Can you tax a car without insurance?
You need both car tax and insurance to ensure your car is road legal. And to tax your car, you must have car insurance in place. Here’s our guide to how and when to tax your car, and why it’s so important.
You need both car tax and insurance to ensure your car is road legal. And to tax your car, you must have car insurance in place. Here’s our guide to how and when to tax your car, and why it’s so important.
60-second summaryShort on time? Here are the essentials on road tax and car insurance, and what you need to stay legal on UK roads:
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Read on to find out what you need to get your car taxed, and how to check your car’s insurance and MOT. Or if you’re looking for car insurance, compare quotes with us to see if you could save.
Compare car insuranceCan I tax my car without insurance?
No, you can’t. You need car tax to use or park your car on public roads in the UK. And to tax a car, you must already have an insurance policy in place.
You can tax your car without having the actual insurance document to hand, but you still need to have car insurance. In Northern Ireland, you’ll need the insurance document or cover note if you pay for your car tax at the post office.
The Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) Motor Insurance Database automatically knows if a car is insured or not. This information will be used when you tax your car, either online or at a post office.
The MIB works in partnership with the DVLA and the police to catch uninsured vehicles.
The only time you don’t need to tax or insure your car is if you declare it off the road by making a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN). This means you can’t drive or park your uninsured car on a public road, and it must be kept in a garage or on private land.
What is car tax?
Car tax is officially called Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). The amount of VED you’ll pay in the first year a car is registered and taxed depends on how much CO2 your car emits.
From then on, you’ll pay a standard rate of VED each year. The UK government previously exempted zero-emission cars from VED and charged a slightly lower rate for hybrid cars.
But from 1 April 2025, all car owners pay the same rate of road tax, regardless of the fuel type of the car.
You can find more on all this in our handy guide to car tax bands.
What is car insurance?
If you drive a car, you’re legally required to have car insurance.
The absolute minimum required by law is third-party car insurance. This covers you for any injuries you cause to other people and damage you cause to their car and property. It won’t cover the cost of repairs to your own vehicle.
Check out the different the levels of cover available in our guide to the different types of car insurance.
Can I drive my car home if I’ve just bought it?
Yes, but first you need to tax it in your name. Road tax is not automatically transferred from the old owner to the new owner when you buy a car.
If the car is more than three years old, you must have a valid MOT as well as insurance.
If you buy a car without an MOT, you’ll need to book an MOT test for immediately after you buy it. The garage may be able to pick up your car for you. If they can’t, you can legally drive the car to the test without an MOT.
You can easily check a car’s MOT status on the GOV.UK website. You can also sign up for free reminders of when your next MOT is due.
What do I need to tax my car?
You can tax your car instantly online or do it at a post office in person.
Online
To pay for your VED online by direct debit, debit or credit card, you’ll need a reference number that can be found on:
- A recent reminder (V11) or ‘last chance’ warning letter from the DVLA
- Your vehicle log book (V5C), which must be in your name
- The green new keeper slip (V5C/2) from the V5C log book, if you’ve just bought the car.
At a post office
To pay for your VED at a post office, you’ll need to take one of the following:
- Your vehicle log book (V5C), which must be in your name
- The green new keeper slip (V5C/2) from the V5C log book, if you’ve just bought the car.
You may also be asked to show a valid MOT certificate if the vehicle is more than three years old.
In Northern Ireland, you’ll also need an insurance certificate or cover note.
How long does it take for my car tax to be registered?
According to the DVLA, it can take up to two working days for your car tax records to update.
Can I drive my car as soon as I’ve taxed it?
Yes, if you’ve taxed your car online and had the confirmation, you can drive it straight away. However, you still need to have car insurance, to legally drive on UK public roads.
What happens if I don’t tax my car?
If you don’t tax your car, you could be fined up to £1,000 or five times the amount of tax owed – whichever is greater. You could be fined up to £2,500 if you drive a car with a SORN in place.
You could also face court action and have your vehicle clamped or impounded.
Frequently asked questions
Can I tax my car without a logbook?
Yes. It’s possible to tax your car online without your logbook, but you’ll need to have the 11-digit reference number found on the V11 reminder letter.
If you don’t have a V5C log book – perhaps you’ve lost it or it’s been damaged – you’ll have to apply to the DVLA for a replacement. It costs £25 and should arrive within five working days if you apply online or over the phone. If your new log book hasn’t arrived within two weeks, contact the DVLA.
Can I use temporary insurance to tax my car?
Yes, you can use a valid temporary car insurance policy to tax a car. This could be useful if you’ve bought a new car and simply need to insure and tax it to drive home.
Is it always illegal to drive without car tax?
Nearly always, although there are a few exceptions.
You can drive your car to a pre-booked MOT test without it being taxed – but you must drive straight there.
There are some exemptions from actually paying road tax. These include:
- Disabled people
- Cars classed as ‘historic’ vehicles (made before 1 January 1984).
Just be aware that you still need to tax your vehicle even if you don’t have to pay for VED.
From 1 April 2025, electric vehicles are no longer exempt from paying road tax and will be charged at the standard rate.
How can I check if a car is taxed?
You can check if a car is taxed using the handy tool on the DVLA website. Simply enter the car’s registration number to find out if it has valid road tax and when it’s due to expire.
How do I report an untaxed car?
You can report an untaxed vehicle on the DVLA government website. Your report is anonymous, and an investigation will take place into the vehicle in question.
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Julie Daniels - Motor insurance expert
Julie is passionate about delivering a great customer experience and rewarding people for saving on their insurance through our loyalty and rewards programme. She’s spoken to the media, including outlets like Sky News and Capital FM, about car and home insurance, as well as our rewards scheme.