My regular lorry was out of road tax on 31/5/11. Usually you get a new disc in the office that night to display the next day.
This didn’t happen… Over the next 5 days they were reminded several times, during conversations, in texts and in person. The following week I was in another lorry providing holiday cover. I clocked off on Friday night and was told I was back in my regular lorry on Monday.
Today I was told by one of the lads in the yard that its still got no valid disc in the screen. I’ve texted my TM and asked if the tax was sorted, He texted " sent for a copy of disc last week, Its covered"
So, What do I do on Monday, Drive it? Refuse to take it out? It will be 13 days with no valid disc in by Monday.
STEVECB1300:
My regular lorry was out of road tax on 31/5/11. Usually you get a new disc in the office that night to display the next day.
This didn’t happen… Over the next 5 days they were reminded several times, during conversations, in texts and in person. The following week I was in another lorry providing holiday cover. I clocked off on Friday night and was told I was back in my regular lorry on Monday.
Today I was told by one of the lads in the yard that its still got no valid disc in the screen. I’ve texted my TM and asked if the tax was sorted, He texted " sent for a copy of disc last week, Its covered"
So, What do I do on Monday, Drive it? Refuse to take it out? It will be 13 days with no valid disc in by Monday.
Unless the law has been changed it says “you must DISPLAY a valid tax disc” don’t matter if it’s been paid for it must be displayed
i would refuse to take it out, a couple of days mmmm 13 days not a chance . with all the anpr cameras about. if it didn’t have tax im pretty sure when you pass the first traffic car you will know about it. can you not type the reg into the dvla website to see if it does hold a valid tax disc 
jonboy
I was under the impression that the driver of a company vehicle cannot be prosecuted for the vehicle not being taxed as it is the companies responsibility. Its only the drivers responsibility to inform them of the fact that the tax disc is out of date.
If I’m wrong no doubt I will be corrected…never had the situation myself (lucky I suppose)
just go here to see of it covered
taxdisc.direct.gov.uk/EvlPor … =link.next
an anpr camera will be looking at your NUMBERPLATE, hence the A in anpr. if that shows it’s taxed plod shouldn’t have a reason to stop you. i know they don’t NEED a reason!!
toowise:
I was under the impression that the driver of a company vehicle cannot be prosecuted for the vehicle not being taxed as it is the companies responsibility. Its only the drivers responsibility to inform them of the fact that the tax disc is out of date.
AFAIK the wording is it is an offence to use a vehicle on the public highway that isn’t taxed and I think the driver could be said to be using it.
I’ve done a check on the DVLA web site and it seems to be in order…
I thought the offence was failing to display? even if it is taxed?
I knew I was ok for 5 days (grace, for post time etc) but now after 13 days… I’m not sure…
I think its 2 weeks now, just do what they did in the olden days, stick a note in the window saying, “Tax in Post”.
STEVECB1300:
I’ve done a check on the DVLA web site and it seems to be in order…
I thought the offence was failing to display? even if it is taxed?
I knew I was ok for 5 days (grace, for post time etc) but now after 13 days… I’m not sure…
Five working days grace only applies to online applications done before the old disc expired.Other than that there is no grace period.
When I was pulled by the overworked plod of Norfolk for having a bit of yellow missing off a long vehicle board on the back of the trailer, they told me that their computer / database didn’t do trucks, vosa’s did and the 2 databases weren’t linked.
So, an ANPR shouldn’t touch a truck, but if a copper pulls you - even if it is taxed but not displayed - he’ll be giving you a producer etc, and that’ll be YOUR responsibility.
But, I’d just put a defect note in and keep a copy for yourself, you’ve covered your arse then, it’s hardly life threatening.
waynedl:
When I was pulled by the overworked plod of Norfolk for having a bit of yellow missing off a long vehicle board on the back of the trailer, they told me that their computer / database didn’t do trucks, vosa’s did and the 2 databases weren’t linked.
So, an ANPR shouldn’t touch a truck, but if a copper pulls you - even if it is taxed but not displayed - he’ll be giving you a producer etc, and that’ll be YOUR responsibility.
But, I’d just put a defect note in and keep a copy for yourself, you’ve covered your arse then, it’s hardly life threatening.
