Driving home and a panda car pulls me, they get me in the back of the car and tell me my car is declared SORN, it was until I taxed it on the 30th of November and put it back on the road on the 1st of December. I got pulled today on the 4th, obviously I produced the email on my phone that evidenced my car was indeed taxed and went on my way.

So how does that work, you tax your car but it stays untaxed until the DVLA pull their finger out and update the system. My gripe is less with the officers who pulled me, in theory they are working of an incorrect system.

Is it worth complaining?

It’s been 4 days, two of which were weekend, forget about it.

Is it worth complaining?

No, not at all. What help would it be for what is obviously just a short delay in some records being updated.

Complain about what?

Is it worth complaining?

You just did 🙂

No harm done – but you’re right OP the system is a bit shoddy. Same thing when I changed my tax payments to monthly this year, system wouldn’t let me do it until the tax was overdue by a day – I’d phoned DVLA about a week before it expired to change the payments as couldn’t do it online and they advised i couldn’t until it was past due !

I thought there was a period of grace anyways so plod were a bit keen although going from SORN to being driven is probably a bit more serious than past due by a day or two ?

OP,

To check if your car is taxed.

Use askMID

To check if your vehicle is taxed with MOT.

Vehicle enquiry service Gov UK

My insurance company did not update the database until I contacted them.

muckytee – Member

Is it worth complaining?

Yes, complain. No doubt they’ll put it in the circular file but **** me what a bunch of muppets. I taxed my car the day I bought it (£20) and obviously the previous owner didn’t think it was worth his while taking the bus into town to cash the £1.60 refund he received in back tax.

A couple of months later (after the date the previous tax would have expired) I got a letter informing me that I had been spotted multiple times on 4 anpr cameras over a two month period and if I didn’t pay a fine and tax the car I would be taken to court and fined up to five grand iirc.

Phoned them up only to be told there was no way I could actually speak to a human – I would have to write a cover letter along with proof that I had purchased the tax. Luckily I’d kept the receipt when I taxed the car otherwise I’d have nothing and have to pay the fine.

The letter they sent out had some choice phrasing too, along the lines of “In this instance we have decided not to fine you”.

I got pulled up a few years ago for a similar situation, but for no insurance. It was a tense 10 minutes in the back of the cop car until they got through to the insurance and confirmed they just hadn’t updated the database!

Not really worth complaining is it…

I’ve been pulled several times (when I was younger) for no reason at all and accused of things like “your car stinks of weed”* and breathalized all fine and got to go after wasting my time for a bit.

*Apparently this is a go to excuse as it is subjective and can’t really be proven false

Yup worth complaing to DVLA and your MP. The police wasted your time and theirs. It’s an electrinic system update should be inmediate.

Not surprisingly since new online system came in non-payment has increased. Also a rip off on car sale/puchase as Govt gets twice the duty amount for the month

got pulled in november, it’d been taxed in may. I told them as such. they pointed out it was last may, impounded my car & took me home in the police car.

Quite embarrassing, but i did like the 530d roads unit car. 😳