I don’t wish to upset anyone but the rule is that your car must be built before January 84 to be eligible for free tax after April 24. So if your car was built in February 84 you won’t be able to get free tax until April 25. Don’t forget that built date is different to first registered so if you can’t prove when your car was built the DVLA will go by the first registered date.
Fiddlesticks! I thought I was sure about the rules, but nope, still confused. Thanks for putting me straight. The rules seem to be: You don't need an MOT if "the vehicle was built or first registered more than 40 years ago" You not longer need to pay tax: "If your vehicle was built before 1 January 1983, you can stop paying vehicle tax from 1 April 2023." "If you do not know when your vehicle was built, but it was registered before 8 January 1983, you do not need to pay vehicle tax from 1 April 2023." "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’." So MOT exemption and tax exemption do not occur hand in hand. That was what confused me. I might try writing to the DVLA with supporting "evidence" of my build date - ETKA via RJ reckons Nov 1983 - and there's plenty of plastic trim parts with 11/83 date codes on them. Not confident this will work but got to be worth a try
I think it is the case that the car must be registered as historic tax class to exempt it from MOT not just be over 40 years old but I could be mistaken. When I did this with my 911 is was able to write to the DVLA with proof from Porsche of when the car was built as this differed from first registration and it worked fine. However, I think you will need more than what is on EKTA to prove it to them. Mind you, you might catch the DVLA employee in a good mood on a Friday afternoon……. Ultimately though it’s not the MOT that’s the important bit is it as I think most people will carry on getting the car MOT’d for peace of mind?
Contact VW UK (type.approval@vwg.co.uk) with your registration / chassis number / name and postal address requesting proof of date of manufacture. It's free. They'll send you signed formal letter by post and a copy via email. Very helpful people, I'd the email within 24 hours and the letters came a few days later. I later used it as part of the proof when changing details on the V5C for the MK1 with the DVLA, they'd no issue accepting it. You never know, it might even come back with a manufacturing date that's earlier than you expected! The MK2's below, the Mk1's was the same format...
Amazing thanks for this. I have emailed them and will report back. Maybe I'll achieve tax-exempt nirvana this year after all @PhilRyder I agree the DVLA can be fairly... inconsistent. I agree that the tax exemption is of more interest - though I'm not certain I will continue to get an MOT - instead making sure that myself (and a friendly local mechanic) keep on top of it, and even do a 'MOT-style' check each year. Although having an actual MOT would be a good way of covering yourself for liability of ensuring the car is safe and roadworthy if you ever get stopped or run into problems down the line.
Funny you mention it - I received my letter pretty much as you asked. Happily my car is just early enough: Not sure how I will share this with the DVLA - if it's better to try and do it now or wait until I'm declaring the vehicle as historic (at the Post Office) on the 1st of April. Thanks again to @Zender Z20 for heads up about this
My understanding is you can't apply for the tax free / historical status until the 1st April which'd be taking you into a new tax month. Not a consideration for me as my car's SORN'd, but If you've any months left on your current tax you'll eventually be refunded them. However (subject to confirmation) if they are going to apply refunds to only 'full' months remaining you'd possibly lose out on Aprils rebate being as you are by that point already into it? If you still have a current MOT that spans the 1st April that should be enough and if not bring a V112 with you declaring you're exempt. The Post Office will send off your current V5C to the DVLA on your behalf and eventually they'll get a replacement to you, you'll not have to do anything beyond going to the PO with the correct paperwork. I'll let you look into it better, but might be worth considering SORN'ing your car at the very end of this month to ensure you get Aprils tax back? Would talk to the person at the PO first in case it'd complicate things too much for the sake of a few quid!
I can manage without the car for a few days so the current plan is to SORN at end of this month then try my luck on April 1st. It might only be a few quid but it's the principal as much as anything - I still think it's crazy we have to pay tax per car instead of at point of sale of fuel - since it's supposed to be 'for emissions' - but that's a whole other debate! I will post an update with my end of the month / PO experience soon
I'll be hopefully doing my own car on the same day, be interesting to see if it goes OK for the both of us... I've got to be very wary of anything to do with the DVLA going as it should!
Another thing to be wary of is insurance - I believe that officially a car needs to be insured before it's taxed - but there's probably a bit of leeway there. BUT - even if your vehicle is historic and taxed at a cost of £0 - you can still be fined by the DVLA if you don't have the relevant insurance. A friend of mine was caught out by that.
Over here it's a bit tighter and you've to show proof of your insurance inorder to get tax, inc. historic status. One that's not getting the attention it needs is if your MOT expires for example mid insurance. Companies are now expressly stipulating a vehicle must have a current / valid certificate or else cover stops. We're still having lengthy MOT appointment date delays (72 days apparently is the latest average), I've the various cars booked in for throughout August as that was the first available slots as of a month ago, dread to think what it'd be today. Had to get approval to use them beyond their MOT expiry dates from the different insurance companies (they are aware of the situation here and have conceded that if proof of appointment can be shown they'll extend cover. If you're claiming MOT exemption it's a bit more involved than first appears, you really need to read up on it as there are certain situations that can disallow you from obtaining it and having to continue getting a car MOT'd annually (you'll still be able to apply for tax free status regardless). I'd be worried some will think they're MOT exempt and declare it on the V112 when they're not. Over and above what the DVLA might do you'd potentially risk being deemed to have no MOT (as your exemption is invalid) by an insurer letting them void your insurance. Too important not to be 100% sure your own particular circumstances are covered properly.
When I had my proof of manufacture the post office wouldn’t take it. I had to send it to the DVLA and get them to change the tax status so that the post office could see it on their computer.
Yup, I can see something like that happening. Maybe have a trial run at the PO, see what that particular one wants before you SORN anything in case you're left in the lurch. If you've to re-tax it in April it'll probably be at an increased rate because of the budget. Even if you send off the V5C today you should factor in a minimum 4-6 week wait before it's even looked at, and much longer if there's a hiccup. My now hopefully correct / updated V5C was posted out Monday past according to their site... first sent it in mid-November.
NEWS! One of the guys on another forum I frequent has just got their historic status confirmed on a February 84 registered car. Time to get those applications in
@afbiker02 sorry to see your slightly too late build date - here's hoping you can get some progress with the DVLA anyway @PhilRyder any more info? Can you share a link to the other forum? Thanks
