The company i work for recently sent me out without a tax disc telling me they had one but they couldnt find it. i was not to pleased about this as i thought it was illegal not to display one. The vehicle i was driving was a rental vehicle and i was told that i would be ok for up to 3 days without one. my boss said if i didnt drive the vehicle there would be serious consequences( He meant i would be sacked). Anybody able to tell me straight?
Taken from
connexions-northlondon.co.uk … he-law.php
Car Tax
Any ‘mechanically propelled’ vehicle (in other words, not a horse or pushbike) that is parked or used on the public highway must have and display a valid tax disc.
The only exemptions to this are:
- Fire engines
- Ambulances
- Some agricultural vehicles
- Some electrically propelled vehicles
- Invalid carriages
- Road construction vehicles
- Vehicles used solely for spreading material to deal with frost, ice or snow.
The only time you can get away with driving or parking a car on the road if it doesn’t have a valid tax disc is on the way to or from an MOT test (which must be already booked) or during the test. On the way back from a test the vehicle has to be an MOT failure and be on its way to another pre-booked appointment at a garage to have the faults rectified.
Don’t forget!
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It’s an offence not to display a valid tax disc, regardless of whether you own one or not!
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It’s no defence to say that the disc is in the post!
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Some people are still under the impression that you are allowed 14 days after expiry to get a new disc, this is not true!
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It’s no defence to say your tax disc has been stolen. If this is the case, you have to apply for a duplicate from the post office.
You can get a new tax disc from most main post offices, but not all sub post offices. You will need:
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Money. The appropriate licence fee, this can be for six months or a year.
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Valid MOT certificate
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Valid V5 vehicle registration document or the relevant DVLA application form
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Valid certificate of insurance
The Police can and will stop you if you are not displaying a current tax disc, and for goods vehicles an O licence.
To drive a vehicle, even a hire vehicle without a tax disc is illegal, attempt to defraud the revenue I think.
You can get away without an O licence on a hire vehicle, on one occasion, it fell off the windscreen while I was driving, was going to put it back up at my next drop about 15 minutes away, got stopped by plod, no problem, just stuck it bak into position and off I went.
Another occasion, driving a temporary hire vehicle, no O licence specific to the vehicle, got stopped again, Plod phoned the office then the relevant people, no problem, off I went.
I believe an operator is allowed up to 28 days to get an O licence specific to a vehicle, as long as there is availability on their O licence.
Cheers people just gotta deal with the boss now
It is illegal not to display a tax disc, and with the new sorn rules it is illegal to have a car in your garage without a current tax disc, unless you have declared sorn.
My car is out of tax at the moment 
and I cannot afford to tax it this month because a motorbike tyre is more important 
I know people who ride bikes in London and other big cities and they keep the disc in their wallets as scumbags thieve them. but I also know people who have been done for not displaying one even though they have shown the traffic warden or copper a current disc
I think you will find that the offence is failing to display a valid tax disc. regardless of whether you actually have one or not.
Can someone point me in the right direction regarding the legistation for displaying an O licence.
Welcome to TruckNet UK WHARTY .
Wharty, make sure you cover your own back … - when you pick up the vehicle next time, be sure to write in the Daily check book something on the lines of :
“Current tax disc still missing from windscreen. (Previously notified last week.)”
Actually…
whilst it is an offence for a vehicle to be used on a road without a valid excise license this offence doesn’t come down to the driver in the situation being discussed here. This type of offence is ■■■■■■■ in the definition of who is “using” the vehicle. In the case of an employed driver, the user of the vehicle is the company or organisation that is using the vehicle and the driver is simply obeying the instructions of the user.
Its a good idea deesider but in the last few months the company i work for has stopped taking notice of defect reports and have even stopped supplying daily check sheets i would leave under most circumstances but have just bought my first house so cant really afford too. there are still one or two bad eggs knocking around in the industry and i think i work for one.
But
If i took a vehicle out with a bald tyre would it be the users fault or mine is this not the same as the tax disc maybe i should have checked first.
WHARTY:
ButIf i took a vehicle out with a bald tyre would it be the users fault or mine is this not the same as the tax disc maybe i should have checked first.
Bald tyre would be your fault, as would any other safety related defects which of course are part of your daily walk round checks before setting off.
I think I’d be looking for something pretty sharpish because it’s only a matter of time before either the Ministry man pays them a visit and closes them down (you out of a job) or something on the wagon breaks and quite possibly kills you in the process (depending on what it is that breaks, obviously).
You’ve got Morrisons round the corner and plenty of other hauliers in that region so finding alternate work shouldn’t be a problem.
WHARTY:
ButIf i took a vehicle out with a bald tyre would it be the users fault or mine is this not the same as the tax disc maybe i should have checked first.
Yours and isn’t it a potential 3 points on your licence per tyre? Like Rob says you could do with seeking alternative employment , for the sake of your licence if nothing else. Companies like this are a disgrace to the industry and it’s a shame you’ve found yourself stuck there (I’ve been there myself 
)
Best start looking then. May try boughey distribution see if they are any good.
Thanks lads its good talking to people who know the score.
WHARTY:
Best start looking then. May try boughey distribution see if they are any good.Thanks lads its good talking to people who know the score.
Well if you’re looking at Boughey’s at Winsford then you’re spoilt for choice with company’s in that area.
Yea theres a few, some bad ones though, like THE BIG RED wagons with the british heart foundation logo on the back cant really say who cos would probably get done for slander i worked there for 3 months.
WHARTY:
ButIf i took a vehicle out with a bald tyre would it be the users fault or mine is this not the same as the tax disc maybe i should have checked first.
In that instance both as it is a specifice “driving” offence.
The subjects of own, use and drive are quite complex and as a driver it is worth getting to know what you’re responsible for, what your bosses are responsible for and what you’re both responsible for.
ron9516:
Can someone point me in the right direction regarding the legistation for displaying an O licence.
It is an offence for a licence holder to fail to display an O licence disc. To me that seems to mean the driver is not liable.
this boils down to the turn of events at the time.
the driver may be prosecuted for using the vehicle without displaying the road tax and the owner will also be prosecuted for allowing the vehicle to be used without displaying road tax.
if the vehicle is spotted unattended then a ticket will be issued by a police officer or traffic warden, they will check with dvla to find out if it does actually have any tax, if not they may wait around for the driver or wheel clamp it or remove it, if the driver is really unlucky and has parked in an area that is undergoing a clampdown then they may crush the vehicle at the point of discovery (not very likely with a truck though).
if the vehicle does (according to dvla) have tax then they will carry on with their rounds and the owner only will be summonsed.
you can get away with failure to display if your disc has been stolen and you have a police crime reference number (not forever) until you are able to get a replacement (you may get threatened with court action but a polite letter may get you off).
finally if you are with the vehicle and it is not taxed at all then you may have to walk home.