What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
Delivering an untaxed car to mainland Europe - jeff80

My job is to deliver cars using trade plates (ie. driven movements – not transported). I have only ever delivered cars in the UK up to now but I have recently been asked to deliver one to Spain. The problem I have is that the vehicle is not taxed. Obviously my trade plates will enable me to get as far as the Eurotunnel but once I am in France I’m not sure how I stand with regards to tax… Can anyone advise?

Ps. I will have insurance and the vehicle is roadworthy with a full MOT so these things will not be an issue – it’s just the tax I’m concerned about.

Delivering an untaxed car to mainland Europe - focussed

I live in France and have bought cars in the UK and have exported them and registered them here for my own use - and they were untaxed when leaving the UK.

I don't think that the lack of UK vehicle tax is going to get either french or spanish police excited,

For a start. how would they know whether the vehicle you are delivering is taxed or not? There is no tax disc to display any more and I doubt that they have been granted access to the hallowed portals of the DVLA database.

UK road tax is levied for the doubtful privilege of driving on UK roads and has no relevance once you are outside the UK.

But - be very sure that you have proper cast -iron insurance that names you as the driver, they are very hot on that over here.

And don't forget to carry all your original paperwork - V5 - licence- insurance- mot - personal id - passport - and some sort of authorisation to be delivering the vehicle - otherwise you could be enjoying prison food for a couple of days until they sort it out - remember - they don't do police bail over here!

Delivering an untaxed car to mainland Europe - Vitesse6

Road tax is relevant in France, to legally use a UK registered car abroad it must be taxed, insured and MOT'd as if it were in the UK. You do see lots of UK reg cars in Brittany with French insurance and CT stickers in the windscreen. The local police don't seem too concerned about this but if the car is involved in an accident or similar the police interest may increase dramatically.

You have to ask yourself is it worth the risk to save someone else some money?

Delivering an untaxed car to mainland Europe - JEREMYH

Dont do a cheap job charge the customer the going rate to trailer it down Im in the logistics game and I dont like people breaking the law to undercut us

The rule of thumb in Europe is the car is legal if it complies with the law in its registered country