Car insurance - Tips & Advice - Stress free driving
Life is demanding enough without wasting hours of your precious time standing in lunchtime queues waiting to renew your tax disc every six or 12 months. It’s even more of a chore if you’re a small business owner or a two-car family and have to do this for several vehicles. Luckily, you can now renew your tax disc or Statutory Off Road Notice (SORN) on the DVLA’s Vehicle Licensing website. It takes a matter of minutes and you can do it 24 hours a day.
Why it makes sense to renew online
If you’ve ever made multiple trips to the Post Office because you forgot to bring all the relevant documents, you’ll be relieved to know that when you apply online there’s no need to have these documents to hand. The checks are done automatically online – your car insurance details are run through the Motor Insurance Database, while your MOT is validated against records of MOT test results, which are held on a secure computerised database called MOT Computerisation. No queuing, no lengthy phone calls, just click and go. It’s especially handy if you’re abroad when your tax renewal comes up. You need never get caught out or face paying a fine for not getting your new tax disc in time because life got in the way. With this online service you can sort it out from the comfort of your home, while you’re at work, or even from your laptop on the beach!
How do you do it?
- Log onto http://www.vehiclelicence.gov.uk/EvlPortalApp/ and click on ‘Apply for a tax disc now’ in the left hand menu.
- Fill in the 16-digit reference number on your renewal or reminder or the 11-digit number from your Registration Document (the Logbook) and your number plate.
- Choose between a six or 12-month tax disc and enter your payment card details.
- You’ll get a reference number and your new tax disc will arrive within five working days.
When NOT to renew online
The tax disc or SORN will be sent to the keeper’s address so if you’ve recently moved it’s probably best to renew your tax disc at your local Post Office.
Related information:
Your MOT – it’s your legal responsibility to ensure your car is roadworthy
Taking a break – find out how you can temporarily suspend your Direct Line car insurance
Options for foreign drivers – if you’ve moved to the UK from overseas, you’ll want to find out what you need to do to buy a car and drive here
|
