Print

[Growler]

This has probably been asked many times so if it has, please steer me in the right direction. I have a Series 3 109 Station Wagon which was first registered in November 1979. Is it now 'tax free' and does this get notified to me on the form the DVLA send out for re-licencing? Also same question for MOT status. Thanks in advance.

[Robin]

Not yet - currently it's up to vehicles built before 1st Jan 1979.

See HERE

Robin.

[Robin]

Actually, just re-reading that link, MOT exemption is on 40 year rolling date, so if it was built or first registered before 2nd Nov 1979 then yes, it is now MOT exempt.

It's just the 'tax' status which changes on 1st Jan each year.

[Growler]

Thankyou Robin.

[Gibbo103]

Unless things have changed recently, I don’t think it will be tax exempt until April next year

[Robin]

Unless things have changed recently, I don’t think it will be tax exempt until April next year

Yes, I think you are correct 

[w3526602]

Hi,

See Robin's mail above.

My understanding is that the MOT is a rolling 40 years, day by day. I'm happy to be corrected.

It may be worth checking the build date. I'm not sure if it's date of manufacture, or date of registration, but somebody here will know.

602

It's GOT to be date of manufacture. It's up to you to prove it.

[Herald1360]

It's not tax exempt, it's just zero rated- you still have to tax it but the tax costs you £0. MoT exempt, yes, but only if you claim it, otherwise (as I do) just get it MoT'd as usual.

[Robin]

It's not tax exempt, it's just zero rated- you still have to tax it but the tax costs you £0. MoT exempt, yes, but only if you claim it, otherwise (as I do) just get it MoT'd as usual.

Well, the DVLA thinks it means exemption from tax   

From the DVLA site I linked earlier:

"Vehicles exempt from vehicle tax
You do not need to pay vehicle tax if your vehicle was built before 1 January 1979."

"What you have to do
You must apply for a vehicle tax exemption to stop paying vehicle tax. This is sometimes called putting a vehicle into the ‘historic tax class’."

 

[Herald1360]

So it's not quite the same as books and VAT, then?

You still have to do all the usual tax related stuff, like retaxing it at a PO or online every year or declaring SORN. I still think that if something's truly exempt, then all you should have to do is claim it once and then ignore it altogether.

[w3526602]

Hi,

I found out the hard way, that a replacement tax disc is (was) free too. I'd watched my disc float out of the near-side window, while doing impossible velocities (for an S1) down the M4.

Of no interest now, but the disc was required to be in a waterproof container.

602

[Herald1360]

So presumably fitting it to the inside of a Landy windscreen was technically illegal 

ISTR the original requirement was a waterproof container on the nearside of the vehicle which was relaxed to include the lower left hand corner of the windscreen  when vehicles generally became more or less waterproof. Motorbikes and the like still had to do it literally, as before.

[w3526602]

Hi.

Thanks for your replies ... not that I'm much wiser.

I used motorcycle tax disc holders in the days when I had to display a disc.

Hmm! I wonder if is still illegal to "stay in character" and display a beer label? I understand that it is/was illegal to obstruct the view of a tax disc. It IS an offence to obstruct your windscreen (presumably any part of it) except with a tax disc. Of course, now "thar ain't no such 'naminal". You are were not allowed to display an expired disc (and that included an expired disc from another car.

I once bought a car displaying an out of date DISABLED disc, so that would have been two offences.

I met a couple of cases where the family had two cars, and got the tax discs mixed up ... I believe there was some discussion about prosecuting for FRAUD. ... twice.

602

[Growler]

Thankyou all for your replies. Will wait until April before doing anything about this.