In the 90s I ran a car showroom so any cars I purchased for resale I drove on trade plates. Before I started the garage though, I registered every car I bought for resale in my own name and taxed each car. This caused quite a delay in turning around stock as occasionally, back then, it took 6 weeks to receive the new log book in my name. I am considering buying and selling cars in my spare time but I do not expect to sell enough to qualify for trade plates again.

When I sold my own personal car last year, the guy who bought it produced a tax disc by only using the green slip.

I have been reading the registration document of my own car (V5 dated March 2011) and I see on the back of the green slip that it is now possible to tax a car once using the green slip only. Is this correct as when my dad bought a car with the green slip only (due to a previous cherished plate) he had to go to the local vehicle registration office 25 miles away to get it taxed.

In a nutshell, is it possible for me to tax a car I purchase for resale by just using the green slip? Will this allow me to sell the car taxed without registering it in my own name? I will get part time trader's insurance which covers any vehicle.

I note that the green slip will not produce a registration document so even if the Post Office take the green slip from me am I right in thinking the car will not be registered in my name? Is it possible to get the tax disc without filling in my details on the green slip?

I’d imagine that if I keep the car for more than a few weeks I should register it in my own name but if I only have it for a few weeks (and of course it will be registered to me in the trade on the yellow part) it would be great if I can offer the car taxed, with the full log book and without an extra keeper. I see there are quite a few trade advertised cars online with 12 months tax and 1 owner so I’d imagine those guys have taxed the car without registering it in their own name (unless they are being economical with the truth about it being 2 owners!)

It’s not the end of the world if I have to register every car in my own name when I tax it (after all, I was used to doing this in the 90s and an extra owner isn’t going to be a massive issue if I’m selling cars that are at least 4 years old) but if I am able to get the tax disc without sending off the logbook until I sell the car that would be great.

Greatly appreciate any feedback/experience