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Vehicle tax due to expire while you’re abroad

If you’re going to be abroad when your vehicle tax expires, you can tax online, by phone, tax in advance or get someone to tax your vehicle for you. You can arrange to get the tax disc sent to an address abroad.

Tax online or by phone

Use the reference number on your V11 reminder or Registration Certificate to renew your tax from the 15th day of the month in which the tax disc expires. The tax disc can only be sent to the address shown on your V11 reminder or Registration Certificate.

Tax in advance

You can renew your tax up to two calendar months in advance in person or by post at a Post Office® branch that deals with advance applications or a Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) local office.

Take or send:

  • Registration Certificate
  • completed V10 ‘Vehicle licence application’
  • insurance certificate or cover note – must be valid when the tax disc comes into force
  • valid MOT certificate - if the car or motorcycle is over three years old - must be valid when the tax disc comes into force
  • the payment for vehicle tax
  • a letter to explain why you’re taxing in advance if you’re making a postal application

Change of name and or address

Write the new details or correction in section six of your Registration Certificate.

If you don’t have a Registration Certificate

Provided you’re the registered keeper of the vehicle, fill in a V62 ‘Application for a Vehicle Registration Certificate (V5C)’ which must be accompanied by £25 (fee for a duplicate Registration Certificate). Include this with your tax application. You can only apply at your nearest DVLA local office.

Send a tax disc to an address abroad

Supply the foreign address in a covering letter and include this with your tax application. Your Great Britain (GB) address must be written on the V10 ‘Vehicle licence application’.

Application forms V10 and V62

You can download the V10 or V62 or collect them from any Post Office® branch or DVLA local office.

Get someone to tax your vehicle for you

Ask a friend or relative to tax your vehicle using the V11 reminder or V10 ‘Vehicle licence application’ with your Registration Certificate. They can put the tax disc on your vehicle or post it to you.

Using your vehicle when you return from abroad

When you return from abroad, you must have a tax disc to be able to drive your vehicle home or you’ll be committing an offence. There are no concessions.

Vehicle kept off the road in GB

If your vehicle is being kept off the road in GB while you’re abroad and you don’t renew your tax, you must tell DVLA by making a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification). You can do this up to two months before the tax disc or SORN expires.

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