DVLA clamping down on car tax evasion

The DVLA is taking its vehicle tax evasion campaign to the road with a clear message: ‘Tax it or lose it’.

A giant clamp is at the centre of the campaign, with the DVLA warning motorists that they face ‘real consequences’ if they don’t tax their vehicles. At best, they risk a penalty or having their car clamped. At worst, they could lose their vehicle altogether.

If an enforcement officer spots a vehicle on the road that isn’t taxed or is wrongly declared SORN (off the road), there’s a chance it will be clamped or impounded. The enforcement teams are based around the country and travel in vehicles equipped with number plate recognition cameras.

Your chances of being caught are likely to be higher in one of the 20 locations named by the DVLA. These are the regions of the UK where vehicle tax evasion is rife. In total, the DVLA took nearly 590,00 enforcement actions in these regions alone.

Belfast tops the list, with 78,501 enforcement actions in 2019. Birmingham isn’t far behind, on 61,531, while 34,375 motorists were caught driving an untaxed vehicle in Glasgow. The full table is below – so you know where the giant clamp is likely to appear.

‘There really is no excuse’

Julie Lennard, chief executive of the DVLA, said: “The number of untaxed vehicles on the road is falling, but we are determined to reduce this even further. We operate a range of measures to make vehicle tax easy to pay and hard to avoid, so there really is no excuse if you fail to tax your vehicle.

“While the vast majority of motorists do the right thing and tax correctly, this campaign highlights the real consequences that motorists face if they don’t tax their vehicles.”

RAC spokesman Simon Williams added: “While the vast majority of motorists abide by the law and tax their vehicles correctly, high-profile enforcement campaigns like this are needed to make sure the consequences of not doing so are fully understood. This DVLA campaign gives a very clear warning of the action that will be taken on untaxed vehicles. Having your vehicle clamped is expensive and inconvenient so it’s far simpler to make sure you tax it.

“You can easily check when your tax is due using DVLA’s vehicle enquiry service on GOV.UK: all you need is your vehicle registration. It’s also really important to tell DVLA straightaway if you move house, so you don’t risk missing the reminder letters that DVLA sends to all vehicle keepers.”

The 20 regions where vehicle tax evasion is highest

Taxing a vehicle has never been easier. Motorists can do it online 24 hours a day, and can check whether their tax is up to date by asking Amazon Alexa or Google Home. It’s important to remember that vehicle tax is not transferred to a new owner when buying a used car.

Click here for our dedicated motoring advice section.