Don’t believe that for a minute sorry
If you goto the ‘DirectGov’ website and chose the ‘online motoring’’ section there is a page there that lets you check the tax status.
taxdisc.direct.gov.uk/EvlPortalApp/ That might take you to the right place.
Put in your vehicle registration and the make and it will tell you some info.
You can also use AskMid to check the insurance on the vehicle too. For MOT I think you need more information, such as the vehicle registration document’s reference number.
If it’s not taxed then let your boss know by sms/text BEFORE you get to the yard, you can even point out you’ve checked it online and better to be safe than sorry. At least you’re giving him a chance to get it sorted or get something sorted.
Steve-o:
waynedl:
When I was pulled by the overworked plod of Norfolk for having a bit of yellow missing off a long vehicle board on the back of the trailer, they told me that their computer / database didn’t do trucks, vosa’s did and the 2 databases weren’t linked.
So, an ANPR shouldn’t touch a truck, but if a copper pulls you - even if it is taxed but not displayed - he’ll be giving you a producer etc, and that’ll be YOUR responsibility.
But, I’d just put a defect note in and keep a copy for yourself, you’ve covered your arse then, it’s hardly life threatening.
Don’t believe that for a minute sorry
Don’t really care if you do or not, I can only tell you what he told me 
The reason he mentioned it was because he was climbing all over the truck checking the road tax etc and I said, surely your computer would tell you that…
Drive it. You personally cannot be prosecuted for any road tax offence, it is a civil offence, not a criminal offence. Any trouble will come back directly to the registered keeper of the vehicle.
Why not simply get the TM to do a letter saying that He has personally sorted the Tax out and instructed you to use the vehicle, carry it with you to cover your own arse and produce it if stopped.
Silver_Surfer:
It’s taxed, drive it.
MrHappy:
Drive it. You personally cannot be prosecuted for any road tax offence, it is a civil offence, not a criminal offence. Any trouble will come back directly to the registered keeper of the vehicle.
Fool you, both of you…
Even if any vehicle is “taxed” the offence of “failure to display” is the drivers sole responsibility, and as such any fine or penalty will be levied at the driver, not the vehicle opperator
waynedl:
But, I’d just put a defect note in and keep a copy for yourself, you’ve covered your arse then, it’s hardly life threatening.
But once any driver has raised a defect note, no vehicle should leave the yard until the defect has been rectified
peirre:
Silver_Surfer:
It’s taxed, drive it.
MrHappy:
Drive it. You personally cannot be prosecuted for any road tax offence, it is a civil offence, not a criminal offence. Any trouble will come back directly to the registered keeper of the vehicle.
Fool you, both of you…
Even if any vehicle is “taxed” the offence of “failure to display” is the drivers sole responsibility, and as such any fine or penalty will be levied at the driver, not the vehicle opperator
waynedl:
But, I’d just put a defect note in and keep a copy for yourself, you’ve covered your arse then, it’s hardly life threatening.
But once any driver has raised a defect note, no vehicle should leave the yard until the defect has been rectified
Its only illegal if you get caught anyway. I don’t think plod will be putting the metal bracelets on for a bit of road tax. Buy a Snickers, get some nuts and just take it out 
Sorry, i;ve had to come back to this one again. At the moment, half the reason our industry is going down the pan is because of the health and safety wallahs who insist on all manner of ■■■■■■■■, with some new rules seemingly appearing on a weekly basis. You can barely move in the hiab side of things for paperwork, but thats a different argument. If your TM says its in hand, then take his word for it, whats the worst that could happen? If you get spotted on an ANPR camera the fine will come back to the company anyway, not you. If you’re that worried, get your TM to give you something in writing to say that as far as the company is concerned, the vehicle is taxed. Over the years, i’ve had drivers refusinng to take vehicles out for all manner of reasons. I’ve had a vegan refuse to drive a truck with leather seats. I’ve had one refuse to drive one with a miniscule chip in the windscreen that had just passed an M.O.T. Some of these fellas don’t realise what the effect of their actions can be, in some cases they’re helping an already sinking ship take on water a bit faster.
Its not as if he’s asking you to drive a motor with a serious defect or something, so crack on and lets go to work.
