Safe Speed Forums

I failed to renew my Car Tax at the end of October last year! I hold my hands up, fair cop, there was a lot going on in my life at that time. Anyway I received a penalty from DVLA on the 7th of Jan, this was a bit of a shock at the time because I hadn't noticed the long since expired disc on my car.

It was midday on a Saturday when the post arrived so the post office was shut, no problem I thought I'll tax it on Monday and we set off as planned into town. As fate would have it there was a police number plate recognition van at the side of the road and we were pulled over. The policeman was absolutely fascinated by my tale of just having received a penalty notice and issued me with a £60 fine. Not best pleased I accepted my fate and drove home. Cost of failing to renew the Tax so far £100 plus back tax.

This morning I received a further £94 penalty from DVLA. So, in addition to the innitial fine of £40 for failing to renew I have a £60 police fine and a £94 DVLA fine for driving whilst un-taxed.

My question is, how can you be fined twice for the same offence?

Max

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Tailgaters - Please Pass
You have an Accident to go to!

Because it's 2 offences.
1. Failure to obtain a new disc or declare SORN. DVLA fine.
2. Failure to display a valid tax disc. Cop ticket.

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Less Kodak, more Kojak.
In times of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

I read it as paying a £40 penalty on Jan 7, then another for £94 today? Plus the police one. Therefore 2 fines by DVLA for the one offence.

Max appears to have taxed his car last month.

The second penalty from the DVLA could be a cock-up, I would check with them.

1) fine for failing to renew
2) fine for failing to display tax disc
3) fine for driving while untaxed

ie the two dvla fines (1 and 3) are different.

edited

Thanks for the replies, to clarify:

1. 7 Jan Received DVLA fine for failing to renew. £40
2. 7 Jan Stopped by police, driving untaxed vehicle, £60 fixed penalty.
3. 18 Feb received DVLA fine for driving untaxed vehicle, £94 fine.

Just can't understand how both the police and DVLA can fine me for (what appears to me) the same offence.

I did try and explain to the nice policeman that I have 3 vehicles and in 27 years of driving I have never failed to renew or driven an un-taxed vehicle. I feel as though I have been tarred with the same brush as all the low life that deliberately drive illegal vehicles. Having tried to clarify the matter on the DVLA website all I could glean is that it could have been a fine up to £1000. I don't know about you folks but I have come to rely on the DVLA reminders for tax, on this occasion though I slipped up. Learnt a lesson though, the hard way.

Max

Edit: Just re-read Johnshers post, I think he's right, the police fine was probably for failing to display.

_________________
Tailgaters - Please Pass
You have an Accident to go to!

"Failing to renew" is an offence.

"Driving whilst untaxed" is also an offence, but a different offence, therefore legal. You would have got this one by being caught by the police - before that DVLA didn't know whether you had the car on the road.

So sorry, but I think it's correct - but of course nothing to do with justice, sadly that carries no weight whatsoever these days where raising taxes is so important.