Paying to tax a car in March, but to start from 1st April?
Discussion
I recall a thread on this forum last March which prompted me to tax my SORNed car in March, but to start from 1st April - thus paying the current (pre-increase) VED.
I can't find that post after searching, and looking on the gov.uk website I can only see that defaults to the 1st of the current month, so I would need to wait until the 1st April to be able to tax the car from that date, but then the rate will have gone up of course.
I am certain that I was able to tax the car in advance last March, or am I dreaming that?
I can't find that post after searching, and looking on the gov.uk website I can only see that defaults to the 1st of the current month, so I would need to wait until the 1st April to be able to tax the car from that date, but then the rate will have gone up of course.
I am certain that I was able to tax the car in advance last March, or am I dreaming that?
Sounds to me like you may be dreaming.
Others may know more than me but I was always of the view that if you contact them at all about tax in anything but the month you want the tax to start they will start it from the beginning of the current month. i.e. if you apply for tax on 31st of March they will start it from 1st March and if you start it on 1st April they will start it from 1st April.
I'm not sure if they used to have the ability to issue advance tax discs at the Post Office. I seem to remember being asked when the current tax disc expires (a loaded question) and I guess if you had been smart and wanted it to begin in the next month you could have given the wrong answer. I remember being disappointed coming out with a disc which only had 5 months on when I had paid for 6 months.
What might have happened last time is that you were coming from a SORN status to a taxed status but this time it is already taxed?
Others may know more than me but I was always of the view that if you contact them at all about tax in anything but the month you want the tax to start they will start it from the beginning of the current month. i.e. if you apply for tax on 31st of March they will start it from 1st March and if you start it on 1st April they will start it from 1st April.
I'm not sure if they used to have the ability to issue advance tax discs at the Post Office. I seem to remember being asked when the current tax disc expires (a loaded question) and I guess if you had been smart and wanted it to begin in the next month you could have given the wrong answer. I remember being disappointed coming out with a disc which only had 5 months on when I had paid for 6 months.
What might have happened last time is that you were coming from a SORN status to a taxed status but this time it is already taxed?
If a car already has current VED, you can renew as soon as you get the reminder in the post, this can be as early as the 2nd week of the month. But no, I know what you're thinking, it would still be at the new price. 
As it happens, I found out by accident that you can buy VED to start on the 1st of the next month on the 31st of the previous month. If you apply for VED for a car that is SORN, it will give you that option if you apply on the last day of the month. But it isn't actually valid until the next day of course.
I can only imaging this option is available to save somebody who has a very early start in a morning from having to do it before they leave. A process actually done to help us?
As it happens, I found out by accident that you can buy VED to start on the 1st of the next month on the 31st of the previous month. If you apply for VED for a car that is SORN, it will give you that option if you apply on the last day of the month. But it isn't actually valid until the next day of course.
I can only imaging this option is available to save somebody who has a very early start in a morning from having to do it before they leave. A process actually done to help us?
sixor8 said:
If a car already has current VED, you can renew as soon as you get the reminder in the post, this can be as early as the 2nd week of the month. But no, I know what you're thinking, it would still be at the new price.
As it happens, I found out by accident that you can buy VED to start on the 1st of the next month on the 31st of the previous month. If you apply for VED for a car that is SORN, it will give you that option if you apply on the last day of the month. But it isn't actually valid until the next day of course.
I can only imaging this option is available to save somebody who has a very early start in a morning from having to do it before they leave. A process actually done to help us?
I always renew my tax in the month proceeding the price rises, normally 2 weeks before it is due and always get charged the new price. Now I have considered canceling my VED for a week then renewing it to get the cheap price for longer. As it happens, I found out by accident that you can buy VED to start on the 1st of the next month on the 31st of the previous month. If you apply for VED for a car that is SORN, it will give you that option if you apply on the last day of the month. But it isn't actually valid until the next day of course.
I can only imaging this option is available to save somebody who has a very early start in a morning from having to do it before they leave. A process actually done to help us?
You'd need to SORN it for 5 days, the DVLA database has a mouse wheel keeping it running apparently, the database takes that long.
So you'd need to do it at the end of 1 month and re-tax it the 1st of the next or you pay for the same month twice. Too late for this tax year
It would still have been worth it 12 months ago since 1/12 is 8.333% and VEd went up by 10% in April 2023, less this year.
So you'd need to do it at the end of 1 month and re-tax it the 1st of the next or you pay for the same month twice. Too late for this tax year
It would still have been worth it 12 months ago since 1/12 is 8.333% and VEd went up by 10% in April 2023, less this year.
I did it last year. Paid for it on the last day of March. So got the old price. But valid from the 1st April. It only worked if the car was currently SORNd.
If it was already taxed and due to expire at the end of March then you paid the new April price.
Planning on doing the same this year unless I tax for Sunday service.
Pablo
If it was already taxed and due to expire at the end of March then you paid the new April price.
Planning on doing the same this year unless I tax for Sunday service.
Pablo
Pablo_Picasso said:
I did it last year. Paid for it on the last day of March. So got the old price. But valid from the 1st April. It only worked if the car was currently SORNd.
If it was already taxed and due to expire at the end of March then you paid the new April price.
Planning on doing the same this year unless I tax for Sunday service.
Pablo
Hoping that’s how it will pan out Pablo - will give it a go on the 31st.If it was already taxed and due to expire at the end of March then you paid the new April price.
Planning on doing the same this year unless I tax for Sunday service.
Pablo
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