Van drivers warned over tax disc rules

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Mercedes warns van drivers over new tax disc rules
Mercedes warns van drivers over new tax disc rules

The rules on displaying vehicle tax discs are changing from October and drivers need to be aware of them to stand on the right side of the law, says Mercedes-Benz Vans.

Under new rules, paper tax discs do not have to be displayed in the windscreen of the vehicle because details of the tax are now kept on an electronic road tax database.

This means that those who haven’t paid their tax can be checked by automatic number plate readers when out and about and enforcement action will follow.

New tax disc rules for vans

Any van with an existing tax disc which is set to run out after the 1 October deadline can safely remove it from the windscreen.

However, anyone buying a used van should be aware that the road tax can no longer be transferred with the vehicle when it is sold.

Instead, it is crucial that the new owner buys the road tax before driving it on the roads.

The seller of the van will then automatically receive a refund for any full calendar months left on the road tax when the DVLA register has been updated.

Being busy van drivers is ‘no excuse’

The managing director of Mercedes-Benz Vans, Steve Bridge, said that van drivers are among the busiest on the country’s roads but that will be no excuse for ignoring the changes to the tax disc system.

He added: “Taxing a vehicle has been a standard for 93 years when driving and this hasn’t changed.

“Van drivers will continue to receive a renewal reminder for their road tax and they must continue taxing their vehicle because failure to do so may result in a fine of up to £1000.

“That is last thing that many hard-working van drivers will need and I would like to see that when the number of non-taxed vehicles is released, the number of non-taxed vans has decreased.”

Mr Bridge pointed out that while road tax is already different for car and van drivers, the paperless change will affect all drivers equally and all van drivers in the UK can lead by example.