Taxing camper early?

[davew]

We leave for Spain on 24th Jan and will return around 14th March.

 

Our camper tax runs out at the end of February. Its taxed as "disabled".

 

Can I tax it before we go? It seems that the alternative would be to do it when we arrive back but do not like the idea of driving the 1400 miles back without tax.

 

Any suggestions? Thanks

 

 

[Robinhood]

You can tax up to two months in advance (but not online I don't think).

See

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/HowToTaxYourVehicle/DG_4022052

[Tony Jones]

davew - 2010-12-30 12:31 PM

 

It seems that the alternative would be to do it when we arrive back but do not like the idea of driving the 1400 miles back without tax.

 

 

Hi Dave

I wouldn't like to do that either - your vehicle is only legal in other EU countries BECAUSE it's legal in the UK. While your average local French or Spanish copper would PROBABLY not understand what our tax disc is all about, I wouldn't want to bet on it. If nothing else, he/she can read the date!

So I wouldn't regard this even as an "alternative." Get it done in advance somehow, for peace of mind if nothing else.

Then have a great time!

 

Tony (trying to remember that envy is a sin!)

[Porky]

Perhaps if any other way is not possible you could loose January and get a refund for February and then tax it from now. Just a thought.

 

Roy Fuller

[Brian Kirby]

Also be aware that there are character recognition cameras around most UK ports, and especially the tunnel, and your van will show up on DVLA's database as untaxed if the software is set to automatically check.  Whether or not this check is automatically made I don't know, but it is a) feasible, b) possible, and c) potentially problematic if refused entry to UK because no valid tax. 

I assume your van is under 3 years old, so MoT is not an issue?  If it were, you may find your insurance becomes invalidated if the certificate is not valid.  Lots to check!

[Barney123]

Hi, Have you got any friends/relatives etc ?????.

Surely if you van has got a valid MOT (if applicable) to cover the period when your Tax is due, you can always leave your friends/relatives the necessary forms/payment and they will tax the van for you when the time arises. They can then forward your new Tax Disc to you somewhere along the line. If they cannot forward it to you, at least its tax'd and all you could get done for on return is "failing to display the disc".

I have done it in the past without any problems, so why cant you ???

 

[Barbarian]

Hi Dave, IMO the best way is to tax it early before you go, as per the first response. You cannot leave it for someone to do in your absence because you must have your original Insurance Certificate and MOT Certificates with you when you travel in case you are required to produce them and you cannot Tax a vehicle with copies, (If you go in the Post Office or local DVLA) you have to produce the originals so you can't leave them behind.

The DVLA website is useful but can be complicated to answer specific questions, DVLA Vehicle Licencing Helpline 09118 140 899 or a Crown Post Office where vehicles can be Taxed will be able to advise on the best way. You really need to resolve this before setting off for your own peace of mind.

Have a great trip.

 

barbarian

[Mel B]

You can defnitely tax up to 2 months in advance, so why not just do it in January:

 

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/HowToTaxYourVehicle/DG_4022052

[johnsandywhite]

B-) We have taxed our Suntor 1 month early for the last 2 years with no problem.

[Frankkia]

The point is that the vehicle is registered disabled therefore the tax is NIL.

 

You can merely tax it from whatever date you want and as the old tax disc and the new one are free it will make no difference in cost.

 

You will have to go to the post office and ask for the appropriate form, taking with you your insurance and V5 and the form DLA 404 (certificate of entitlement to DLA) or exemption certificate WPA0442 (for war pensioners mobility supplement).

[Robinhood]

Frankkia - 2010-12-30 7:19 PM The point is that the vehicle is registered disabled therefore the tax is NIL. You can merely tax it from whatever date you want and as the old tax disc and the new one are free it will make no difference in cost.

Whilst I don't have specific experience of the disabled taxation class, and am ready to be proven wrong, I doubt very much that this is the case.

Whether or not the fee is nothing, specific rules apply to continuity of taxation, and these also appear to apply to vehicles in the 'disabled' class.

I very much doubt you can have two overlapping-dated tax discs, and you need to provide for continuity (or SORN the vehicle).

In theory, you could relinquish the existing tax disc, and then try to re-tax, (there is obviously no financial hit to be taken from a reduced refund) but I doubt the DVLA would allow relinquishing and re-taxing in one go.

As I posted earlier, you can renew up to two months in advance, which would cover the requirement in the OP. The only minor complication I can see here is the 'disabled' class, but if the appropriate documentation for this is available, and valid for the start of the new tax disc, then I can see no problem in taking all the required paperwork off to an appropriate PO and doing it all in advance.

[weldted]

you can tax it at any Crown postoffice not a (sub) up to two months early but you insurance and mot must be current on the day the new tax comes into force.I am doing the same as we will be away when our tax runs out. This information was obtained from the DVLA.

