Road Tax

Previously michael_mcvey wrote:

Hi All,

I just got a reminder that the thieves at the DVLA are taxing the Commando again by Direct Debit. It was registered in September 1976, and I understand that a vehicle has to have made before 1/1/1976? Is this correct. For some reason I thought there was a 40 year, rolling year thing.

It is possible that my bike was made in 1975? Doubt it but it does irritate that I pay more tax on the bike than cars I have owned.

Mike

If your Com was built in 1975 it DOES NOT have to be taxed. However you will need proof. I know as before it was a rolling thing the previous owner of min fun out an PROVED to the DVLA that it was built in '72 so I use a black and silver No plate too.

Michael, for twenty quid you can ask Andover Norton for a record of your bike. It will state clearly when it left the factory. Obviously they need your frame number, ideally with matching engine number. This proof is accepted by the DVLA.

My 76 Commando was actually built in June 75, I found.

Once you have the factory record you can either see to it yourself or as I did, for a small fee, allow the excellent Dave Catton (Twin Records) to put your case to the DVLA, You will need clear photo's of the Engine and frame numbers and gearbox number if you can do that, also a picture of the full bike inc the registration number.

If you are successful, your tax should be refunded so don't worry too much about that.

Hope this helps.

As i understand it the historic vehicle exemption is a rolling one so that once your vehicle reaches forty years old you can apply for your taxation classification to be changed (you must apply it's not automatically changed). So if that's the case you may just have to wait another year.

I have done a brief Google search but the information it came back with was not dated more recently than last year so maybe some other members could confirm the rolling nature of the exemption.

Is there not a date on the headstock plate ? Occasionally it's missing but if not, it will save you wasting time and money.

I've recently done this Historic registration change for two bikes that reached 40 years from date of manufacture a couple of years back, and about to do a third for my MK 3 Commando with '76 declared manufacture year.

It's a rolling 40 year rule for the Historic registration. It goes on the year of manufacture shown in the DVLA details for your particular registration number. If you don't have a year of manufacture quoted on the DVLA website details then you will need to get it there - NOC club service for this is excellent.

What has workedfine for me is to tax the bike as normal at the post officefor the next year's tax after it reaches 40 year age and then fill out the V5C formchange of registration class to Historic , mail it off to DVLA and wait. A new V5Cwith Historic registration classplus a refund for the road tax eventually arrives back in the mail , somewhere around one to two months later.

If your Com was built in 1975 it DOES NOT have to be taxed.

It does have to be taxed to be on the road, however the tax is £0, if you do not get the renewal notice (no direct debit for £0 so even having insurance and an MOT will not help) and fail to renew you will get fined for not paying £0 and have to pay £80 fine.

So having a historic bike is more dangerous than having a non historic with direct debit in place, Google calendar is useful for the reminder as the DVLA renewal notice can get lost. The renewal notice getting lost, based on my 8 vehicles, happens more than the rest of my post, doubt its down to just the post office.

Previously james_fanning wrote:

I've recently done this Historic registration change for two bikes that reached 40 years from date of manufacture a couple of years back, and about to do a third for my MK 3 Commando with '76 declared manufacture year.

It's a rolling 40 year rule for the Historic registration. It goes on the year of manufacture shown in the DVLA details for your particular registration number. If you don't have a year of manufacture quoted on the DVLA website details then you will need to get it there - NOC club service for this is excellent.

What has workedfine for me is to tax the bike as normal at the post officefor the next year's tax after it reaches 40 year age and then fill out the V5C formchange of registration class to Historic , mail it off to DVLA and wait. A new V5Cwith Historic registration classplus a refund for the road tax eventually arrives back in the mail , somewhere around one to two months later.

I have a 'Built from parts' Commando first registered 1/5/77. It's due to be taxed from 1/4/17. Can I complete the V5C as a historic and reclaim 5 or 11 months tax, or must wait another year as I read somewhere (don't recall where) that the qualifying date is Jan 1?

Previously K Glassborow wrote:

Previously james_fanning wrote:

I've recently done this Historic registration change for two bikes that reached 40 years from date of manufacture a couple of years back, and about to do a third for my MK 3 Commando with '76 declared manufacture year.

It's a rolling 40 year rule for the Historic registration. It goes on the year of manufacture shown in the DVLA details for your particular registration number. If you don't have a year of manufacture quoted on the DVLA website details then you will need to get it there - NOC club service for this is excellent.

What has workedfine for me is to tax the bike as normal at the post officefor the next year's tax after it reaches 40 year age and then fill out the V5C formchange of registration class to Historic , mail it off to DVLA and wait. A new V5Cwith Historic registration classplus a refund for the road tax eventually arrives back in the mail , somewhere around one to two months later.

I have a 'Built from parts' Commando first registered 1/5/77. It's due to be taxed from 1/4/17. Can I complete the V5C as a historic and reclaim 5 or 11 months tax, or must wait another year as I read somewhere (don't recall where) that the qualifying date is Jan 1?

I'd say you've got one more year of paying road tax according to my experiences with DVLA on the Historic reg class issue. What I'd do is when next year's road tax is due , pay it as usual at the post office then fill in the V5C for change to Historic class and mail off to them. You should then get back in due course a new V5C doc with Historic tax class and a cheque for the tax refund.

What might cause a problem is that they go on year of manufacture rather than date of first registration. Check your DVLA details online to see what is given for year of manufacture - if no year quoted you've got a year to sort this with DVLA , or , you might be lucky and they will just accept date of first reg. As the bike was made up from parts you might have a bit of a game to establish YOM but NOC dating service can offer good advice I'm sure.

Laurence, Sadly the pathetic £7pcm as you describe it does NOT go toward maintaining the roads.

I really wish it did in view of the parlous condition of the Queen's highways in my part of the world.

For some years the money has been collected as a tax..Ved..vehicle excise duty as opposed to the original Road fund licence which DID support the repair of our roads.

Sorry.

Personally consider that no motorcycle should pay ved as their impact on the road is minimal and as average mileage is low for most riders then tge ecological damage is also low. i totally agree with the sentiment that it is silly paying more to tax a motorcycle than many small cars but the not being politically minded I would not understand the logic behind the ethos.

Actually car tax is going to be ringfenced for roads ....... see here http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/consumer-news/92131/budget-2015-new-road-repair-fund-and-car-tax-overhaul

dan

Yes Dan. I was aware of the plan but at present nothing has changed.Somehow post Brexit I doubt they will implement the promise.

Pay your tax and stop whingeing, its a pathetic £82 a year or seven quid a month which pays for mending our roads, LK

I believe historic status cannot be given to a vehicle until the 1st of April following the vehicles 40th birthday. So any bike manufactured/registered after 1st April 1976 will become eligible for free road tax 1st April 2017. Paul.

Reviving an old thread....on saturday a new v5c appears with historic status now showing and today a refund from the dvla for 7 months tax. Amazing as i hadnt even applied! