From 1 October, paper tax discs will no longer have to be displayed in a vehicle. Instead, an electronic road tax database will hold the details of the drivers who have paid, and those who haven’t, and will be checked via Automatic Number Plate Readers when on the road.
If there is an existing tax disc in a vehicle which is due to run out after 1 October 2014, it can be removed from show. However, when buying a used van that still has tax lasting beyond October, it can no longer be transferred with the sale – the new owner will need to get their own tax before driving it. The seller can get a refund for any full calendar months left automatically once notification is received on the DVLA vehicle register.
Commenting on the change, Steve Bridge, managing director of Mercedes-Benz Vans, said: ‘Van drivers are some of the busiest on the UK’s roads, but that won’t be an excuse to ignore the tax disc changes that come in to force at the start of October.
‘For more than 93 years, taxing a vehicle has been a standard element to driving, and this hasn’t changed. Van drivers must continue to tax their vehicle and they will still receive a renewal reminder. Failure to do so could result in a fine of up to £1,000, and that is the last thing that hard-working van drivers need.
‘Road tax is already different for van and car drivers, but this paper-less change is the same for everyone. I’d like to see that when the number of non-taxed vehicles on the UK’s roads is released from the DVLA, the number of vans has decreased. Van drivers in the UK can really lead by example here.’