If travelling out of the UK when the vehicle taxation/licence expires ("road fund licence", as it used to be or still possibly might be known), if one is to be fully road-legal, the licence must be renewed. Right? And if away long-term, more than one renewal might be needed.

In practice, do you actually renew each time, and if so how? And what about the MOT certificate, needed - I understand- in order to re-tax the vehicle?

Just do a SORN when you leave. Only lasts for a year but if you can't get anyone to renew it (maybe do it online?), I wouldn't worry about it too much. I got a few narky letters when I got back but nothing came of it.

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Mike


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Sorry, my question wasn’t clear (and I’m going to re-post it).

I meant “If travelling out of the UK with the vehicle when the licence expires …………….?"

I was bored this morning so I emailed the DVLA with the following question:-

Please can you advise how I could remain legal if taking my UK vehicle abroad for an extended period say 2 years on a multi country trip.
I know you say I should export the vehicle if it's to be out of the country for over a year. But that is only practical if the vehicle is to be re-registered in another country. If I am constantly travelling between countries that cannot be done.
I know I can renew my road tax via the internet, but I can only do this if I have a current MOT.
It is not possible to renew a UK MOT whilst abroad, so once the MOT expires I cannot retax the vehicle without returning to the UK and as soon as I drive off the ferry I am committing an offense.
Are there any concessions for this catch 22 situation?

And I received the following reply:-

Thank you for your email.
You are right when you say that it would not be practical to register your vehicle in another country if you are passing through a large number of them over a two year period.
You would not be able to tax your vehicle because of the lack of a valid MOT certificate and you would not be able to declare your vehicle off the road because this can only be done if the vehicle was being laid up within the confines of the UK.
In these circumstances you would need to write a letter into the Centre quoting the registration mark of the vehicle and explaining why it would not be taxed or declared off the road over the next 2 years or so. You can ask for this correspondence to be entered on to the vehicle record. This would ensure that you would not receive any fines or penalties with regard to the fact that your car will not be taxed.
The following contact information should be used with regard to this matter;
Vehicle Customer Services, DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BA.
I hope that this matter has clarified matters for you.
Regards
David S Evans
Motoring : Directgov

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If you think you are too small to make a difference you have never spent the night with a mosquito.

Harley Rider, that's excellent, I did the same for the other thread, and got the SAME ANSWER, interestingly from the same person, which makes me think he's possibly the bod awkward questions get passed up to.

Nice to know that we both got the same reply, it seems to make it more legit.

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Hi travellers, I'd like to know if anyone has done anything similar more recently, and what was the response? Many thanks

Don't bother. Unless the rules have changed in the last couple of years, (which a quick Google suggests that they haven't) you have no option but to be illegal .. Many posts about it on this thread - My experience here - http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...2-8#post419000

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RTW Jan 2009 - Aug 2012. Currently in Europe waiting for the next ride
www.takingthelongwayhome.co.uk

Outside Europe no one cares about MOT or VED. Just SORN it some time after leaving. Book an MOT as you return home, and then tax it.

Sent from my Moto G (5S) using Tapatalk

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--

http://www.ytc1.co.uk

Sorry, my question below wasn’t clear (so please read this one).

I meant “If travelling out of the UK with the vehicle when the licence expires, do you in fact renew it (possibly more than once, if away for a long time), and if so, how do you do this?

Also, the matter of the MOT test might arise. If this is due while overseas with the vehicle -and since the MOT is needed in order to licence the vehicle- how is this matter overcome?

In order to get a road fund license in the UK you need to present valid insurance and a current MoT; as far as I know there is no way around this.

In addition, you need to make a SORN or statutory off road notification if you are not using the bike on public roads and not taxing it. They fine you £80 for not doing this if you don't pay the tax.

It's all a bit of a nause really but you could export the bike if you are going away for a significant amount of time....

SW

I'm guessing you mean if you're going for more than a year? Because if you're going for nine months and lets say had four months on your current tax disc, you could get a refund on it and apply for a new year's one.

But if it's more than a year, I don't know, I'd guess SORN-ing it would be an option, as after all it's not on the public highway (in the UK) anymore, but then what do you do when you come back? I suppose you could say you were on the way to the MOT Station? Probably best to contact the DVLA directly, I have to say I've never had a problem and they've always e-mailed me back very quickly.

