cant tax a car
 

so the vehicle owner moves house but does not change the V5 details.
Tax reminder goes to old address but does not get to new address
before tax runs out

No V5 as it is lost, tax reminder letter over a month old so cannot be used, tax now out of date and car cannot be taxed.

Irrespective has what has already happened, what a silly position to be in, you want to tax the car but DVLA wont let you.
If you drive the car with no tax, you may get nicked. I think new v5 applied for

Why not let a car be taxed using registration number and VIN number?

macafee2

The keeper is obliged to notify a change of address. Where do the speeding fines go to, but more importantly to other motorists, if involved in a collision and leaves the scene, how can the aggrieved obtain recompense?

No reminder, well the keeper should have notified the DVLA of the change of address as obligated. Cannot use the vehicle on the public highway without tax - too bad, should have changed the address, I mean, surely moving house is an obvious clue - I have no sympathy I am afraid.

Imagine being in the situation where you were reversed into, the driver may not even realise, but damage is done to your car, and they drive off. You obtain the registration, the police check it out, and the keeper no longer lives there. you are left with the bill. You may even find out where the keeper now lives, but this would ultimately be considered lack of evidence! :duh:

Taxing the car with the reference numbers helps to avoid (only helps lol) the above, by forcing the keeper to do what they are obliged to do.

It is indeed a silly position to be in, but it goes a little way to protect other motorists out there (and even the keeper, if the car is stolen and recovered). If there was no additional info to be supplied, the keeper could 'do it later', and errrm not do it.

The keeper not only gets nicked, they will have a fine to pay, plus backdated tax to the previous expiry (if not declared SORN). Getting nicked is also automatic after the second month! With the fine sent to the registered address!! Ultimately leading to a court case if this is not dealt with, possibly with points too.

I know we all can forget these things, however, actually moving house should have prompted a change of address for the car. Was the address for the insurance changed, as the risk may have changed too? Doing it by direct debit would allow a keeper 'to get away with it' though, but it would mean the car is still able to be used on the highway.

I appreciate what you say and I cannot offer a defence, however, now the error has been discovered and they are trying to put it right, taxing and ordering a new V5, it is a silly position to be in not to be able to tax the car. There was no intent to mis lead anyone.
I will ask about the insurance and driving licence.

macafee2

I know there was no intent to mislead, but owning a car comes with administrative responsibilities, just as mechanical. The way it is set up, whether intentional (by the authorities) or not (which I believe more likely), is beneficial to reduce the risk of intentional frauds (think fuel bilking).

The additional check/reference may be related to data protection though, as looking up registrations or VINs to verify an address for payment would be governed by GDPR - imagine a scenario where someone paying enters an incorrect reg. or VIN digit, the person on the other end would not be allowed to look up the address of that registration to verify an address. Having the reference number on a reminder would allow the person inputting the data to verify it all without compromising another's data. It sounds silly I know, but it is a system we use in my work to verify an applicant's enquiry and access the data relating only to them. The data I have access to, is not particularly sensitive, but some of my colleagues do have. This data that they have access to, in the wrong hands, could theoretically lead to someone being killed believe it or not! It is heavily regulated and controlled within the office (never mind department).