DVLA News
The way car tax is calculated is changing and those affected will be anyone that purchases a brand new car after April 1st 2017. Vehicles that are registered prior to this date will not be affected and the tax rates will remain as they are.
If you decide to buy a brand new car after April 1st 2017 you will pay the first vehicle licence based on your vehicle’s CO2 emmissions and the majority of vehicles will move to the new standard rate of vehicle tax which is £140 a year, however if you buy a brand new car that is over £40,000 at first registration you will pay £450 a year after the first vehicle licence then after 5 years the vehicle tax will revert to the standard rate of £140 a year.
The DVLA have been working with the Motor Industry to ensure that the changes are introduced in a timely way and that the effect will be minimal on customers.
This is the first of many updates that the DVLA are introducing and I will keep you up to date on the progress.
From 3rd December 2015 for a limited time there is the availability to purchase the new’ 16′ series registration numbers. Remember that these registration numbers can only be transferred onto brand new vehicles from 1st March 2016 but can be supplied on a 10 year retention certificate.
If you have a particular ’16 ‘ series cherished registration number that you would like to see is available please contact one of our sales staff on 0116 235 0116 where we will be able to check availability for you.
On our earlier blog posts we informed you about the new changes regarding the vehicle tax laws that came into force on 1st October 2014 yet it seems that some motorists still do not fully understand when they need to tax a vehicle.
The new ruling which came into force on 1st October 2014 was the removal of the paper tax disc. The DVLA stopped issuing the paper discs when you taxed your vehicle although they do still issue you with a reminder when your vehicle tax is due.
The mistake some motorists are still getting confused by is that the Vehicle Tax or SORN no longer transfers over to you when you purchase a vehicle.
Even if the vehicle still has road tax on it this no longer transfer to the new owner, you have to tax the vehicle afresh.
The message that the DVLA want to get out is ‘Vehicle Tax or SORN cannot be passed on when a vehicle changes hands’.
Please click on the link below that will take you direct to the DVLA webpage where you can read and view all the necesssary information.
Vehicle Tax Rules
Non-reflective number plates are now permitted on classic cars built before 1st January 1975, as long as the vehicles have been registered with DVLA as Historic Vehicles. Since April this year (2015) vehicles manufactured before 1st January 1975 could display the older style number plates provided that they applied to DVLA Swansea and are recorded within the historic taxation class. Previously only vehicles built before 1st January 1973 could show these type of number plates.
A senior press officer within DVLA said that by law vehicles recorded as being in the historic taxation class can display the black and white or black and silver style plates, vehicles that were not in this historic taxation class by DVLA should only display registration plates in the current standard.
For many classic car clubs this ruling is very appealing and evocative to classic car enthusiasts to have these type of plates displayed on their vehicles.
Cherished Number Plates love them or hate them there is no escaping them. Personalised Registration Numbers have now become a must have car accessory and prices have become more affordable and you can buy a cherished number plate for as little as £30 plus vat. DVLA have various cherished number auctions throughout the year and prices achieved are getting stronger all the time especially if they are single numbers or word related. Below is a list of the Top 10 Registrations with the hammer prices (excluding VAT,buyers premium and ct fee) they achieved at auction.
1. 25 O Sold £400,000 November 2014
2. 1 D Sold £285,000 March 2009
3. 51 NGH Sold £201,000 April 2006
4. 1 RH Sold £196,000 November 2008
5. K1 NGS Sold £185,000 December 1993
6. KR15 HNA Sold £180,000 May 2015
7. 1 O Sold £170,000 January 2009
8. 1 A Sold £160,000 December 1989
9. 1 OO Sold £156,000 April 2006
10. 2 O Sold £115,000 March 2009
If you would like to purchase a cherished number plate click here or if you would like to view the latest Auction Numbers see our Auction page
The new 65 series registration number plates was introduced in the UK just over a week ago. All new vehicles registered between 1st September and 1st March 2016 will use the new registration plates. New vehicle sales are set to take off as the new 65 series number plates are introduced.
Why are we getting new 65 series number plates? Each year two sets of new registration plates are introduced into the UK via the DVLA at Swansea. The first new release each year is 1st March and the second release is 1st September. The plates are used to identify any vehicles built during that period, and helps drivers calculate the age of a car/vehicle.
What do the letters and numbers mean on the new 65 series registration plates? The first two letters on a registration plate indicate where the vehicle was registered, not where it was built. The first letter stands for the region the vehicle was registered and the second represents a local DVLA office. The next two letters are the same for every vehicle registered in that time period. The new registration plates will use 65, while registration plates from 1st March 2015 use 15. The final three letters are random and give the vehicle a unique identity.
