When your car is dismantled, the DVLA should refund you for any unused months of vehicle tax. The DVLA will repay every full month of the remaining vehicle tax under the new disc-less system once you have submitted the change of ownership paperwork. This can be accomplished by sending section 9 of your V5C to the DVLA. In newer versions of the V5C, this is Section 4. Alternatively, you may send it online.
According to the DVLA, you should receive your refund within 4-6 weeks and will be notified by post once it is completed. They’ve prepared a comprehensive guide to this process.
These are the only situations where claims will be accepted and processed.
• If you sell or transfer your car to a new owner
• The vehicle has been exported from the UK
• Your insurance company has ‘written off’ the vehicle
• The vehicle has been scrapped at a scrapyard
• The vehicle has been stolen
• The vehicle has been registered as exempt from vehicle tax
• Your vehicle has been registered with a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN)
Firstly you must inform the DVLA of the circumstance that fits you. You can call the DVLA regarding vehicle tax enquiries on 0300 790 6802. Phone line opening hours are Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm Saturday, 8am to 2pm. Once contacted, the DVLA will cancel the tax coverage and any outstanding direct debts that you may have put in place to make payments of your taxes.
- DVLA will cancel your vehicle tax. If you pay by Direct Debit, the direct debit will be canceled automatically.
- You’ll automatically get a refund cheque for any full months left on your vehicle tax. The refund is calculated from the date DVLA gets your information. The cheque is sent to the name and address on the vehicle logbook.
How Long Does It Take
Important: Allow 6 weeks for processing and delivery, should 6 weeks pass, then contact the DVLA.
Once the process has been approved and finalized, you will receive a cheque in the post. This cheque will only be addressed to the person whose name is on the vehicle’s logbook. As stated before, the amount of the refund will be calculated according to the amount of time you have left on the tax period paid and rounded off to the whole months remaining.
Important: Keep in mind that you will not receive a refund on any surcharges incurred by the use of credit cards for paying any taxes.
How to Get a Car Tax Refund
As a car owner in the UK, paying car tax is one of those standard procedures to give the government extra funds to help maintain and improve our roads and motorways. It is a way to pay some contributions that are based on the carbon emissions of your vehicle, and it’s important to make sure your car is taxed correctly.
Car tax is often paid in blocks, either 6 or 12 months, and in many cases can be paid in advance. You could then find yourself in a situation where you have paid your car tax for months that you no longer need coverage for.
If you’ve bought a new car, you will need to pay for new road tax as you can’t transfer existing tax from your old car to another. You must pay for this tax before you drive your car otherwise you could be liable to pay a fine of up to £1,000.
Also known as a road tax refund, a car tax refund is where you get back any money you’ve paid on vehicle excise duty. You might need a car tax refund for a few different reasons including selling your car or you’ve taken it off the roads and are no longer insuring or using it.
When you have canceled your road tax, a refund will automatically be calculated and you should receive a cheque written to the name and address on your vehicle logbook within a few weeks.
You can only receive road tax refunds in full months, so apply for your refund as soon as you can so you don’t miss out on an entire month.
How to Tax Your Vehicle at the Post Office
Taxing your car at the post office is easy. Just pop down to your nearest post office and make sure you bring:
- V5C logbook or your V5C/2 if you recently bought the vehicle
- Your V11
- Your V85/1 (if it’s an HGV)
- A valid MOT certificate
- A valid Exemption Certificate (for those who claim disabled vehicle tax)
- A valid GVT or PSVC (find out if you need these with your vehicle tax reminder)
If you don’t have any of the vehicle documents, you can get forms to apply for new ones from the post office for £25. You can also apply for road tax online or by phoning 0300 123 4321.
How Long it Takes to Get Your Tax Refund?
The IRS claims to issue more than 90% of tax refunds in less than 21 days. However, the actual timing of obtaining your refund is dependent on a variety of factors, and in certain cases, the procedure may take longer.
If you are due a refund, you are undoubtedly impatient for it to arrive. Here’s how to forecast how long you’ll have to wait for your return.
How long will my tax refund take?
The IRS sends over 9 out of 10 refunds to taxpayers in less than three weeks. Unfortunately, a 21-day delivery of your tax refund isn’t guaranteed. There are a number of factors — including the choices you make when you file — that could impact how long it takes for you to receive your tax refund.
Read Also: Which States Have a Wealth Tax?
You get to choose how you want to receive any refund the IRS owes you. Here are your options:
- Direct deposit into your checking account or savings account (this is the fastest way to get your refund).
- Paper check sent through the mail.
- Debit card holding the value of the refund.
- Purchase up to $5,000 in U.S. Savings Bonds.
- Split your refund among up to three financial accounts in your name, including a traditional IRA, Roth IRA or SEP-IRA.
- Deposit into your Health Savings Account (HSA), Archer MSA or Coverdell Education Savings Account (ESA).
The delivery option you choose for your tax refund will affect how quickly you receive your funds. According to the IRS, the fastest way to receive your refund is to combine the direct deposit method with an electronically filed tax return.
Tax refund process
Below is an estimated breakdown of how soon you might expect to receive your tax refund, based on filing and delivery choices.
Federal tax refund delivery time estimations
| Delivery type | Estimated delivery time (date filed – receipt of tax refund) |
|---|---|
| E-file with direct deposit | 1-3 weeks |
| Paper file with direct deposit | 3 weeks |
| E-file with refund check in the mail | 1 month |
| Paper file with refund check in the mail | 2 months |
Other factors that could affect the timing of your refund
Additional factors could slow down the processing of your tax refunds, such as errors, incomplete returns or fraud.
Taxpayers who claim the earned income tax credit (EITC) or the additional child tax credit (ACTC) may see additional delays because of special rules that require the IRS to hold their refunds until Feb. 28. You should also expect to wait longer for your refund if the IRS determines that your tax return needs further review.
Refunds for returns that have errors or that need special handling could take more than four months, according to the IRS. Tax returns that need special handling include those that have an incorrect amount for the Recovery Rebate Credit and some that claim the EITC or the ACTC. Delays also occur when the IRS suspects identity theft or fraud with any return.
Respond quickly if the IRS contacts you by mail for more information or to verify a return. A delay in responding will increase the wait time for your refund.
If you submitted an amended tax form, it may take more than 20 weeks to receive a refund due to processing delays related to the pandemic.
How to track the progress of your refund
The IRS has eliminated the guesswork of waiting for your tax refund by creating IRS2Go, an app that allows you to track the status of your return. You can also check the status of your refund with the “Where’s My Refund?” online portal.
Both tools provide personalized daily updates for taxpayers 24-36 hours after a return is e-filed or four weeks after the IRS has received a paper return. After inputting some basic information (i.e., your Social Security number or ITIN, filing status and the exact amount of your refund), you can track your refund’s progress through three stages:
- Return received.
- Refund approved.
- Refund sent.
Once your refund reaches the third stage, you will need to wait for your financial institution to process a direct deposit or for a paper check to reach you through the mail.
What to do once your refund arrives
For many people, their IRS tax refund is the biggest check they receive all year, the IRS says. In anticipation of your windfall, it’s wise to have a plan for how you’re going to use your refund. Deciding how to spend, save, or invest the money in advance can help stop the shopping impulse from getting the best of you.
Your refund is yours to use how you see fit and can be used to help pay for day-to-day expenses or invest for long-term financial stability.
What Car Has The Cheapest Road Tax?
Owning a car has many advantages, the flexibility to go wherever and whenever you want is high on the list, but the maintenance costs can quickly add up. Car tax is one of those charges, and while it is required by law, you don’t want to spend more than necessary.
Car tax, often known as Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), is a tax levied on vehicles used on public roads that funds road maintenance and infrastructure.
For cars registered after 1 April 2017, electric cars are the cheapest to tax (more accurately, they are free to tax); with alternative fuel cars costing slightly less than traditional petrol or diesel cars (£145 and £155 respectively).
This includes cars like the Nissan Leaf, Tesla Model 3, Hyundai Ioniq, Renault Zoe and Volkswagen e-Golf. Here are some of the types of cars with the lowest tax charges:
Volkswagen e-Golf
The e-Golf is very similar to its traditionally-fuelled counterparts, except for the emissions, the quieter ride and some small stylistic differences including redesigned LED headlights and a closed-off grille.
Like the Golf, the e-Golf is a comfortable ride for driver and passengers alike. It features two-zone climate control, comprehensive parking sensors, sat-nav and a 9.2inch touchscreen. In its handling, it is a little heavier than the Mk7 Golf, because of the batteries, but it is still an agile and high-performance car.
