Insurance
How to check if a car is taxed and MOT’d
How do I check when my car tax is due?
Graham Cutbill-White
Last updated: 20/10/2025
Graham Cutbill-White
Last updated: 20/10/2025
If you’re concerned about your car tax, worry no more. Checking if a car is taxed (and when tax is due) is a relatively simple process.
The UK government website has a straightforward vehicle tax checker that will let you know if you’re covered or need to take action in a matter of minutes. All you need is to enter your car’s registration number.
Insurance, tax and a valid MOT are essential requirements for the vast majority of cars owned and driven in the UK. Although this has been the case for many years, the DVLA’s system has evolved enormously.
One example of this evolution is how the once-mandatory tax disc – physical evidence of tax being paid – was replaced by an entirely digital system in 2014. Although there are many benefits to digitising this system, it does mean it’s now just that little bit more difficult to see when your – or anyone else’s – tax is due.
Along with the expiration dates of the vehicle’s tax and MOT, the final page will also provide the following essential information:
With the penalties for forgetting to pay your road tax potentially costing thousands of pounds, it’s so important to ensure everything is legal before you head out on the road. All drivers are sent a v11 reminder letter a month before their car tax expires.
Failing to get your MOT in time and driving without a valid MOT certificate can also land you with a hefty fine of up to £1,000. You can check the status of your MOT on www.gov.uk.
If you’re worried about forgetting your MOT due date, you can sign up for the DVLA’s free Get MOT Reminders service. By doing this, you’ll receive a notification a month before your car’s MOT is due. This gives you plenty of time to book in your test.
Driving without car tax can lead to severe penalties including:
If you’re caught driving without tax, you could be fined up to £2,500. The Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994, also known as VERA, means the DVLA can also clamp your vehicle until you pay the correct amount of tax.
If the DVLA flags an untaxed vehicle that hasn’t been declared SORN, the registered keeper will receive a letter issuing notice of a penalty and fine of £80. If this is paid promptly (within 33 days), there may be a 50% discount offered.
No points will be added to the driver’s licence at this point but if the fine is not paid, the case may be referred to a debt collector.
Penalties for driving an untaxed vehicle on a public road
The DVLA sends out a letter to remind car owners when their annual road tax is due. It includes:
When you receive your v11 letter, there will be a link to the government website, phone number and code to pay your tax and you’ll have the choice of monthly direct debits or one-off payment.
Obviously, choose the one that suits your circumstances but our advice would be to make sure you set up either payment asap.
All this means it’s actually quite easy to get your car taxed and MOT’d every year, but we’d still recommend making a note in your calendar for a little extra reassurance.
You can also tax your vehicle without a v11 reminder.
Spreading monthly payments can make it easier to afford your car tax, but you need to make sure that you have the necessary funds in your bank account.
If a payment to the DVLA fails, you will be sent an email and four days later they will attempt to take the payment again.
If it fails a second time, you’ll receive an email informing you that the direct debit has been permanently cancelled and that your car is no longer taxed.
Driving without tax is a criminal offence so you’ll need to set up a new direct debit with sufficient funds or arrange payment by another method asap. If you don’t and still decide to drive your car, you could be fined £80.
Unfortunately, road tax no longer carries over with the ownership of a vehicle. This means if you buy a car that has already paid for three months’ road tax, you’ll still need to pay road tax from the day you own it if you want to get behind the wheel.
If you sell a car that still has part of the year’s road tax leftover, you can ask to be reimbursed but bear in mind it will be taken from the 1st of the next month. This means, if you made your request on the 15th you’d still be charged for the weeks left until the new month begins.
If you decide to export or scrap your car, you need to notify the DVLA as quickly as possible. When you do, they will tell you to apply for a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) and as long as your car remains off the road, it will remain valid and not need to be taxed (although you can still insure a SORN car).
If your car isn’t taxed, then it won’t be insured. This means you not only run the risk of being fined but also potentially end up in more serious trouble if something happens to your car e.g. if your car is stolen or you’re involved in an accident, your insurance will be invalid and you could end up paying out substantial amounts of money that could have been avoided.
As soon as you want to drive your car on a public road, even if it’s just a case of parking outside your house, you’ll need to pay road tax. Once you’ve paid your vehicle tax to get the car back on the road, you will want to insure it.
One solution could be temporary car insurance. This short-term policy will provide you with fully comprehensive cover for a time period (between 1 hour and 28 days) that works for you.
Related tags:
Temporary Car InsuranceZero-emission vehicles like fully electric or hydrogen-fuelled cars are exempt from paying the London congestion charge. This exemption ends on 25 December, 2025. All vehicles will be required to pay the daily charge from 26 December, 2025.
