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Bluest

Member Since: 23 Apr 2016
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 4341

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Java Black

When to tax 2nd hand car

I can't believe I have to ask this, but available info seems a bit vague. I'm buying a 2nd hand car privately, which I'll hopefully be picking up tomorrow. The question I have is, when do I tax it? Do I wait to do it as I am ready to drive away after I've handed over the cash? All the info I need is on the V5 which the current keeper still has. There doesn't seem to be any way to do it in advance. It all seems like it could get a bit messy if there's no phone signal or whatever when I get there.

Anyone done this recently, what did you do? 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS

2nd Oct 2025 2:06pm

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 18047

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey

Bluest wrote:
... as I am ready to drive away after I've handed over the cash ...

This.

2nd Oct 2025 2:25pm

TexasRover

Member Since: 24 Nov 2022
Location: Paris
Posts: 1370

2002 Defender 110 Td5 DCPU Chawton White

Been a while since I bought a car in the UK, but assuming the car is currently taxed by the owner I am sure there is a grace period as the documents get exchanged with the DVLA. In my days the seller could claim back road tax based on that the new Owner had to tax the car so double tax was paid.

2nd Oct 2025 2:44pm

seriesonenut

Member Since: 19 Nov 2014
Location: Essex
Posts: 1262

if you are sure you are going to buy it and this is just the collection ask the owner for the number from the V5

I taxed my 110 the evening before collection that way. My insurance commenced at midnight so I was good to go and drove uit 200 miles home!

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-tax 1984 One-Ten CSW
2010 XS USW (sold)
1957 Series One 88 diesel
1958 Series One 88 4x2
1990 Defender 200tdi CSW (sold)
1989 Land Rover Ninety (sold)
1998 Discovery 2 (sold)
1995 Discovery 1 (auto) (sold)
1990 Discovery 200tdi (sold)
1987 One Ten CSW turbo diesel (sold)

2nd Oct 2025 2:50pm

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 18047

TexasRover wrote:
Been a while since I bought a car in the UK, but assuming the car is currently taxed by the owner I am sure there is a grace period as the documents get exchanged with the DVLA. In my days the seller could claim back road tax based on that the new Owner had to tax the car so double tax was paid.

There is no formal grace period, and the seller automatically receives a refund of any full months of tax when he/she notifies DVLA of the transfer. The new owner is required to tax the vehicle from the moment of purchase.

I believe that the instant the transfer is notified the vehicle becomes flagged as 'untaxed' even though in most cases the tax has in fact been paid to the end of the month. The new owner is of course required to tax the vehicle from the beginning of the month in which the transfer takes place, so in most cases the vehicle will be double-taxed for that month. Another nice little earner for Rachel in Accounts - and she spends our money so wisely too!

2nd Oct 2025 3:29pm

Bluest

Member Since: 23 Apr 2016
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 4341

Thanks All, I'll just do it on my phone after I've got the keys in hand. 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS

2nd Oct 2025 3:37pm

jst

Member Since: 14 Jan 2008
Location: Taunton
Posts: 8489

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Stornoway Grey

Buy it last tue!

Tax at point of sale is way now. Cheers

James
110 2010 XS Utility
130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper
90 2010 Hardtop
90 M57 1988 Hardtop

Last edited by jst on 3rd Oct 2025 9:46am. Edited 1 time in total

2nd Oct 2025 8:44pm

Procta

Member Since: 03 Dec 2016
Location: Sunderland
Posts: 5376

When i bought BeaTie from the seller, I could drive it back, and the seller put the docs into DVLA, i had to wait until the new V5 came in my name. So i could tax the car. insurance wise, covered as normal. in fact i got some weekend insurance just to cover, until my insurance at the time opened on the morning. Then it was a case of just swopping the details over, they said go a head and Tax the car.
DVLA wont have a go at you, during the V5 change over period as long as its off the road

This was 6 years ago though

Me personally i cannot see why they changed rules, as the Tax used to just go with the car, if the seller wished. Sometimes that 6 months Tax was good selling point too.

Defender TD5 90 ---/--- Peugeot 306 HDI hatch back

In the words of my Good Friend, Gary Forrest 1980 -2025
" we will work something out"

3rd Oct 2025 2:15am

90 Dreamer

Member Since: 13 Jul 2019
Location: Oop North
Posts: 2308

2016 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 HT Corris Grey

you can legally drive to a Post Office for the purpose of taxing a vehicle as long as you are legal in all other aspects.........
you use the 'new keeper (Green ??) slip to tax a newly acquired vehicle

there is no grace period!!

3rd Oct 2025 7:47am

Bluest

Member Since: 23 Apr 2016
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 4341

It all went fine. I just used the info on the new keeper supplement bit of the V5 which let me tax it online on my phone in my name. That also triggers a refund of any remaining months to the previous keeper I think. 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS

3rd Oct 2025 1:44pm

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