You can expect a range of 125 miles on a single charge from the e-Golf, although those models after the 2017 revamp can see up to 186 miles.
Hyundai Ioniq
Available as a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid and a pure electric vehicle (EV), the Ioniq delivers a strong performance that outstrips the Prius. The EV model jumps into action faster than the hybrids and is well suited to town driving, with steady handling and a quiet engine.
The inside is spacious and there is a definite feeling of quality in the cabin, with a reasonably-sized boot, despite the battery. Standard models come with automatic emergency braking, hill start assist and lane-keeping assistance, as well as a back camera to help with parking.
The Ioniq EV has an official driving range of 174 miles (post-2019 models have an improved range of 194 miles).
Renault Zoe
Every Renault Zoe comes with climate control and cruise control for comfortable driving, as well as navigation built into the multimedia touchscreen. The Dynamique Zen also comes with rear parking sensors, electric windows and an improved sound system, while the Dynamique Intens adds a rear parking camera.
The interior feels traditional in its simplicity but with modern tech. The seats are comfortable even if the legroom isn’t abundant, and the boot can hold either 338 litres or 1,225 litres, depending on the seats being upright or folded.
A single charge gives the Renault Zoe a range of 130 miles or, for models released after July 2015, 149 miles.
Vauxhall Corsa
The Vauxhall Corsa is a popular and established car, and for good reason: they are economical to run and fun to drive.
The interior is spacious and comes with a nice array of standard kit, including cruise control, heated windscreen, Bluetooth and remote locking. Air conditioning comes with the Design trim, alongside Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and the Energy trim adds heated seats in the front and automatic lights and wipers.
The Corsa’s light steering and easy manoeuvrability make it a pleasant drive and it’s a safe and comfortable ride for passengers.
Nissan Qashqai
The Qashqai is a stylish car that demands attention, from the bold lines outside to the luxurious feel inside. Ergonomically-placed controls make driving an intuitive experience and the comfortable cabin has plenty of legroom and headroom for 4 adults.
Remote locking, air-conditioning, Bluetooth and cruise control all come as standard, and the Acenta trim also comes with automatic lights and wipers, climate control and a clever boot storage solution.
This is a fantastic all-around car, scoring highly for performance, practicality, driving experience and comfort.
Audi A3
The A3 comes with the high performance and clean designs you’d expect from Audi, with leading technology wrapped up with a sleek bow. There is a quality in the cabin unsurpassed in its class, with the construction both solid and soft. Four adults can fit comfortably although the Sportback trim comes with more space in the back.
The A3 is quick and responsive to your controls and comes with a range of suspension choices, depending on the trim, providing a luxurious and comfortable ride.
Peugeot 2008
The 2008 is a classy and capable SUV with bold details and a touch of class. Air conditioning, cruise control and remote locking all come as standard, and the Allure trim adds climate control, a self-parking feature and automatic lights & wipers. The top of the range Feline trim features sat-nav, leather seats and a panoramic roof.
While the back seats are comfortable – and with ample headroom and legroom – the driver and front passenger will have a softer ride. The boot can accommodate 360 or 1,194 litres, depending on the seats being up or down (an adjustment that only takes a single action, thanks to the cantilevered bases).
This Peugeot is a reliable drive, particularly on bends and corners, although some may find the steering heavy for its size.
Ford Focus
The Ford Focus is a great all-around car, providing a comfortable drive and an ergonomic interior.
Air conditioning, remote locking, electric windows and Bluetooth all come as standard while the Zetec brings sports seats, a heated windscreen and a touch-screen infotainment system. The interior has a simple and stripped-back design and the materials used have a nice feel to them.
The Focus is great fun to drive thanks to its grip, control and responsiveness, with very reactive steering. The back seats are comfortable for two adults, but three would be a squeeze.
Kia Sportage
The Sportage, like many SUVs, is a practical and comfortable car, with alloy wheels, front fog lamps and LED running lights as standard.
The interior is spacious and five adults can comfortably travel in the Sportage, and the driver’s seat can be really customised to suit your preferences. The boot provides an impressive 491 litres of storage with the back seats up, and 1,480 litres with them down.
While out on the road, the Sportage delivers a comfortable ride with just a touch of firmness on the bigger dips and bumps, and it handles corners with nimbleness and a strong grip.