If you would like to purchase a new 65 series number plate click here and view our huge database of cherished number plates.
Update on new law on smoking in cars and other vehicles with someone under 18.
From 1 October 2015 it will be illegal to smoke in a car (or other vehicles) with anyone under 18 present. The law is changing to protect children and young people from the dangers of secondhand smoke.
Both the driver and the smoker could be fined £50. The law applies to every driver in England and Wales, including those aged 17 and those with a provisional driving licence. The law does not apply if the driver is 17 years old and is on their own in the car.
Every time a child breathes in secondhand smoke, they breathe in thousands of chemicals. This puts them at risk of serious conditions including meningitis, cancer, bronchitis and pneumonia. It can also make asthma worse.
The law applies to any private vehicle that is enclosed wholly or partly by a roof. It still applies if people have the windows or sunroof open, have the air conditioning on, or if they sit in the open doorway of the vehicle. The law won’t apply to a convertible car with the roof completely down.
For more information click guidance on new rules about tobacco, e-cigarettes and smoking
In May the DVLA informed members of the public about the new Share Driving Licence service, which puts British driving licence holders firmly in control of who they share their most up to date driving licence information with.
The service allows users to generate a check code which they can share with a third party in order to prove their entitlement to drive – for example in response to a request from their employer, or when hiring a vehicle.
Since the abolition of the counterpart driving licence on 8th June 2015, the service has been in public beta. This means it is fully functioning and being used by the public whilst still being tested. The service is proving really popular – it’s been used over 1.4 million times since 8 June and currently has a customer satisfaction rating of 87.2%.
Some of the feedback the DVLA have had highlights that for some, the 72 hours validity period when you generate a check code is not long enough. It’s clear that some users want the check code to last longer – particularly those who need it when they are travelling and so the DVLA have listened.
Starting from 10th July 2015 they have extended the validity period to 21 days. Car hire companies or employers will still need the last eight digits of the driver’s licence number to redeem the code. Of course, it can be cancelled at any time, putting the user in control of when their record can be accessed and by whom.
DVLA plan to review this in three months once they have had sufficient further feedback from users and industry.
As informed in previous posts as from today June 8th 2015 the Driving Licence Counterpart is no more. It’s GONE
As part of the government’s Red Tape Challenge initiative to remove unnecessary burden, DVLA will no longer issue the paper counterpart to the photocard driving licence. This means that from today, existing paper counterparts will no longer be valid and should be destroyed. The photocard remains valid and should be kept safe.
If you still have any queries or want further information you can email the DVLA at abolitionofcounterpart@dvla.gsi.gov.uk
As a member of the Motor Industry and also a prominent cherished number plate dealer we also like to keep our customers up to date with changes that happen within the Motor Industry.
I have listed below a range of services that you can do online which saves you time and is instant. These services are all provided by the DVLA Swansea.
Driving Licences
• Apply for your provisional driving licence.
• Change the address on your driving licence.
• Renew your driving licence.
• Renew your driving licence if you’re 70 or over.
• Replace a lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed driving licence.
• Change the photo on your driving licence.
• Exchange your paper driving licence for a photocard licence.
You can also view various driving licence information including:
• the address on your record
• the date your driving licence will run out
• the types of vehicle your driving licence allows you to drive
• any penalty points or disqualifications on your record.
The service is FREE, easy to use and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If you need to prove the status of your licence and/or details of any endorsements to third parties
visit www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence and follow the ‘Share Your Licence’ instructions.
The ‘Share Your Licence’ service will be available spring 2015 and should be used by both paper and photocard licence holders.
Drivers applying online will see the fee for a provisional driving licence fall from £50 to £34 and online renewals after 10 years fall from £20 to £14. The fee for driver tachograph cards will fall
from £38 to £32. For first licence paper applications the fee will fall by £7 to £43 and paper applications for renewing licences after 10 years will fall by £3 to £17.
The reduction in driving licence fees is the first phase in the DVLA review of its fees. The second phase will involve a comprehensive review of the DVLA’s funding and will focus on the way
services are delivered to customers as we introduce further digital services.
DVLA introduced a new style photocard driving licence from February 2014.
Holders of valid driving licences will not need to replace their current driving licence. The old driving licence format is still valid and DVLA will update them gradually as they are renewed and
replaced.
What’s changed?
The new card has a refreshed design incorporating a host of improved security features to keep the driving licence secure. The latest security features will also help in the fight against fraud.
