Vehicle Tax Changes from October 2014

22 August 2014

From 1 October 2014, the paper tax disc will no longer need to be displayed on a vehicle windscreen. Any Underwoods customers who have a tax disc with any months left to run after this date, then it can be removed from the vehicle windscreen and destroyed. You can apply online to tax or SORN your vehicle using your 16 digit reference number from your vehicle tax renewal reminder (V11) or 11 digit reference number from your log book (V5C).

What this means to you
To drive or keep a vehicle on the road you will still need to get vehicle tax and DVLA will still send you a renewal reminder when your vehicle tax is due to expire. This applies to all types of vehicles including those that are exempt from payment of vehicle tax.

Buying a vehicle
From 1 October 2014, when you buy a vehicle, the vehicle tax will no longer be transferred with the vehicle. Underwoods customers will need to get new vehicle tax before you can use the vehicle.

Underwoods customers can tax the vehicle using the New Keeper Supplement (V5C/2) part of the vehicle registration certificate (V5C) online or by using our automated phone service - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Just ask your Underwoods Representative for assistance in this matter.

Alternatively, you may wish to visit a Post Office® branch.

Selling a vehicle
If you sell a vehicle after 1 October 2014 and you have notified DVLA, you will automatically get a refund for any full calendar months left on the vehicle tax.

Vehicle tax refunds
Underwoods customers will no longer need to make a separate application for a refund of vehicle tax. DVLA will automatically issue a refund when a notification is received from the person named on DVLA vehicle register that the:

• vehicle has been sold or transferred
• vehicle has been scrapped at an Authorised Treatment Facility
• vehicle has been exported
• vehicle has been removed from the road and the person on the vehicle register has made a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN)
• person on the vehicle register has changed the tax class on the vehicle to an exempt duty tax class

Paying vehicle tax by Direct Debit
From 1 October 2014 (5 October if setting up at a Post Office®), Direct Debit will be offered as an additional way to pay for vehicle tax. This will be available for all Underwoods customers who need to tax their vehicle from 1 November 2014:

• annually
• 6 monthly
• monthly (12 months tax paid for on a monthly basis)

Provided an MOT remains valid on your vehicle, the payments will continue automatically until you tell DVLA to stop taking them or you cancel the Direct Debit with your bank.

The Direct Debit will be cancelled and payments automatically stopped when you tell DVLA that you no longer have the vehicle, or the vehicle has been taken off the road and a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) has been made.

When the Direct Debit scheme can’t be used

Paying by Direct Debit will not be available to Underwoods customers with:

• first registration vehicles
• fleet schemes
• HGVs (paying the Road User Levy)

You can contact your Local Underwoods Branch in Colchester (01206 844422), Clacton (01255 222444), Tiptree (01621 817781) and Sudbury (01787 372301).