Frequently Asked Questions

Any mechanically propelled vehicle when used or kept on a public road must display a valid tax disc.

The following vehicles are exempt from excise duty:

• Trams
• Vehicles not for carriage
• Police vehicles
• Fire engines
• Ambulance and health service vehicles
• Mine rescue vehicles
• Lifeboat vehicles
• Vehicles for disabled people
• Vehicles used between different parts of land
• Vehicle testing
• Vehicles for export
• Vehicles imported by members of foreign armed forces

Vehicles are also exempt only when:

• Going to a test centre for a pre-booked MOT, stipulating the time and date
• On an MOT test
• After failing an MOT test, for the purpose of taking the vehicle to a pre-booked appointment at a garage to have the faults rectified.

Note: Some old vehicles may be classed as vintage vehicles and although they are not exempt from having to display a tax disc, the disc is free of charge.

No. You cannot drive a car without a current road fund licence.

No. There is no 14 day 'grace'. You must have a valid road fund licence.

You can obtain a form to apply for a duplicate tax disc from a main post office. There is no exemption for driving a motor vehicle on the road because your excise licence has been stolen. In this case you would be committing an offence of failing to display.

You can apply for a refund if you bought the licence disc or if it was passed to you with the vehicle.

You can also apply if the licence disc still has one or more complete calendar months to run before expiry. No refund is payable for a disc which has expired or which expires in less than one complete month.

Refunds are not payable on Temporary Duplicate discs.

You must not apply for a refund if your vehicle is in the process of having its registration mark transferred or retained, as refunds can only be paid on replacement licence discs.

Anyone wishing to receive a refund should obtain a V14 form from their Post Office or local vehicle licencing office. They should complete it and forward on to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1AL, or hand it in to a DVLA local office.