Renewing your vehicle tax

Your Direct Debit for vehicle tax will renew automatically when it’s due to run out. You’ll get an email or letter telling you when your payments will be taken. You will not be sent a vehicle tax reminder letter (V11). Do not tax your vehicle again. If you do, you’ll be charged twice. The vehicle keeper must have a vehicle logbook (V5C) before the vehicle tax is renewed. If the vehicle keeper does not have a V5C Your Direct Debit will not automatically renew if there’s no vehicle keeper in DVLA ’s records. You can tell DVLA who the vehicle keeper is online . If you do not get an email or letter when your vehicle tax runs out, you should contact DVLA . If you do not have an MOT or insurance in place DVLA will write to you if your vehicle’s MOT certificate will have run out when your vehicle tax is due to renew. Your vehicle must pass an MOT by the time the current one runs out. After it’s passed an MOT, DVLA ’s records will be updated automatically. Your vehicle tax will be renewed on the date it was due to run out. You do not need to contact DVLA or tax your vehicle again. If you do not get an MOT in time, you’ll need to tax your vehicle again. If your vehicle is registered in Northern Ireland, you must also have insurance in place when your vehicle tax is due to renew. You’ll get a letter telling you if your insurance will have run out by then.

Change your address, email or name

Tell DVLA if you want to change the address, email or name on your Direct Debit. You can call DVLA if: you’ve moved house you’ve got a new email address you’ve got married or divorced and want to update your details there’s a mistake with your name or address If you changed your name by deed poll Write to DVLA if you’ve changed your name by deed poll. You need to include: your address and date of birth your bank or building society name, account number and sort code a copy of your deed poll Send it to: DDC DVLA Swansea SA99 1ZZ

Change how often you pay

When you set up your Direct Debit you can choose to pay: every month every 6 months every year DVLA will take the payments on the first working day of the month. You cannot change it to a different date. To change how often you pay (for example, from every 6 months to monthly), you have to cancel your Direct Debit and then tax your vehicle again. What you need to do Ask your bank or building society to cancel your Direct Debit. Depending on your account, you can do this online, by phone or post, or at a branch. You can keep driving your vehicle until the date your next Direct Debit payment was due. Tax your vehicle on the first day of the month that your next Direct Debit payment was due. Use the 11 digit number on your vehicle log book (V5C). Choose the Direct Debit option when you tax your vehicle. Then choose how often you want to pay - either monthly, every 6 months or every year. Example You pay by Direct Debit every 6 months, but want to pay monthly instead. The last payment was taken on 1 January, and the next is due on 1 July. You cancel the Direct Debit with your bank on 15 March. You can continue driving your vehicle until 30 June. On 1 July, you have to tax the vehicle again using a monthly Direct Debit.

Change bank account or payment method

When you want to change the account your Direct Debit is taken from you can either: ask your new bank or building society to move your Direct Debits from your old account change to another account you already have You can also change to paying by credit or debit card. Switching bank or building society Most UK banks can move Direct Debits from your old bank account to your new one. You do not need to tell DVLA or do anything else. Move your Direct Debit to an account you already have Your bank might be able to move a Direct Debit from one of your accounts to another if both accounts are with them. Check with your bank. Contact DVLA if either: your bank cannot move the Direct Debit to your other account the 2 accounts are with different banks You need to contact DVLA with your new bank account details at least 5 working days before the date of your next scheduled payment. You’ll need to provide: your new account number and sort code your new bank or building society’s name and address If you write to DVLA , the letter must be signed and dated by the person who set up the Direct Debit. If you contact DVLA less than 5 working days before the date your next payment is due, your old bank account may still be charged. Pay with a debit or credit card Ask your bank or building society to cancel your Direct Debit. You can keep driving your vehicle until the date your next Direct Debit payment was due. Tax your vehicle on the first day of the month that your next Direct Debit payment was due. Use the 11 digit number on your vehicle log book (V5C). Pay the tax for your vehicle using a debit or credit card.

If a Direct Debit payment fails

The Direct Debit account holder will get an email from DVLA if a payment fails because there is not enough money in the account. DVLA will try to take the payment again within 4 working days. If that also fails, you’ll get an email telling you that: the Direct Debit has failed twice and has been permanently cancelled your vehicle is no longer taxed What to do if your Direct Debit is cancelled You’ll have to tax your vehicle using your vehicle log book (V5C). You’ll need to either: make sure there’s enough money in your account and set up a new Direct Debit use a new payment method, for example, a debit card or Direct Debit from another account with enough money in it It’s illegal to drive your vehicle until you’ve taxed it. If you do not do anything You’ll be fined £80 if you do not tax your vehicle or tell DVLA that it’s off the road . You’ll also have to pay for the time it was not taxed. If you do not pay your fine on time your vehicle could be clamped or crushed, or your details passed to a debt collection agency.

Cancel a Direct Debit

DVLA will cancel your Direct Debit when you tell them your vehicle’s been: sold or transferred to someone else taken off the road , for example, you’re keeping it in a garage - this is called a Statutory Off Road Notification ( SORN ) written off by your insurance company scrapped at a vehicle scrapyard stolen - you’ll have to apply for a refund separately exported out of the UK The Direct Debit will also be cancelled if you no longer have to pay vehicle tax because you’ve told DVLA : it’s being used by a disabled person the vehicle is historic (it’s over 40 years old) If you overpaid your tax You’ll automatically get a refund cheque for any full months left on your vehicle tax. The refund is calculated from the date DVLA gets your information. If you cancel your Direct Debit just before a monthly payment is due, DVLA may still take the payment. You’ll automatically get a refund within 10 working days if this happens. Cancelling the Direct Debit for other reasons If you cancel your Direct Debit with your bank or building society for any other reason, you must tax your vehicle again using either: a Direct Debit from an account with enough money in it another payment method, for example, by debit or credit card

Vehicle tax Direct Debit payments

Set up a Direct Debit

You can set up a Direct Debit when you tax your vehicle online or at a Post Office.

You do not need to be the vehicle’s registered keeper to set up a Direct Debit. Emails and letters about Direct Debit payments are sent to the account holder.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

How much it costs

The amount you pay depends on how often you want to make a payment. There’s a 5% surcharge if you pay:

monthly
every 6 months

There’s no surcharge if you pay yearly.

What you need

You need:

your address and date of birth
your bank or building society name, account number and sort code

You cannot set up a Direct Debit for an account that needs 2 signatures.

What happens next

You’ll get a confirmation by email or post that your Direct Debit has been set up.
The first payment will not be taken until the vehicle tax has started. It can take up to 10 days. You can still use the vehicle before the payment is taken.
All the following payments will be taken on the first working day of the month that the Direct Debit is due.

View a printable version of the whole guide

Vehicle tax Direct Debit payments

Set up a Direct Debit

How much it costs

What you need

What happens next

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Vehicle tax Direct Debit payments

Set up a Direct Debit

How much it costs

What you need

What happens next

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