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Insurance cover needed to tax your vehicle

In order to tax your vehicle, you must have insurance cover that:

• covers you against third party claims for death or injury and damage to property caused by using the vehicle
• covers your use of the vehicle for taxing purposes
• is valid on the day the tax disc comes into force

The insurance policy for your vehicle may allow you to drive any other vehicle with the owner’s permission. However, your policy cannot be used as evidence of valid insurance to tax any other vehicle.

If your insurance cover for taxing purposes is not clear, you may need to provide additional evidence. Please contact your insurance company for advice.

Insurance certificates and cover notes

These are usually a printed or laser-printed document, or a plastic credit card style document.

The following documents are not acceptable:

• policy schedule, renewal notice, statement of Insurance or receipt for payment
• amended certificate or cover note - unless stamped or initialled by the insurer
• ‘legal protection’ policy certificates
• foreign certificates
• photocopies or faxes
• insurance certificates downloaded directly from the internet by the policy holder
• Green Card (International Motor Insurance Card)

Lost, stolen or damaged insurance certificate

Get a duplicate insurance certificate or cover note from your insurance company.

Waiting for your insurance certificate to arrive in the post or update online

You cannot tax your vehicle until your insurance certificate arrives or your insurance cover for your vehicle has updated on the Motor Insurance Database. You must keep your vehicle off the road in the meantime.

MOT due dates

An MOT test is needed every year for:

• cars, motorcycles, motor caravans and light goods vehicles that are more than three years old
• passenger carrying vehicles with more than eight seats and taxis (not including private hire vehicles) that are more than one year old

• More about when you need to MOT your vehicle

Find out when your MOT is due

Check the expiry date of your current MOT online or by calling the ‘MOT status check service’ on 0870 330 0444.

• Check an MOT record online (opens new window)

MOT test certificate

You must produce an MOT test certificate that is valid on the day the tax disc comes into force. A certificate that expires on the last day of the month eg 30 April cannot be used if the tax disc is to start on the first day of the following month eg 1 May. The certificate must be original; a photocopy is not acceptable.

Lost, stolen or damaged MOT certificate

Get a duplicate from any MOT testing station. You’ll need to provide the vehicle registration mark and reference number shown on your Registration Certificate. A maximum fee of £10 is payable.

Claim exemption from MOT testing

If your vehicle is exempt from MOT testing, you’ll need to fill in form V112 ‘Claim for exemption from MOT testing’ to produce instead of the MOT certificate. A list of exempt vehicles is shown on the V112 form.

• Download ‘Exemption from MOT testing’ - form V112 (PDF, 152K)

MOT or insurance has expired

If you intend to renew your vehicle tax you should do so before your current tax disc expires. However, this is not always possible if you’re waiting for insurance or are getting an MOT for your vehicle.

You’ll be committing an offence if you use or keep your vehicle on the public road without a current tax disc. If you cannot obtain a tax disc, you must remove your vehicle off the road.

While your vehicle is off the road, you have 14 days in which to obtain a tax disc or make a SORN.

Driving an untaxed vehicle to an MOT test

You can drive your vehicle to and from a pre-arranged test at an MOT test station provided you have adequate insurance cover in place for the use of that vehicle.

This also applies to vehicles being driven to and from a prearranged test at a Vehicle Inspection Check (VIC) test station, an approved weight testing station and reduced pollution test.

More useful links

• General information about motor insurance