A friend is currently planning to tour Europe for two or three years in a camper van. He does not have any specific route or timetable. If he leaves with a full years MOT and Tax, what does he have to do when they run out ? Does he have to have the "MOT" done where ever he happens to be at the time, and register the vehicle in that country (although he will not have a fixed address there), or is he expected to return to this country every year just to test and tax it ?
Any advice or experience welcomed.
Regards, Adam
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Adam,
Thankfully, once your friend has crossed the channel, UK mot (why don't they call it a d.o.e.?) and tax become an irrelevance, and are not looked for by continental police.
In fact, it would pay to try and arrange for the tax to be nearly expired on leaving Dover, or wherever. Then throw away the disc on reaching foreign soil. (A blank screen would be perfectly acceptable with a GB plated car/camper, but displaying an expired ticket might just provoke a response).
Naturally, the camper shold be kept in roadworthy condition, or the police anywhere would become interested, but as a touring Brit, you do not have to comply with any local certification scheme.
So there are some motoring freedoms left.
There are procedures in place for when your lucky friend returns to the white cliffs with no tax or mot to allow these to be obtained again, and it would normally be considered reasonable to get back home before worrying about them.
Regards.
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Adam
I think LeZebre is broadly correct about what happens in practice although in the event of a serious legal mishap with another vehicle or persons, questions could be asked about the roadworthiness of the vehicle and the absence of a valid MOT might be questioned. It would be helpful to get receipted service work carried out occasionally rather than rely totally on DIY if this is a concern.
On a multi-country trek through Europe, North and West Africa some years ago, I found the only documents asked for at police/army checks were for ownership and insurance. On the latter, I found it impossible to get insurance cover at that time for a trip of more than six months, and subsequently bought short-term insurance where required and available at borders (i.e. Turkey, Algeria). It might be worthwhile also checking with the insurance provider, if based in the UK, that they understand the vehicle will be well maintained but not necessarily undergoing an MOT-type test.
Hopefully, someone will have more up-to-date info.
David
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Interesting point this.
Excise Licence. What is the effect on SORN? DVLA tells us that by law you must license your vehicle or make a SORN declaration if you do not intended to use the vehicle on a public road. You will not be using it on a public road in UK when the Licence expires so it would seem a SORN declararion would be applicable.
Silly because you will be elsewhere. Suggest you aquaint the problem to DVLA in writing or E Mail so that you have written proof when you come back.
MOT: Again as an Insurance policy, take the details of a friendly NEARBY Port of Entry MOT Station and then just before your return phone and make a Test Appointment. This will cover the use of the vehicle to the Test Station in UK without a current MOT for the purpose of the test.
DVD.
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SORN: Should have mentioned above that I declared my vehicle as permanently exported,and in fact I did sell it overseas although it was not my original intention. Any DVLA local office will give you a certificate of permanent export free of charge which absolves you from SORN and excise duties. However, re-importing after two-three years would presumably mean it going through the standard import formalities which introduces yet more complications.
Since it is the keeper not the owner who declares SORN perhaps the vehicle should acquire a reliable keeper who will declare SORN while the vehicle is abroad. Quite what can be said as to where it is kept off the public road, I don't know.
Apparently, form V100 which isn't on the DVLA website but can be had from post offices or local DVLA offices covers excise dty on cars taken abroad.
I have a nagging feeling someone is going to tell us that under EU harmonisation rules, cars travelling abroad have to comply with home country regs. The following is from the DVLA website re temporarily importing foreign vehicles:'A visitor to the UK may use a vehicle displaying foreign plates, provided that all taxes (including vehicle excise duty) are paid in their country of origin.'
David
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I believe French vehicles are subject to a "controle technique" which is similar to our MOT. I don't know if it applies to foreign vehicles.
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