17 replies to this topic

[The Principal]

Imagine the enthusiasm knowing that this month my Mini would be eligable for Free Road Tax as it was first Registered in September 1973. Two days ago the letter from the DVLA arrives rips it open to reveal a demand for £140 (which was wrong as it changed in the budget) one of those what the hell moments.

 

Rang the DVLA and after navigating numerous options gets through to a very helpful lady who explains that the changes are not automatic and I need to register a change to the vehicles classification.

 

So heres a quick ready reckoner to save you some time......

 

If your car now falls into the new changes i.e was first registered before 1974 (was previously 1973)

 

Check the log book (V5C) to ensure the vehicle was registered before 1974 (top left of the V5C) if so take it to the local Main Post Office and ask them to check the car qualifies then fill in section 7 (change in class) with the word 'Historic' and sign section 8 confirming the changes they will then keep the left hand part of the V5C and send it to the DVLA and you will receive a replacement V5C within 4 weeks. The Person at the post Office will also issue you with a Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Tax Disc.

 

I am now the proud owner of a shiny new 12 month Tax Disc that cost nawt.

 

:)

[geoff-d]

That is a great feeling 

charge = Nill 

Shame they don't put FREE on the disc

[henri1972]

I had this when they first changed to free road fund they said if i can prove the car was made in 1972 i would get it with a big smile on her face well if they built and delivered to the dealership and registered it in five days thats a miracle smug smile soon wiped off her face free tax disc in hand goodbye

[CityEPete]

As has been pointed out before it does not need to be registered before the cut off date, it needs to have been built before. Plenty of tax free cars on later plates some into the 80's, well worth checking if your car was registered not long after the current cut off date to see when it was built

[surfblue]

That is a great feeling 

charge = Nill 

Shame they don't put FREE on the disc

£0 is fine by me 

[pollystag]

I know we could buy a heritage certificate to check the build date but it is quite expensive, are there no records kept by owners clubs etc of the chassis numbers and when they were built.
Steve.

[CityEPete]

My answer to that is always the same, "its less than the price for six months tax and you will have a proper heritage certificate either way at the end of it". I can now add to my stock reply due to the rolling 40 year exemption, "if you car is on the verge and worth checking now it will be exempt the year after and you will already have proof in advance"

 

[The Principal]

As has been pointed out before it does not need to be registered before the cut off date, it needs to have been built before. Plenty of tax free cars on later plates some into the 80's, well worth checking if your car was registered not long after the current cut off date to see when it was built

 

yep - the wording from the DVLA is

Historic vehicles

You don’t have to pay vehicle tax on vehicles made before 1 January 1974 (known as ‘historic vehicles’).

 

https://www.gov.uk/v...pt-from-car-tax

[CityEPete]

I think us mini owner miss out a bit because they are frugal little cars originally bought as cheap everyday transport so they are mostly built and registered quite quickly so unless you have a January registered car chances are its built and registered in the same year, if you have a gas guzzler registered around the cut off date or even 3 or 4 years after its well worth checking if possible as those cars lay unsold due to the fuel crisis and fuel shortage that just so happens to be around the same time the current free tax is coming in at, give it five years and that wont really be the case.

[ShaunaFTW]

Mine was registered on the 7th of Jan, does that mean when 79 comes around (hopefully it keeps going that long!) mine will fall under that year instead of 80?

[CityEPete]

You are very lucky there as the heritage cert is shown as available 1959-1969 and then 1977-1981 http://www.heritage-...rtificates.html although I am sure other people have them for years between? 7th of Jan stands a good chance of being built at least in 1979, my own MGB GT was built 1970 but on a K plate.

[ShaunaFTW]

So I've got to buy a heritage cert to see when it was built :/?

You are very lucky there as the heritage cert is shown as available 1959-1969 and then 1977-1981 http://www.heritage-...rtificates.html although I am sure other people have them for years between? 7th of Jan stands a good chance of being built at least in 1979, my own MGB GT was built 1970 but on a K plate.

[CityEPete]

I cant see any other way unless anyone knows different? The DVLA obviously know when it was made by at the latest from the date of registration, how could they argue it was built later so they wont, if you want to prove to them it was built earlier that will be down to you to prove to them, afaik a heritage cert is good proof.An owner of other none BMC makes will need to contact the relevant owners club that has a records keeper, even then that info will need to be satisfactory for the DVLA. We cant just set up a site guessing at the age of minis, £41 to save £140 for that year alone and you get a build date, first owner info, dealer info, list of optional extras it had etc. I cant see the problem still?

Edited by CityEPete, 18 April 2014 - 11:43 AM.

[ShaunaFTW]

I already know most of that from the stacks of paperwork that came with the car not that I really care about who owned it ect, not like it was a family car or anything sentimental. So the only benifit of having one for me would be to get the tax a year earlier but to be totally honest I didn't know you could get heritage certs as late as 81, I thought it would only be for earlier cars.

[CityEPete]

It says so on the site, I dont think they charge you anything if its not on there either, £140 for 12 months tax or £41 for 12 months tax one year earlier with a cert and free tax every year after, I dont think you will get much sympathy for that deal