News story

Vehicle tax disc abolished: changes you need to know

When you tax your vehicle, you won't get a tax disc.

• From: Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
• Published: 24 February 2014
• Last updated: 19 November 2014 — See all updates

You can tax or SORN your vehicle using your:

• vehicle tax reminder letter (V11 or V85/1)

• V5C registration certificate (log book) if the vehicle is registered in your name

• new keeper supplement (V5C/2) if you’ve just bought the vehicle or the vehicle isn’t registered in your name

Tell DVLA you’ve sold a vehicle

If you’ve sold a vehicle, you can tell DVLA online.

The tax or SORN isn’t passed on when you sell a vehicle or transfer ownership to someone else. This includes giving it to a member of your family.

Buying a vehicle

When you buy a vehicle, the tax or SORN doesn’t come with it. You’ll need to get new vehicle tax before using the vehicle.

You’ll need the reference number on your new keeper supplement (V5C/2).

You can also tax at your local Post Office® or by calling:

Telephone: 0300 123 4321

Cancel vehicle tax and get a refund

Your vehicle tax is cancelled and you automatically get a refund when you tell DVLA that your vehicle has been:

• sold or transferred
• taken off the road and you’ve made a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification)
• scrapped at an authorised treatment facility
• exported
• changed so it’s exempt from vehicle tax

Change the address on your V5C vehicle registration certificate (log book)

You should change the address on your V5C vehicle registration certificate (log book) when you move.

Paying vehicle tax by Direct Debit

You can pay for your vehicle tax by Direct Debit.

Check a vehicle is taxed or has an MOT

You can check if a vehicle is taxed or whether it has an MOT certificate.

Published 24 February 2014
Last updated 19 November 2014 + show all updates

1. 19 November 2014

   Note added under vehicle tax refunds.

2. 14 November 2014

   Direct Debit - advice added for accounts that require dual signatories

3. 24 October 2014

   Change to the 'How to check if a vehicle is taxed' section.

4. 13 October 2014

   Image of a destroyed tax disc added

5. 25 September 2014

   Buying a vehicle image added

6. 19 September 2014

   Update to the selling a vehicle text.

7. 11 September 2014

   Update to information for Northern Ireland customers and driving a vehicle abroad.

8. 3 September 2014

   Added new video

9. 12 August 2014

   information added about removing tax discs after the 1 October.

10. 28 July 2014

    Sentence added - Customers with a Northern Ireland address will still need to display their MoT disc.

11. 22 July 2014

    Information about the Direct Debit scheme added

12. 27 March 2014

    New information added regarding the changes to vehicle tax

13. 24 February 2014

    First published.