About Taxing Your Vehicle

Insurance and MOT needed to tax your vehicle
Before you can tax your vehicle, you must have suitable insurance cover in place and if needed, the vehicle must have undergone MOT testing. The wrong insurance cover, an overdue MOT test and insurance certificates that are incorrect, misplaced or late arriving can all stop vehicle owners in Brixton and Clapham from taxing a vehicle on time.

Insurance cover needed to tax your vehicle
In order to tax your vehicle, you must have insurance cover that:
  • Covers you against third party claims for death or injury and damage to property caused by using the vehicle
  • Covers your use of the vehicle for taxing purposes
  • Is valid on the day the tax disc comes into force
The insurance policy for your vehicle may allow you to drive any other vehicle with the owner’s permission. However, your policy can’t be used as evidence of suitable insurance to tax any other vehicle. If your insurance cover for taxing purposes isn’t clear, you may need to provide additional evidence. Please contact your insurance company for advice.

Insurance certificates and cover notes
These are usually a printed or laser-printed document, or a plastic credit card style document.
The following documents aren't acceptable:
  • Policy schedule
  • Renewal notice
  • Receipt for payment
  • Amended certificate or cover note unless stamped or initialed by the insurer
  • Legal protection policy certificates
  • Foreign certificates
  • Photocopies or faxes
  • Insurance certificates downloaded directly from the internet by the policy holder
  • Green Card (International Motor Insurance Card)
Lost, stolen or damaged insurance certificate
Get a duplicate insurance certificate or cover note from your insurance company.
Waiting for your insurance certificate to arrive in the post or update online You can't tax your vehicle until your insurance certificate arrives or your insurance cover for your vehicle has been updated on the Motor Insurance Database. You must keep your vehicle off the road in the meantime. If you are taxing your vehicle using the DVLA’s vehicle online service, then you’ll need to wait until the MID has updated before applying. You can check online to see if your insurance has been updated.
If you want to tax your vehicle at a DVLA local office or Post Office® branch, you’ll need to take your insurance certificate.

MOT due dates
An MOT test is needed every year for:
  • Cars, motorcycles, motor caravans and light goods vehicles that are more than three years old
  • Passenger carrying vehicles with more than eight seats and taxis (not including private hire vehicles) that are more than one year old
Find out when your MOT is due
Check the expiry date of your current MOT online or by calling the ‘MOT status check service’ on 0870 330 0444.

MOT Testing Certificate
When applying for tax, motorists in Brixton, Clapham and South London must produce an MOT testing certificate that’s valid on the day the tax disc comes into force. A certificate that expires on the last day of the month (e.g. 30 April) can’t be used if the tax disc is to start on the first day of the following month (e.g. 1 May). The certificate must be original, and a photocopy is not acceptable.

Lost, stolen or damaged MOT certificate
Get a duplicate from any MOT testing station for the set fee of £10. You’ll need to provide the vehicle registration mark and reference number shown on your registration certificate (V5C).

Claim exemption from MOT testing
If a vehicle is exempt from MOT testing, drivers in and around Brixton and Clapham need to fill in form V112 (Claim for exemption from MOT Testing)and produce it instead of the MOT certificate. A list of exempt vehicles is shown on the V112 form.

MOT or insurance has expired
If you intend to renew your vehicle tax you should do so before your current tax disc expires. However, this isn’t always possible if you are waiting for insurance or getting an MOT test for your vehicle.
You’ll be committing an offence if you use or keep your vehicle on the public road without a current tax disc. If you can’t get a tax disc, you must remove your vehicle off the road. You’ll have 14 days to get a tax disc or make a SORN, while your vehicle is off the road.

Driving an untaxed vehicle to an MOT test
You can drive your vehicle to and from a pre-arranged test at an MOT testing station in Broxton, Clapham or the surrounding areas as long as you have adequate insurance cover in place for the use of that vehicle. This is also relevant for vehicles being driven to and from a pre-arranged test at a Vehicle Inspection Check (VIC) test station, an approved weight testing station or reduced pollution testing.

To find out more about taxing a vehicle or MOT testing, road users in Brixton, Clapham and South London can call Ferndale Autos on 020 7738 3351.