buying road tax on line?

[CRH]

hi, anybody know,if you buy tax online?..can you ride bike on road before tax disc arrives?..

[paul1606]

I dont think so as you have to have a current tax disc displayed , but that said i,ve done it before if stopped it would have to be a pretty shitty plod to write a ticket up

[Enceladus]

i've driven my car before my tax disc has arrived.
as far as i know, once you have purchased your tax disc online, it will update the dvla computer which is what the police use to check your tax disc info via anpr.
don't quote me on that though !

[imax]

From direct.gov:

If you use the electronic vehicle licensing service or tax by post at the end of the month, there’s now an exemption for not displaying a tax disc. This exemption covers the first five working days of the month to allow time for the new disc to arrive in the post. While you are still waiting for your tax disc you will need to display your current tax disc. The exemption only applies if applications are made before the current tax disc or SORN expires.

[CRH]

cheers fellas!! looks like i should be ok then?.....was thinking? if ok on there apnr? i shouldnt be pulled anyway?? :rolleyes ..

[Dave48]

Interestingly enough have JUST this minute renewed my bike tax online. Whenever I have done this for the bike or cage the tax disc has arrived in post within 48 hrs(not counting weekends) Even if you were unlucky enough to get clocked by an ANPR camera-I think you would be ok once they check that your application is "in the system" which it is as soon as you hit the "confirm" box on website, unlike "tax applied for" messages on windscreen-depending on the good old snail mail!

[BBROWN1664]

There are two seperate offences. One is not having a valid road fund licnece and the other is Failing to display a valid road fund licnece.

The former is the more serious one and ANPR will be happy as "the computer says yes"
The chance of finding a copper these days that will spot you dont have a disc displayed is minute but then if they do stop you, they will check the computer and send you on your way.

So in answer to your question, yes it is illegal but you are unlikely to get done for it.

[DryRob]

I leave paying mine as late as I can so use the online system, for some reason I don't like giving my money away.

[CRH]

cheers again for that guys!!...ime going to risc it anyway!!..likes been said? if its showing on the system,..i should be ok??

[locksmith]

The other way round. I applied for my disc's (van and car) as soon as the reminders arrived, delivered in the same envelope for the first time! If I put them inthe vehicles 3 weeks early is that ok do you think?

[solorider]

it is perfectly legal to drive/ride a vehicle as mentioned for 5 working days from the time you buy your tax online so as long as you buy it before the end of the month and there is tax on the vehicle,if the vehicle is untaxed then im afraid you will have to wait till the tax disc turns up,there was news that the 5 days was to be extended but i dont believe that has happened yet.the law was changed a few years a go and it was to encourage people to buy their tax online

[rustyrider]

I haven't displayed the tax disc on my bike for years and nobody has ever said anything.  That goes back to when there was a spate of tax disc thefts round here so they could be put on untaxed vehicles.  With ANPR and the computer says no there's no point these days in nicking one, but equally there's not a lot of point to displaying one either.

[dolau]

Isnt ANPR forward facing and so wont get bikes? seen them a few times around here and the doobery is always pointing at the front of my vehicle

Noticed today two unmarked's following me. one black and one grey volvo estate.... cant see the blue lights in the radiator but the extra passenger wing mirror is a dead giveaway even with the driver in blues and not high vis.. today I was being a good boy in the cage enjoying the sunshine with the A/C on so no problems with me officer!

[Dave48]

Seem to remember them trialling ANPR cameras on A483 Swansea Rd (uphill towards Junc 47 M4) a few years back. The roadside cameras on tripods were positioned to read front no plates & bar-coded tax discs. However police have ANPR in car now so will work forward or backward-so bikes wont escape. Everything on datasystems becomes available once your plate is scanned: ie registered keeper details, road tax, insurance. System cant tell who is driving but once stopped its pretty pointless lying to plod about licence like some of the dimwits on the TV progs! :o

[rustyrider]

That's why the first question you will be asked is, "Is this your bike/car sir?" before asking your name.  They already know who is the registered keeper so if you say it's yours they know what name they expect you to give.  As said, ANPR isn't just the fixed ones on the roadside, there's also the portable tripod mounted ones (often operated by DVLA) and the ones in police cars.

[Grahamm]

There are two seperate offences. One is not having a valid road fund licnece and the other is Failing to display a valid road fund licnece.

Erm, no, there's no such offences since the Road Fund Licence was ended in 1936!

Unfortunately the continued (wrong) usage of the term makes some people (especially cagers) think that they "pay to use the road" and thus should have priority over cycles who don't "pay to use the road"  :2guns