How to check if a car is taxed (and what happens if it isn't)

Vehicle tax (officially Vehicle Excise Duty, usually called road tax or car tax) is checked automatically by ANPR cameras across the UK. Driving an untaxed car risks a fine and, in the worst case, the car being clamped or removed. Checking takes ten seconds.

Check any car's tax status

1. Open the GOV.UK vehicle enquiry service.
2. Enter the registration number.
3. You will see whether the car is taxed and when it runs out, whether it has a valid MOT and when that expires, and basic details such as make, colour, engine size, fuel type and first registration date.

On Motofly, every listing shows the same DVLA data as tax and MOT status badges, so you can see it while you browse.

Tax does not come with the car

Since October 2014, vehicle tax is not transferred when a car changes hands. The moment the seller notifies the DVLA of the sale, their tax is cancelled and any full months remaining are refunded to them.

That means as a buyer you must tax the car yourself before you drive it away. You can do it online or by phone using the green "new keeper" slip (V5C/2) from the logbook, and it takes a few minutes. Tell the seller you will do it on the day so nobody drives an untaxed car by mistake.

What is SORN?

A Statutory Off Road Notification tells the DVLA the car is not being used or kept on a public road. A SORN car does not need tax or an MOT, but it must be kept on private land such as a driveway or garage.

If the tax check shows "SORN" on a car for sale, that is fine, as long as the car is not parked on the street. You will need to tax it (and make sure it has an MOT, or is driving to a pre-booked MOT) before it goes on the road.

What if the MOT has run out?

A car with no MOT cannot be taxed, because a valid MOT is required to tax a car over three years old. The only journey you can legally make in a car without an MOT is to a pre-booked MOT test or to a garage for repairs needed for the test. Insurance may also be invalid without an MOT, so check your policy.

Fines and penalties

• Driving an untaxed car can bring an out-of-court settlement or a fine, and the car may be clamped.
• Keeping an untaxed car on a public road without a SORN also carries a penalty, even if it is never driven.
• Driving without an MOT can result in a fine and, if the car is unroadworthy, penalty points.

Quick reference

For the other checks to run before you buy, see the used car buying checklist.