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Bluest



Member Since: 23 Apr 2016
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 4336

United Kingdom 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
Post #1076730 2nd Oct 2025 3:06pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17986

United Kingdom 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.
Post #1076735 2nd Oct 2025 3:25pm
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TexasRover



Member Since: 24 Nov 2022
Location: Paris
Posts: 1344

France 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.
Post #1076738 2nd Oct 2025 3:44pm
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seriesonenut



Member Since: 19 Nov 2014
Location: Essex
Posts: 1257

United Kingdom 
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)
Post #1076739 2nd Oct 2025 3:50pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17986

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
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!
Post #1076743 2nd Oct 2025 4:29pm
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Bluest



Member Since: 23 Apr 2016
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 4336

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Java Black
Thanks All, I'll just do it on my phone after I've got the keys in hand. 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS
Post #1076744 2nd Oct 2025 4:37pm
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jst



Member Since: 14 Jan 2008
Location: Taunton
Posts: 8446

 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Stornoway Grey
Buy it last tue!

Rax 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
Post #1076763 2nd Oct 2025 9:44pm
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Procta



Member Since: 04 Dec 2016
Location: Sunderland
Posts: 5368

United Kingdom 
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 Thumbs Up This was 6 years ago though Thumbs Up

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

In the words of my Good Friend, Gary Forrest 1980 -2025
" we will work something out"
Post #1076767 3rd Oct 2025 3:15am
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90 Dreamer



Member Since: 13 Jul 2019
Location: Oop North
Posts: 2306

United Kingdom 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!!
Post #1076772 3rd Oct 2025 8:47am
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