New Vehicle Tax Refund Rules

For those of us with a March '01 to March '06 car who may have been thinking of a refund and re-tax before next March's hike have a read of this http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/HowToTaxYourVehicle/DG_172479 Does it mean if you don't take the car off the road (SORN) for at least 21 days then no refund is paid? Think I'll do mine in December to make sure.

If you see the following link I think they changed there minds again on the prices! £400 only applies to cars registered after 23/03/06 http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/HowToTaxYourVehicle/DG_10012524

I think they are current and these are from early next year http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/Budget2008/DG_073093

Looks like it... I got my Tax Disc renewal form through today, and for my 2004 (Dec 1st) C4S, at 277g/km, it's asking me to pay £210 for the year... Needless to say I'm off to the Post Office tomorrow first thing, before they change their mind! I was expecting £400... Good times!

mine was the same-i dont believe it has become law yet...and may not happen at all apparently....so no need to break your neck[ ]

Got my renewal today £400, bloody hell thats a lot of money, will not be long before the road tax is more than the insurance [ ] Does anyone know where I can get the tax disc holder that says paid the road tax, how about fixing some effing pot holes !

That what annoys me, we pay more for far less. Phil

When was your car registered Marlin as Ess_three has had his reminder at the same time but a lot cheaper?

I think I have it right ... to summarise, for 996 owners ... a) For those pre-Y reg (i.e. pre 1/3/2001) cars: Stays on non CO2 based system = 185 GBP currently b) For those with 1/3/01 to 22/3/06 cars: Currently 210, will become 440 for renewals with start of April 2009 + c) For those with 23/03/06 onwards cars: Currently 400, will become 440 for renewals with start of April 2009 +. And, just to discourage those in category (b) from cancelling and renewing just before the increase, our lovely government have introduced a new law that only allows you to get a refund if its SORN'd for 21+ days, before renewal which takes effect from 1st Jan 2009.

therell be a new govt by then so theyll change their mind again and either include all cars ever made or scrap the increase alltogether[ ]

I think that it will come in next April '09 - but they'll probably do something like make it apply to just the new cars sold from that date onwards which (let's be honest here) would make it a fair green tax. If they do it this way it will encourage the manufactures to put some work in on lowering emissions and increasing MPG. Look what Porsche have just done with their new 997...?! More power, more MPG, less emissions!! What ever is going to happen next...? A black guy running America.....? Dooh! ...Or a 23 year old British black guy winning the F1 World Championship....? Double dooh!!![ ]

You know if we all did what the government wanted and drove round in poxy little euro/diesel boxes and paid £35 a year tax they would sharp panic as there would be no cash in their car tax piggy bank [&:] As Adrian says it should only be on vehicles registered from next April onwards (if at all) I hope someone sees sense before then [ ] where will it all stop.............!!

Really - do you know something we don't - I hope you're right, but we talking of just 4 and a bit month's time ! As for the other hopefuls ... we can all dream - there was a back bench revolt back last July when 49 labour MPs objecte to these retrospective increases, but the government defeated them.

While we're on the subject guys, I've just had my renewal notice for the end of November (£210 for 12 months) and was just contemplating taking her off the road until early next year. Does anyone know how straight forward it is to re-activate the tax when you want to? In other words I would declare the car SORN until about next Feb and then renew it before the new rules come in in April. (But I do have my doubts about whether they will or not..?) It'll be a big decision to do it as I definitely won't be able to use the car if she's SORN. Anyone ever done this (and regretted/not regretted it?) Adrian.

I don't see the point of doing that in all honsety. Assuming the new changes kick in and you SORN in December and re-tax in March, then you'll only be gaining from being able to extend your cheaper rate for 2 months .. i.e. (440-210)*2/12 which is about 40 quid gain.

just 4 and a bit month's time ! a lot can happen in that time martin- but i was commenting on those whose tax may not be due till 9-10 months time-by which time the govt may well be changed.

I SORN my 911sc every year around Sept/Oct and then tax it again around March/April without a problem. Its easy to re tax it, just go on line or to the post office, no hassle as long as all the docs, mot, ins etc are in order [ ]

...ehh...? Surely, if I don't tax my car at the end of November and take it off the road and then re-tax it next March (when the prices will be the same as now), I'll be gaining as I'll get a years tax (March '09 to March '10) at the current rate - instead of taxing her now and having to do it again in November '09? Or am I missing something here....?

Or am I missing something here....? nope!!you are gaining!!![ ]

Thanks to Mercurial for this link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/3429019/Labour-U-turn-on-car-tax-rises.html It seems like it might not be necessary to SORN your post-March 01 car (yet).

see link from richard above!!

Things are looking up [ ] well for the time being anyway. I've just had a look on the governments site here http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/HowToTaxYourVehicle/DG_10012524 there were details of the new tax hikes all over this page the other day, now they appear to have been removed!!

Whoh - this is good news - fingers crossed the back dated bit (01 to 06) will be removed altogethe, not just postponed a year.

My hunch is that if it has been binned for now, that will become permanent. As the government seems now to be consistently behind in the polls, it means they will want to hang on until the last before they call a general election, which means it will be in the spring of 2010. The last thing they will want is a guaranteed vote loser to materialise six months before. My 996 is a Jan 2001 car anyway so it looks like I'm partially immune.