and instead of selling a car with tax you now have to claim it back at the time of sale (something which I always do anyway).

So, you don't have a tax disc any more, but you still get the reminder through the post. Not really a big change there.

So, you get the option to pay by direct debit, but you can still pay yearly if you wish. Nothing changed there other than a new payment option has been added for the drivers convenience.

So, you get a refund of the tax back when you sell a car, and tax the new one when you buy it. That's no big difference really except for the people who like to give away a few months tax on a car they're selling. Personally, why would you want to do that? Cash it in and have the money in your pocket to pay the tax on your new car. The mechanics of cashing it in and new owner re-taxing it hasn't changed. Only full months tax can be claimed back just the same as before, and if you're taxing a car then you have to tax it from the start of the month. The benefit for the Government (and in reality for all of the road users) is that from now on all cars must be taxed, MOT'd and insured at point of sale, rather than people driving off in a car with some tax on the screen and feck all else. If they're not insured / MOT'd then they won't be able to tax it.

There's no more data being gathered, compiled, or held by DVLA than there was under the outgoing system, so no change there.

My take on it pretty much word for word.

If you can't give away a few months (or more) of tax when selling, get a refund on the tax and if you see fit reduce the price of the car accordingly

The cost of paying by direct debit is supposed to be 5% compared to the 10% we currently pay for buying 6months tax.

Doesn't really bother me apart from the bonus of less clutter on the windscreen.

[th3_f15t]

Our movements, online browsing and activity being sold to advertisers is nothing new. It's been going on since the dawn of advertising, it's just in these modern times data can be collected, analysed and distributed to interested parties (with a fee) within minutes rather than months/years. If we can track Sunday drivers and plot their routes on a map, the rest of us can take a different route to avoid them and their obsessive 35mph everywhere driving.

[MateyGuv]

Or average speed camera's everywhere

[numec]

quick question: what happen if lets say i buy a GTI within this month (before 1st Oct) which taxed til end Jan'15? do i get to keep the tax or need to tax it?

[Tfsi_Mike]

The tax will already be yours befoe the rule change so you will be unaffected

[Golf_GT_TDI]

quick question: what happen if lets say i buy a GTI within this month (before 1st Oct) which taxed til end Jan'15? do i get to keep the tax or need to tax it?

Yep you will get the tax remaining, I'm also looking to buy a car before this time.

[numec]

quick question: what happen if lets say i buy a GTI within this month (before 1st Oct) which taxed til end Jan'15? do i get to keep the tax or need to tax it?

Yep you will get the tax remaining, I'm also looking to buy a car before this time.

i better get the car soon then!