Taxing Your Car Online ... Beware!

[XmisterIS]

I just tried to tax my car online and it came up with a message saying (approximately):

"A valid MOT certificate could not be found for this vehicle. It has not been possible to tax this vehicle at this time. You may tax your vehicle in person at a post office."

So I used the automated phone service ... and got spat out with the same message.

So I checked the DVLA vehicle database ... Yup, it shows that my car is definitely MOTed.

So I had a rummage in my filed documents ... Yup, there's the MOT certificate, correctly issued, showing that my car really does have a valid MOT certificate.

So I phoned up the real-person service and asked the real person what the flinkin' blip is going on. (I believe the words I used at the end of the call were, "I'm looking at the valid MOT certificate right now, with ... my ... own ... eyes!")

The condescending nincompoop responded to me in a tone normally reserved for small children and idiots, by saying that I couldn't tax my vehicle at this time because although the vehicle is currently MOTed, the MOT expires before the tax is due ... (the day before, in fact). This makes sense, but at no point during the whole process was any indication given that this was, in fact, the problem.

So be warned - if you're in my situation (which many, many people probably are) then:

1. You won't be able to tax your car or bike online until you get a new MOT certificate for the year.

2. The system will give you no indication whatsoever that this is the problem.

3. The system will cheerfully recommend that you make a completely futile trip to the post office.

4. Anyone you speak to about it will treat you like a f**king moron for not having DVLA rules at your fingertips for immediate recall.

[Stu]

I had the same problem when I tried to tax a bike a few years ago

although it did actually tell me I couldn't tax it due to the MOT running out before the tax was due to start!

I wonder if they have changed something and now it doesn't tell you

[XmisterIS]

I had the same problem when I tried to tax a bike a few years ago

although it did actually tell me I couldn't tax it due to the MOT running out before the tax was due to start!

I wonder if they have changed something and now it doesn't tell you

 

I would imagine that the system has been changed, and they have decided that information like that is too useful to tell the general public!

[Stu]

sounds about right

[Guest]

Used to need at least 30 days of mot, before the online system came about.

I stagger the tax, mot and insurance evens out the cost over the year