In France I see plenty of old UK cars with old tax-discs on, which clearly have no MOT either, and of course the big question then is, if any of these has an accident, will the insurance pay out?

So, I'd ring your insurer too and explain, and see if they would cover and get it in writing, I reckon in many ways that's more important than a tax disc.

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As in many previous threads -

UK Road Tax is only payable for UK registered vehicles when using public roads in UK. ie within the jurisdiction of UK Road Traffic Acts etc. If not on UK public roads not payable.

You can even apply for a part refund as you leave.

If a UK vehicle registered vehicle is not to be taxed (or a refund is requested because it is not going to be used on UK public roads) a SORN declaration must be made (free) that it is not going to be used on UK public roads. This must be done again annually. It can be done 'on-line' (ie from anywhere in the World) during the month before and after the Road Tax or SORN expires.

MOT is similarly only necessary if the vehicle is going to be used within the jurisdiction of the UK Road Traffic Acts (ie UK public roads).

On returning to UK it is permitted to use the vehicle without MOT and Road Tax to get to and from a MOT Test Station for a pre-arranged test appointment. The station can be anywhere in the land, not near the point of entry or your home - if stopped you be able to show you are reasonably en-route and give details of the appoiment time/date/place so they can check up.

So, book the test as you disembark, or while you are still away.

Insurance is a necessity throughout the EU and most of the rest of the World, so it is assumed you will have that anyway.

Never NEVER NEVER ask the DVLA. The only people you get to speak to generally know nothing!

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Vitim Bridge Clubwww.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=533442
www.sibirskyextreme.com

Yep, here we go again.

Trouble is that when you de register your vehicle in the UK, to comply with the law in practically every country that you visit it must be registered. Your Green Card insurance or legal minimum insurance (EU) will be invalid as soon as you de register.

Within the Vienna Convention countries its an absolute must to have current vehicle registration to be legal and comply with the international treaty that allows free(ish) movement of vehicles - and a lot of coppers and border guards KNOW what a UK tax disc looks like, as well as the uniform registration documents. Its even harder for UK residents as so many people speak and read English and can easily read a UK V5.

Vienna Convention summary;
"The vehicle must meet all technical requirements to be legal for road use in the country of registration.

The driver must carry the vehicle's registration certificate, and if the vehicle is not registered in the name of an occupant of the vehicle, proof of the driver's right to be in possession of the vehicle."

If you travel with a carnet, then a condition on the carnet is current registration, some countries will only permit entry on a carnet based on the length of registration that is left.

I see a business opportunity here!!!

Out of interest I e-mailed the DVLA using the link I posted above and here's the reply.


Thank you for your email.

You would not be able to make a SORN declaration with regard to your vehicle because it is out of the country. SORN can only be declared on a vehicle when it is laid up within the confines of the UK.

Because you would not be able to tax your vehicle nor declare it off road let alone permanently export it you would need to write a letter into us. It would be necessary for you to quote the registration number and for you to explain what you intend to do with the vehicle over the next couple of years or so. You can even ask for this correspondence to be placed on the vehicle record so that you are not bothered about any fines or penalties with regard to this vehicle.

The address to write or fax into is;
Vehicle Customer Services, DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BA.
Fax No. 01792 - 782378.

I hope that this information has clarified matters for you.
Regards
David S Evans
Motoring : Directgov

So it would appear to be perfectly OK to drive round the world in an untaxed, unsorned vehicle according to the DVLA, and I'd suggest that if anyone wants to do this they let them know, that way when the shit hits the fan you can point at their records and say "I told you so".

Might be interesting for a few other people to mail them to see if you get the same answer.

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Hi there,
Can anybody assure me that I don't need a Carnet de Passage in the whole of South America? What's the latest word on that? The Dutch and German automobile-associations ANWB and ADAC still insist I need one.

My bike will arrive by boat in Cartagena around nov.1st. Without a Carnet, should I just step up to the DIAN-office and ask for a temporary import-permit? Can someone help me out. I'm starting to get confused, I read too many different experiences on the internet.

Cheers,
Rob