Say a friend of a friend went to do his car tax online this morning and then realised that his MOT expired. Now, say that friend of a friend got the MOT done this afternoon but may not be able to locate an insurance certificate…though he does know that the car is definitely insured and goes to the local PO counter (just round the corner from me coincidentally) with a valid MOT certificate this afternoon. Can the PO counter issue the tax disc by checking the insurance database? Or will my friend of a friend also need to produce the insurance cert? I’m assuming that the MOT online database will not be updated in time for the tax disc to be applied for online post MOT this afternoon…?

Can the PO counter issue the tax disc by checking the insurance database?

I don’t think so, at least they won’t

at least they won’t

won’t what…

Don’t leave my friend of a friend hanging like that man… 🙂

No they cant.
It may be worth waiting a few days for the MOT to appear on the database though. You wont get a fine or have your car lifted for a minimum of a month, generally 2-3 though.

Do it online or phone the dvla and tax it that way .I know “your friend” wont display the disc for a few days but at least you wont trigger anpr cameras and the like

I found myself in the same situation as you your friend the other week.

Was able to tax the car online the day after it was MOT’d. I didn’t check the same day to see if it was updated, but it certainly was the following day.

Yeah, I just checked their website and it appears my friend would need to take an insurance certificate.

Any idea how long it takes for the MOT database to be updated with the car’s valid certificate?

@franksinatra…

Ok, cheers. Some real world experience for my friend…I’ll let him know now. So maybe tomorrow, maybe Monday. 🙂

If “your friend” phones his insurance company, they will likely email a pdf of his insurance certificate, that he can then print off and take along to the PO.

Had the same problem a few months ago, as my car failed the test and wasn’t ready for the retest until the old MOT had run out. Got a tax disc online 20 mins after the car passed. It’s the ANPR database that updates overnight apparently.

Thanks all for the help. I’ve emailed the friend a link to this thread. He’s most grateful for all the replies. 🙂

that only works if its taxed before the tax expires edric.

you get 5 working days grace IF you purchase the tax on the system before the new tax is due.

Yes you need the certificate NOT the cover note.

Does your friend not have the reminder letter? With it I’ve found you can renew on line the day after an MoT has been passed even if the tax expired a few days before.

deadlydarcy – Member
Can the PO counter issue the tax disc by checking the insurance database?

They won’t and don’t need to – you will be presenting the insurance certificate.

Without that – you’ve no chance (unless it’s a bent post office).

Any idea how long it takes for the MOT database to be updated with the car’s valid certificate?

It should happen instantly as it’s all done on computer.

Does your friend not have the reminder letter?

Indeed he does (sorry, it took him a while to reply to this question). He said that it was doing it by reminder that alerted him to his out of date MOT. He’s such a doofus, honestly. 🙄

They won’t and don’t need to – you will be presenting the insurance certificate.

Yeah, he realised this once he actually went and checked the PO website.

It should happen instantly as it’s all done on computer.

This, I think. They seem to have stopped issuing paper MOT certificates, certainly my garage has. If that’s normal then the database will have to be updated instantly otherwise it could turn into a complete ball ache if you got stopped driving home from your test.

EDIT – It’s the style of them that’s changed, they’re just printed onto plain white paper now, not the green forms. So ignore what I said.

I taxed mine at the local DVLA the other day – I was asked for all the paperwork and there were signs up saying they couldn’t access the insurance db.
I’ve been getting white paper MOT certs still from my local garage, think you’ll need one of these + your V5 + insurance cert to tax in person.

Apparently the MOT ran out on my car early Sept but I’d forgotten about it until I tried to tax the car last week. Anyhow I had it MOTed the next day and taxed it online the sane evening.

Got it through the post on Wednesday

Sorted

Edit – easier to do it online too, less faff looking for stuff