How quickly does car tax update on private sale?

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Fri 26 Mar 2021 23:54
How quickly does car tax update on private sale? - MazzaGee

If a used car is bought privately, one is supposed to immediately tax it in order to drive it home.

But, thinking about it, if the V5 slip hasn't even been posted at the point of sale/ownership, surely there would be a few days until DVLA have received and processed the change?

I wouldn't normally be such a scrimper, but with tax being tied to the start of the month, it would make a lot of sense to wait a few days and tax from the start of the next month!

Any thoughts or experience of this? If the vehicle shows up as taxed on DVLA website, does it matter whose name that tax is in for the purposes of police cams etc?

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Sat 27 Mar 2021 00:12
How quickly does car tax update on private sale? - Big John

A car is bought/sold on a specific date and that is filled in on the v5. Technically as soon as a car is sold it is untaxed - if you drive it home you will pass APNR cameras etc. Also once home if not on SORN you own an untaxed car - all of which could trigger something nasty in the post.

When I sold a car privately last year the change of owner/v5 was done online so immediate,

Edited by Big John on 27/03/2021 at 00:19

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Sat 27 Mar 2021 00:27
How quickly does car tax update on private sale? - MazzaGee

A car is bought/sold on a specific date and that is filled in on the v5. Technically as soon as a car is sold it is untaxed - if you drive it home you will pass APNR cameras etc. Also once home if not on SORN you own an untaxed car - all of which could trigger something nasty in the post.

When I sold a car privately last year the change of owner/v5 was done online so immediate,

I see, I was thinking in terms of the old fashioned 'papers in the post' scenario. Of course, doing it online could cause issues with APNR cams I agree. I guess it would depend (in the paper case) whether DVLA look at the purchase dates and whether they match up with the tax/SORN dates. One would hope they're not so scrupulous but if sod's law is anything to go by....

I'd better just tax it and curse the daft monthly system which makes no sense!

Cheers

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Sat 27 Mar 2021 08:53
How quickly does car tax update on private sale? - skidpan

But, thinking about it, if the V5 slip hasn't even been posted at the point of sale/ownership, surely there would be a few days until DVLA have received and processed the change?

Any thoughts or experience of this? If the vehicle shows up as taxed on DVLA website, does it matter whose name that tax is in for the purposes of police cams etc?

There is a special number on the V5C for the new owner to use when taxing the vehicle. Its quite clear what to do and not doing this is an offence.

Every year I go through a similar scenario with the Caterham. I SORN it late October and normally tax it in April (lockdown rules permitting) but I only tax it on the morning I first use the car, a few Aprils have had snow so no point taxing it and not using it. The car is therefore on the road within 1 hour of being on the DVLA site and the info probably has not got through to the Police ANPR system by then. Not an issue though, the DVLA sent an e-mail to my phone confirming payment which I would show the police if stopped.

Simples.

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Sat 27 Mar 2021 09:33
How quickly does car tax update on private sale? - Andrew-T

I have thought about a way to avoid DVLA being paid twice for the overlapping month. Seller SORNs the car late in the month, buyer taxes it on the first of the following month. In between, the vehicle is notionally on a transporter from seller to buyer.

I haven't tried to put it into practice yet, and probably never will now, but it might be worth a try :-)

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Sat 27 Mar 2021 09:45
How quickly does car tax update on private sale? - Bromptonaut

At what rate would one pay car tax to make this sort of jiggery pokery even vaguely worthwhile. If DVLA are processing paper forms then I'm pretty sure the system would flag up any 'missing' months and probably sleight of hand with SORN would too. Buying the car in March but registering the change on 01 April simply moves the loss from purchaser to seller.

For the vast majority it's quick and easy to do it on line when the sale occurs.

Yes, I understand Skidpan's position with a leisure car only used in summer is different.

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Sat 27 Mar 2021 09:47
How quickly does car tax update on private sale? - skidpan

I have thought about a way to avoid DVLA being paid twice for the overlapping month. Seller SORNs the car late in the month, buyer taxes it on the first of the following month. In between, the vehicle is notionally on a transporter from seller to buyer.

I haven't tried to put it into practice yet, and probably never will now, but it might be worth a try :-)

Slight issue. if you SORN on line there has to be a 5 day gap before you can retax the car online. You can however go to your local Post Office (assuming you have one) and retax it at the counter immediately.

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Sat 27 Mar 2021 09:56
How quickly does car tax update on private sale? - RT

I have thought about a way to avoid DVLA being paid twice for the overlapping month. Seller SORNs the car late in the month, buyer taxes it on the first of the following month. In between, the vehicle is notionally on a transporter from seller to buyer.

I haven't tried to put it into practice yet, and probably never will now, but it might be worth a try :-)

That only works legally if the vehicle is parked on private property during the SORN period, or with all 4 wheels on a trailer/transporter - it can't be used if the vehicle is parked on public highway.

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Sat 27 Mar 2021 10:04
How quickly does car tax update on private sale? - _

The last two cheap cars that i sold for elderly friends, I drove them to the new owners home address while still taxed insured and MOT'd.

Then immediately did transfer online.

After that, new owners did what they wanted.

Edited by _ORB_ on 27/03/2021 at 10:05

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Sat 27 Mar 2021 12:04
How quickly does car tax update on private sale? - Andrew-T

<< That only works legally if the vehicle is parked on private property during the SORN period, or with all 4 wheels on a trailer/transporter - it can't be used if the vehicle is parked on public highway. >>

Yes, but it looks like a valid arrangement, unless a SORNed car can only be retaxed by the same owner. As things are now, DVLA gets double VED for any month when a car changes hands, which I think is a low-key swindle. It didn't happen until recently, as any remaining tax could be 'sold' with the car, and the residue of the current month always remained in effect.

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