I'm going to view a car tonight that has MOT but no road tax. It is registered SORN, and has been in the owners garage for 2 months. It was bought as a runabout while the owner did a classic car restoration project and is no longer needed. This is a private sale.
If I decide to buy the car, what steps do myself & the seller need to take to get the car taxed? If I buy the car, obviously I would be willing to tax it from that day forward.
Possible scenario:
* I buy the car, the seller fills in vehicle registration document and sends it off.
* I ring up my insurers and get insured for the car.
* I ring up DVLA, or use the web site, and arrange 6 months road tax.
* I return pick up the car and drive off into the sunset.
Presumably, the seller has to fill in a SORN form and send it in to the DVLA.
Thanks
Mike
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The current SORN automatically expires when the car changes hands. No form to fill in.
The seller gives you the green slip from the V5 - you can take that to the PO and tax or re-SORN - you might not be able to re-tax online until the database is updated with your insurance details, whereas you can at the PO as soon as you get the insurance cetrtificate.
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Thanks. So the process is:
* Buy the car and get the V5 slip & MOT certificate
* Arrange insurance (on the phone)
* Arrange road tax (on the web)
* Drive off
Mike
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You can't tax the car at PO unless you have the original insurance certificate! Although you can arrange insurance over phone you need to wait 1-2 days to get the certificate by post. Only then you can tax it at PO.
You can't tax online immediately after buying a car as insurance database won't be updated.
Edited by movilogo on 10/09/2008 at 15:05
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How can the car be roadtested while it is SORNed?
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You can't roadtest it without tax, but you could book it for an MoT, and drive it to the MoT, and see how the car "went" on the journey.
It would of course need to be insured throughout.
Many insurance cos. will dispatch the docs by 1st class recorded delivery for a small fee. I think mine charged £6.00.
Edited by oldnotbold on 10/09/2008 at 15:22
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It cannot as use on a public road would be without an Excise Licence. There is no exemption for this under VERA.
Look at SORN as DVLA's record of what is happening to the vehicle in that it is currently taxed or on SORN (renewable annually or on C of O).
Also whereas one has to declare on form SORN then when one taxes the vehicle this is sufficient to remove SORN - no other action required.
Only time you can use a vehicle on a road under SORN is going to/returning from a booked MOT.
dvd
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So I can't road test the car.
But if I decide to buy it, I can arrange road tax by phone or internet, a couple of days or so after arranging insurance over the phone...is this correct?
Mike
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The offence is failing to display a tax disc, so however you arrange, you need it to drive away.
That's why it makes sense to arrange insurance, get docs express-mailed, go to collect car, pay, get V5, and go to PO asap after collection.
I think you need the ref no. from the V5/green slip to tax online/by phone.
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Once you can advise DVLA/Post Office that you are the owner of the vehicle, have an Insurance Certificate to cover you to drive and a valid MOT certificate plus cash then an Excise Licence can be issued and once displayed on your vehicle the world is your oyster.
If you do it on line then until such time as you receive the disc from DVLA any use on a road could be an offence as there is a requirement at all time to display a current Licence.
dvd
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Tax it at the post office will be the quickest way. Do not test drive the car or use the going for an MOT trick as when you decide to drive back you do not have a new MOT pass or fail slip in your possession, and crap sometimes happens Regards Peter
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So, I need a hard copy insurance certificate if I want to get a disc from the PO. This will take a few days to go through.
And if I tax it online, I can just quote my insurance details. But I will have to wait for the disc to come in the post.
Mike
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Exactly.
Proviso DVLA : providing your Insurance Co has notified MIB so that the Insurance data base has been updated for DVLA to come up with a good check.
dvd
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You cannot test drive it for two reasons. It's not taxed and you don't have insurance either. The latter could be sorted out as temporary cover via say Norwich Union for about £10.20 but you still need tax. Driving it uninsured and getting caught comes with 6-8 points and upto (means tested) £5000 fine.
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>This will take a few days to go through
Ask if they'll send same day by 1st class recorded delivery - my ins co charge £6.00 for this.
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If the seller's insurance is still running, just give him the money for the tax disc and get him to do it at the Post Office.
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So how DO you manage to test a car that is on SORN? Surely no-one would be daft enough to buy a car that has been standing doing nothing for whatever amount of time without trying it first?
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"So how DO you manage to test a car that is on SORN"
I'd have thought the legal answer is you cannot test it on the road.
And so many drivers test drive cars they are not insured to drive either but get away because the vehicle itself shows up as insured.
To test drive:
1. It needs to be taxed.
2. Driver (not the owner) needs insurance.
Otherwise couldn't I go without insurance and test drive someone's Ferrari and have an accident? I have no personal insurance in a company car.
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You don't quote your insurance details when you tax it online, the DVLA check the Insurance database and if you've only just insured the vehicle, the details will not be on the database yet. You will have to tax it at the PO.
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