Yes, drivers of electric and low-emission vehicles have had to pay road tax from 1 April, 2025.
Look out for black or blue smoke coming from the exhaust, strange smells from the vehicle and keep an eye on dashboard lights. This could highlight issues like a faulty sensor or leak. If you see any of these, take your car to a professional as soon as possible.
To cancel MOT reminders, click 'unsubscribe' in the reminder email or text, or visit the official MOT reminders page on the gov.uk website. If you've subscribed via both email and text, you may need to unsubscribe separately. Note, it can take up to 28 days for the request to be processed, so you may still receive reminders after unsubscribing.
Our free MOT reminder service ensures you never miss your car's MOT due date. You'll receive an automated email or text four weeks and two weeks prior to your MOT renewal date. This efficient system helps you easily manage this crucial annual requirement.
The DVLA will issue a V11 reminder when your car tax is due for renewal. This document contains a reference number required for tax renewal or to make a Statutory Off-road Notification (SORN) if you intend to take your car off the road. Ensure to check your post regularly.
To renew your car tax, bring your V5C logbook or reminder letter/email and a valid MOT certificate to the Post Office. Payment methods include cheque, direct debit, debit/credit card, cash, or postal order. This straightforward process ensures your car remains legally on the road.
The DVLA doesn't have an official app, but you can manage your driving and vehicle details online via the GOV.UK Driver and vehicles account. The Driver Codes app provides a mobile version of your driving licence. For theory test revision, consider apps like Driving Theory 4 All or the Official DVSA Theory Test Kit. Apple users can add their licence to their Apple Wallet.
The DVLA will notify you via letter, email, or text when your car's annual MOT test is due, a mandatory check-up for cars over three years old in England, Scotland, and Wales. Cars under three years old are temporarily exempt from this requirement.
To prepare your car for its MOT, clean it thoroughly, ensure number plates are legible, and check windscreen wipers for damage. Confirm all lights work and verify tyre tread depth with the 20p test, also checking tyre pressure. These pre-MOT checks help avoid unnecessary failure and re-tests. Remember, an MOT is legally required for UK roads, so maintaining your vehicle is essential.
You can drive your car to a pre-booked MOT test or for fixing a dangerous fault, even with an expired MOT. However, evidence of your appointment is required. Stick to the most direct route to the garage or MOT centre and ensure your car is insured. If your vehicle failed its MOT due to a 'dangerous' defect, it must be transported.
Unintentionally driving without road tax won't earn penalty points on your licence in the UK. Nevertheless, if caught, an automatic fine will be sent to the registered keeper's address. This is the standard procedure for driving without valid Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). Therefore, it's crucial to always tax your vehicle correctly to avoid such penalties.
Indeed, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras can detect untaxed vehicles by scanning number plates and cross-referencing with the DVLA's electronic database. If your Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax) isn't current, your vehicle is flagged, potentially leading to police intervention, fines, clamping, or impounding. As the system is entirely electronic, maintaining up-to-date road tax is crucial to avoid penalties.
In the UK, there's no grace period for car tax; renewal is required immediately upon expiry. Driving without valid road tax can lead to severe penalties, including fines and clamping. It's advisable to renew your road tax early to avoid complications. If temporary cover is needed, Tempcover offers a quick, adaptable solution to ensure legal road use.
Yes, you can tax your car without a V11 form. As the car's keeper, use your V5C registration certificate (logbook) or a V62 application for a registration certificate. There's no need to wait for a vehicle tax reminder. If you've lost your V11 form, these alternatives ensure your car is legally taxed.
Standard speed cameras solely detect speeding, while Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras read vehicle registration plates, cross-referencing them with DVLA records to verify tax, insurance, and MOT validity. ANPRs aid police and other agencies in enforcing road laws and charging schemes. It's important to note that speed cameras and ANPR are distinct technologies with specific functions.
Yes, purchasing a taxed used car from a dealership is possible, but not guaranteed. Confirm the car's tax status before driving to avoid surprises or legal issues. Remember, as a car owner, it's your responsibility to ensure your vehicle is correctly taxed.
Driving a car without road tax, even newly purchased, is illegal on public roads, barring a few exceptions. One exception is driving to a pre-booked MOT test, as a valid MOT certificate is required to tax your car. Therefore, ensure you tax your car immediately after purchase to remain within the law.
Avoid a SORN fine by promptly registering your vehicle as Statutory Off-Road Notification (SORN) with the DVLA and storing it off public roads. Non-SORN vehicles must be taxed and insured or risk a Late Licensing Penalty (LLP) and additional fines. If fined, pay or challenge it promptly. Driving a SORN-registered vehicle on public roads can result in a fine up to £2,500.
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Temporary Car Insurance