DVLA warns motorists they 'must' do one thing or face up to £2,500 fine

Motoriststhroughout the UK have been cautioned that they must carry out one essential task or risk landing themselves in serious legal trouble. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)has informed drivers that they are obligated to complete one crucial action with their motor, regardless of how infrequently they use it.

Across the UK, it remains a legal obligation for vehicles to be taxed, with very limited exceptions. Neglecting to do so could result in a substantial penalty or even lead to a court appearance in some severe instances. Moreover, drivers who aren't even obliged to pay any tax on their vehicle could still find themselves in trouble if they ignore this warning.

Posting on X, the DVLA stated: "You must tax your vehicle, even if you don't have to pay anything."

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Punishment for driving a vehicle without tax

Drivers caught operating an untaxed vehicle could face penalties of up to £2,500 depending on the vehicle's status. When the DVLA system automatically identifies a vehicle as untaxed but not declared SORN (off the road), the registered keeper will receive an £80 penalty.

Alternatively, you could receive an out-of-court settlement notice featuring a £30 penalty plus one-and-a-half times the outstanding vehicle tax. Failure to pay this can escalate to a criminal charge and a possible court hearing where you might face a £1,000 penalty or five times the tax amount owed - whichever sum is greater.

However, if you're caught behind the wheel of an untaxed vehicle with a SORN notice in place, you'll be slapped with an out-of-court settlement letter carrying a £30 fine plus double the outstanding tax. If you fail to pay this, you could find yourself in court facing a hefty fine of up to £2,500.

The only time you're off the hook from taxing your car is if you're taking it to a pre-booked MOT test. While there's no exact limit on how far you can drive under these circumstances, it's advised not to travel an unreasonable distance or make any stops en route as this could invalidate your exemption if pulled over by the police.

All the vehicles exempt from paying tax

Vehicles that are used by a disabled person

Cars used by disabled people can be exempt from paying tax as long as the individual claims a valid disability benefit.

It's vital to remember that for the car to qualify for exemption, it must be registered in the name of the disabled person or their nominated driver. Furthermore, the car can only be used for the personal needs of the disabled individual and cannot be driven by the nominated driver for their own personal use.

The vehicle tax exemption can also only be applied to one car at a time, even if multiple cars are registered in the name of the disabled person or their nominated driver. Similarly, vehicles used by organisations to provide transport for disabled individuals are also exempt from tax - this does not include ambulances, however.

Other vehicles exempt from paying tax include:

• Mobility and powered wheelchairs
• Some electric vehicles
• Mobility vehicles and powered wheelchairs
• Historical vehicles
• Some agricultural vehicles

How to tax a vehicle

To tax a vehicle, you'll need a reference number which can be found in the vehicle's logbook (V5C), the green 'new keeper' slip from the logbook, or a recent vehicle tax reminder letter from the DVLA.

If you don't have any of these documents, you'll need to request a new log book directly from the DVLA. You can tax a vehicle online, over the phone, or at a Post Office.

Full details on how to tax your vehicle can be found here.