Road Tax

[alexanderd]

Excuse my ignorance but now that it is not necessary to show a tax disc I keep reading that people are having trouble trying to register their cars. does this mean everyone has to register or just those whose road tax is now due. My car is taxed till july 2015

[sunny-dave]

Only if your tax is due.

[Milvus]

only those renewing their expired road tax

[sunny-dave]

You'll get a reminder as usual, about three weeks before the current tax runs out.

They may have fixed the system by then ... possibly :)

[alexanderd]

Thanks folks, I thought that was the case but wasnt sure

[EDDIE51]

I heard that now with the 'No tax disc' car tax you will have an option to pay car tax in monthly instalments by direct debit. I do not suppose this is true so did I mishear ? I thought it sounded unworkable when I heard it.

[Baldric]

Eddie, it's in this Link

///The DVLA will still send renewal reminders when tax is due to expire and there will be a new option to pay monthly by Direct Debit///.

http://www.hertsandessexobserver.co.uk/Advice-drivers-DVLA-scraps-paper-tax-discs/story-23020805-detail/story.html

[EDDIE51]

Thanks, that may explain why the system crashed on the first day due to demand. It must be people hoping to 'pay monthly' which does seem a good idea.

[sunny-dave]

The 'pay monthly' option doesn't start until November - so expect the system to crash again then ...

[Hopkirk]

I would presume you will only be able to change to monthly payments at your next renewal.

[sunny-dave]

Yes Hoppy - with a 5% surcharge for the benefit of doing so.

[gingejbee]

I'm interested in how the change affects people (like me) with zero-rated cars...nothing to show and nothing to pay...but, presumably, still have to do SOMETHING online?

[Mick-the-Miller]

The computer system got overwhelmed yesterday apparently due to people not realising that they can still renew their tax at the Post Office, tens of thousands of people all tried to used the DVLA site and it became overwhelmed.

I can't help but think this change has not been adequately explained to the public - I think there should have been television adverts and a more widespread advertising campaign. I expect they'll muddle through the problems as usual.

[Baldric]

///I would presume you will only be able to change to monthly payments at your next renewal///

As your current disc was paid for up-front, there is nothing more to pay until renewal time, so a fairly safe bet I suspect!

[ToraToraTora]

yes ginge just do what you have done up to now, use the reminder, renew on line and pay nothing, you just won't have an actual disc. You must still renew or sorn though even though you don't pay.

[malagabob]

And the Government will earn an estimated 450 million a year from people selling their cars and losing non refundable months tax and the new owner having to pay for.