Nearly 20,000 drivers have been hit with fines for not taxing their vehicles this year – despite none of them owing any tax.
All vehicles, besides those that are kept off road, have to be “taxed” or licensed each year, but some – such as certain electric vehicles and older cars made before 1983 – attract a “zero rate”, meaning their drivers do not actually owe any money.
And data obtained from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) show that up until the start of September this year 18,625 vehicle-keepers were hit with fines, known as late licensing penalties, despite their vehicles attracting a “zero rate”.
The figures, obtained by i via freedom of information request, show that 32,943 of the fines – which are £80 but reduced to £40 if repaid within 28 days – were issued last year, along with 32,627 the year before.
Driving campaigners have said that the issuing of these fines seems like “needless bureaucracy” and called for the money to be refunded.
But the DVLA said it needed drivers to tax their vehicles to ensure records were accurate. Brian Gregory, policy director at the Alliance of British Drivers, said: “This sounds like another way of parting hard working people with their money.
“Where is the justification for fining people if they don’t owe anything? The DVLA should refund this money. It seems like needless bureaucracy.”
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at the AA, said that some drivers but “mistakenly” thought that they did not need to tax their vehicle simply because they did not owe any money.
But he said that going through the process of taxing a vehicle was a “quick and simple process.”
Vehicle tax, sometimes referred to as car tax, or vehicle excise duty, varies in cost, with some vehicles attracting no fee, and others – particularly heavy emitters of carbon dioxide – having to pay more than £2,500.
The only way around taxing a vehicle is to register it as off-road by getting a Statutory Off Road Notification (Sorn), which means you cannot drive it and must keep it in a garage or other off-road location.
You can tax a vehicle online, or do it by phoning the DVLA, and the agency will send reminders via post in the lead-up to your tax being due. Drivers can also sign up to online reminders too.
A DVLA spokesperson said: “All vehicles used or kept on the road must be taxed by law, including vehicles where no duty is payable.
“This ensures the information we hold on our records is accurate which helps police should they need to trace or contact the keeper. It also helps aid safety recalls.”
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