Vehicle Registration Document V5C
You’ll usually have to register a vehicle as soon as you’ve:
• bought it
• built it
• rebuilt or altered it
• imported it.
If you buy a brand new vehicle, the dealer will usually take care of all the necessary arrangements to register it to you.
You should have a vehicle registration certificate (known as the V5C) if you are the registered keeper of a vehicle. DVLA do not capture information about the owner. This will only apply to the person who takes responsibility for the vehicle and taxes it.
What is the V5C?
Since August 2010, all V5C’s DVLA have issued will have a new look. Most new V5Cs are now red but some older ones may not be – to check the V5C is the latest issued use the DVLA enquiry service.
The V5C is a certificate that is issued when a vehicle is registered with DVLA. DVLA send the V5C to the registered keeper, normally the person responsible for registering and taxing the vehicle. This may not be the owner of the vehicle. The information it shows includes: the vehicle registration number, the vehicle keeper’s name and address, other important information about the vehicle (make,model, VIN number and previous keeper’)
The V5C is not proof of ownership as DVLA records keepers and not owners. While the V5C does not prove ownership you shouldn’t buy a vehicle without one.
Buying a Used Vehicle
Buying a used vehicle is a serious business and while there is no guarantee that you won’t be a victim of vehicle crime, knowing your consumer rights will help. This service provides advice on
what to ask the seller, about the vehicle registration certificate (V5C) and the identity of the vehicle. Some things to consider:
• inspect the vehicle carefully
• check the validity of the V5C at www.gov.uk/get-vehicle-information-from-dvla
The ultimate message is:
If in doubt, trust your instincts. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Don’t be pressured to buy – there’s always another vehicle.
Tax Disc Changes
From 1 October 2014 DVLA stopped issuing paper tax discs and you no longer have to display it on a vehicle windscreen. DVLA hold a digital record of taxed and untaxed vehicles and do not need you to have a paper disc as proof you have paid vehicle tax.
You will still need to get tax to drive or keep a vehicle on the road and DVLA will still send you a renewal reminder when your tax is due for renewal. This applies to all vehicle types including those that you do not have to pay tax for. When you buy a vehicle, the tax will no longer be transferred with the vehicle. You must tax it before you can use the vehicle on the road.
You can tax the vehicle using the New Keeper Supplement (V5C/2) part of the vehicle registration certificate (V5C) online or by phone – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, if you do not have a V5C in your name. Alternatively, the option of licensing at the Post Office Ltd remains, for those who prefer to visit a Post Office® branch.
When you buy a vehicle from a dealer, the dealer will automatically tax it when you register your details with DVLA. If you sell a vehicle after 1 October and you have notified DVLA, they will automatically give a refund for any full calendar months left on the vehicle tax to the registered keeper.
DVLA’s online vehicle tax service allows customers to buy vehicle tax 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, online or by automated phone.
Around 3 weeks before your tax runs out, you should get a reminder (V11) from DVLA, unless you have a Direct Debit in place and do not notify DVLA of changes. Use this to tax your vehicle online or by automated phone. The service is quick, easy and saves a great deal of time and effort. Motor insurance policies are no longer checked when you tax your vehicle, saving you further time. You don’t have to buy vehicle tax if you don’t use or keep your vehicle on a public road (e.g. you keep it in a garage, on a drive or on private land). You must make a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) instead. A SORN will remain in force until DVLA is notified that a vehicle is taxed, sold, scrapped or exported.
Stay insured. Stay legal.
By law the registered keeper of a vehicle must keep it insured. If it is not insured then a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) must be made. If there is still tax on the vehicle when a SORN is
made, the registered keeper will automatically receive a refund of any full calendar months remaining.
DVLA compares its record with details of vehicles on the Motor Insurance Database to identify uninsured vehicles. If a vehicle does not have insurance or is being kept off road and
a SORN has not been made, the registered keeper could face:
• a £100 fixed penalty
• a court prosecution. If convicted, the offence carries a maximum penalty of £1000
• the vehicle being clamped and impounded by DVLA or seized by police.
Check if your vehicle is insured at www.askMID.com
It is an offence to keep a taxed vehicle without insurance – if you’re the registered keeper, you could get fined.
Motorists do not need to provide evidence of their motor insurance when they:
• tax online or by phone
• register and tax through a motor dealer
• tax at a Post Office® branch.
• register and tax through the post to DVLA
Motorists still need to ensure they have a valid insurance policy, but DVLA will not check this when you tax a vehicle.
