Buying a Second Hand car without tax; new tax renewal rules,etc.

LeakingLava

Hi, I'm currently looking at a car and it doesn't have tax. I am currently asking the owner how long it had been out of tax. But anyway, do I pay the arrears due to the new 'off the road' tax rules thing? I am very unsure. Please do help me out. Thanks a lot in advance.

colm_mcm

You're only liable from the month you get it. You or the owner don't have to pay arrears.

LeakingLava

colm_mcm wrote: »

You're only liable from the month you get it. You or the owner don't have to pay arrears.

Even if the previous owner didn't declare that the car would be off the road prior to the time that it was off the road?

Just read that that has to happen so that you wouldn't have to pay. Or does that not apply to me as I just got the car?

colm_mcm

If the guy selling it wanted to tax it in his name then he'd have to have signed it off the road or pay the arrears, given that you're not him and he's not taxing it you're ok.

LeakingLava

colm_mcm wrote: »

If the guy selling it wanted to tax it in his name then he'd have to have signed it off the road or pay the arrears, given that you're not him and he's not taxing it you're ok.

Oh that's great news. So just the change of ownership and I can tax it with no problems whatsoever?

Thanks a lot.

colm_mcm

LeakingLava wrote: »

Oh that's great news. So just the change of ownership and I can tax it with no problems whatsoever.

Yep.

filbert the fox

I am also looking at a car which has not been taxed. What exactly are the rules?
It seems grossly unfair if the seller can have a vehicle and not pay tax and just as I acquire it- the tax kicks in? I would like to think that the car I'm buying has been out an about and not stored up for months.

Does this apply to dealers only or to the private seller also?
thanks

bazz26

As already mentioned above. The new owner is only liable for motor tax from the beginning of the month that ownership transfers to them.

mfceiling

filbert the fox wrote: »

I am also looking at a car which has not been taxed. What exactly are the rules?
It seems grossly unfair if the seller can have a vehicle and not pay tax and just as I acquire it- the tax kicks in? I would like to think that the car I'm buying has been out an about and not stored up for months.

Does this apply to dealers only or to the private seller also?
thanks

It doesn't "kick in" as you put it. You pay your road tax or you don't...the car can still be driven - the person who owns the vehicle should have the vehicle taxed to drive it on the public road.

Still plenty of vehicles on the road being driven with no tax.

corktina

yep but if you get caught now, you'll pay the arrears too

Scortho

corktina wrote: »

yep but if you get caught now, you'll pay the arrears too

Really? Even if you just bought the car in today, you could end up paying tax for something you didn't own in October?
Government is unfair sometimes, but they're not that unfair are they?

corktina

only if it's in your name

Scortho

corktina wrote: »

only if it's in your name

Now I'm confused?
If i buy a car today that wasn't declared off the road and has been out of tax from october, I'm liable for the arrears from october, because I got caught, even though I only bought it today?

Or have I picked you up wrong somewhere down the line and I'm only liable for tax from the 1st of january?

corktina

no I was replying to the other guy