Just because your car is free to tax doesn’t mean you wont get fined for not taxing it
Over the last 12 months, drivers have been charged over £500,000 in fines for not applying to tax their vehicles which cost nothing to tax. Nil rated vehicles including all electric vehicles are free to tax, but if you don’t go through the process, you will be fined £80.
The DVLA are unrepentant though and maintain that it is a case of registration and the amount of road fund licence due or not due is unimportant.
Whilst we understand this standpoint, surely a fine should be proportional to a charge?
In many cases, drivers have ignored the reminders that they have received, assuming that having no tax to pay means having nothing to do. But it is not the case and you will receive a fine.
What if I lease my new Nissan Leaf or BMW i3 on Contract Hire?
In the case of your new Contract Hire car, the tax is taken care of on your behalf so you don’t have to think about it and you will never get a fine as the RFL is included for the duration of the lease and so taxing a vehicle is done on your behalf.
