if the vehicle isnt taxed it is NOT insured
trust me at 18 i got 6 points and a £300 quid fine because after paying the £900 quid insurance i couldnt afford to tax the ■■■■■■■ 
they did me for no insurance 
I’m sure it is an offence to not display a valid disc but I can remember being tugged at Felixstowe on the 2nd day of the month and explaining that the reason I had the old tax disc in the window was that my missus was down at the office taxing it as we spoke. It was accepted with hardly a moments concern. I suppose they could have given me a producer but they didnt. Modern technology means police and vosa can check tax, insurance and mot in an instant and I think they understand this happens now and again. Mind you if I suspected therewas any deception I would not move it from the yard
In the morning If that vehicle as not got an
original tax disc I wont be driving it. I checked
the link sheeter gave and it as been taxed. I
am glad you mentioned the insurance being
void as I did not think of that. I will let you know
what happens tomorrow but I think they will send
me home and try and get someone else to take
it out.
AIUI, “failure to display” is an absolute offence (i.e. there is no legitimate defence), and the driver is responsible. There may also be some comeback on the operator as well.
If nothing else, it gives the police/VOSA a reason to stop you and go over everything (tachos, vehicle condition, etc.) in excruciating detail.
No proper tax disc = don’t drive it. If they get nasty, pass all the info onto VOSA.
As for whether it’s insured, that probably depends on whether it is actually taxed or not. If it’s not taxed, then it’s almost certainly not insured, but if it is taxed but the disc is not displayed, then it might actually be insured.
If they haven’t taxed it at all, then they’re pretty stupid, with all the automatic fine generation and ANPR stuff around nowadays.
MrFlibble:
AIUI, “failure to display” is an absolute offence (i.e. there is no legitimate defence), and the driver is responsible.
It gets worse. It could actually constitute fraud.
A mate of mine got done for putting the tax disc from another vehicle in his car. THey charged him with fraud which is far more serious. The coppers said he was actually better off having either the old tax disc or no tax disc at all.
If you look at the photocopy, you’ll see some numbers on it. This is the serial number of the disc. If the coppers choose to follow it up and find that the serial number doesn’t match the registration shown, you could be in a whole shedload of hot water and a traffic offence could be the least of your worries.
And your bosses are stupid too because the lorry would get captured by an ANPR camera at some point on the UK najor road network and would be flagged as being untaxed so they’d still get done.
dennisw1:
Failure to display carries about a 2 grand fine. Not sure whether thats down to the driver or company though.
I’d say it’s the drivers responsibility to check it. Would it not count as part of daily checks?
The failure to display does carry a very stiff penalty and knowing how our prosecution system works, it’s probably a stiffer penalty than not buying a tax disc in the first place.
I found myself in the same position earlier this year
the truck had been replated to a hight band, and I was faced with the prospect of taking the truck out with a photocopy displayed in the window
I refused to take it out for the following reasons;
failure to display a current RFL
driving a vehicle without a current RFL (drivers responsibility - DEFECT)
fraudulently displaying
invalid insurance
needlessly to say I no longer work for the company
Remember…its YOUR licence, and YOU who the law will come down heavily on, not the company
its the company who will hang you out to dry if it comes back on them
It’s part of your daily checks. No original RFL = vehicle stays in yard. Your licence.
I got to work this morning and the original tax
disc was displayed but I don’t know if they got
it from the head office or it was in there office
somewhere but I know it was not a new one.
To clarify the insurance situation that arose. There is no resposibility on a driver driving a company vehicle for a boss to make sure there is valid insurance. I fyou get a produce it is ENTIRELY the companys responsibility. Failure to produce insurance is not an offence by the driver but the company so don’t lose any sleep over that one.Don’t ask me how I know can’t be arsed!