[weldted]

If you want to surrender a tax disc early so you can re tax it for longer there is a slight hitch! there has to be a minimum of 21 days between surrendering the current disc and applying for a new one if you try any earlier you will get the original tax period back Silly as it seems that is what happens it is in the small print.

[Frankkia]

The reason I posted as above is that I rang the DVLA with exactly the same problem - Our vehicle will be due for renewal of the disabled class tax disc on 1st March when we would like to be out of the country.

 

I was told there was no need to surrender the old disc as it was free and therefore not subject to any refund of the unexpired time and that I should merely apply for a new tax disc from any date that was convenient.

 

I will be doing that next week in the hope that we can get away in late January (hospitals, doctors and etc permitting)

[Robinhood]

Frankkia - 2010-12-30 10:20 PM The reason I posted as above is that I rang the DVLA with exactly the same problem - Our vehicle will be due for renewal of the disabled class tax disc on 1st March when we would like to be out of the country. I was told there was no need to surrender the old disc as it was free and therefore not subject to any refund of the unexpired time and that I should merely apply for a new tax disc from any date that was convenient. I will be doing that next week in the hope that we can get away in late January (hospitals, doctors and etc permitting)

In which case (and if you are successful :-) ), I'll quite happily admit to being wrong.

It certainly doesn't look possible for the non-disabled classes, and the DVLA online info for disabled class implied it wouldn't be for that either.

If you're successful, it's probably worthwhile posting a follow-up here, for future info.

Good Luck!

[davew]

Thanks all for taking the trouble to reply.

 

Thanks Frankia as well for the disabled info which I know makes the situation slightly different from others.

 

I'll dig out my DLA form etc and head off down to the post office!

[davew]

If you're successful, it's probably worthwhile posting a follow-up here, for future info.

Good Luck!

Yes, of course, I'll do that.I'm glad I thought about it now rather than later as I now also realise that I need a new form - the old one had been used for 3 years and was "stamped up" (you need a new one every 3 years).... so its telephone call this morning to start the process off again first.

[derek pringle]

Hi,

Having been in the same position the route to go is to attend a local DVLA office as when I tried the post office they informed me that they only receive the actual

discs a couple of weeks before the start of each tax month,ie mid Jan. for Feb tax discs, so you only gain 2 weeks advance. Also, when I phond DVLA office they informed me to do the tax online I had to wait for renewal notice which would have enabling ref. no.

hope this helps

derek

[Robinhood]

derek pringle - 2010-12-31 9:15 AM Hi, Having been in the same position the route to go is to attend a local DVLA office as when I tried the post office they informed me that they only receive the actual discs a couple of weeks before the start of each tax month,ie mid Jan. for Feb tax discs, so you only gain 2 weeks advance. Also, when I phond DVLA office they informed me to do the tax online I had to wait for renewal notice which would have enabling ref. no. hope this helps derek

There are only a very limited number of PO branches that deal with advance applications (the list is on the directgov link already posted).

Was it one of these you tried?

For info to Davew - The Main PO counter in Nottingham is on the list, as is the one in Derby.

The DVLA office in Nottingham is also a possibility.

[Stuart]

I did this a couple of years ago. I had to go to the DVLA office (Lincoln) with the documents and a letter to state why I needed to do it early, just said the vehicle would be out of the country, no problems. They seem to do it often enough.

 

HTH

 

Stuart.

[Keith T]

I changed the date of the Tax disc last year so that it would clear the time when we would be away, and just took the old one in for a refund and got a new one from teh start of teh following month - our local PO still does Vehicle discs.

This year I may have a problem with the Mot though - this is due on 11th July, and we normally go off to france mid-May and come back to Uk around 15th July... - I assume that onlyway wil lbe to forgo a month (maybe 2) of the MOT?

Any other ways round this one??

[Keith T]

I changed the date of the Tax disc last year so that it would clear the time when we would be away, and just took the old one in for a refund and got a new one from teh start of teh following month - our local PO still does Vehicle discs.

This year I may have a problem with the Mot though - this is due on 11th July, and we normally go off to france mid-May and come back to Uk around 15th July... - I assume that onlyway wil lbe to forgo a month (maybe 2) of the MOT?

Any other ways round this one??

[Keith T]

I changed the date of the Tax disc last year so that it would clear the time when we would be away, and just took the old one in for a refund and got a new one from teh start of teh following month - our local PO still does Vehicle discs.

This year I may have a problem with the Mot though - this is due on 11th July, and we normally go off to france mid-May and come back to Uk around 15th July... - I assume that onlyway wil lbe to forgo a month (maybe 2) of the MOT?

Any other ways round this one??

[Keith T]

sorry for the triple post...thought it hadnt gone at all!!

[derek pringle]

Robinhood,

Sorry but not sure. I went to the local main P.O where I used to go before taxing online. As others I taxed for just 6 months knowing I was likely to be around when the tax was next due. Must say I was in and out of the DVLA office quicker than I would probably be in the P.O.

derek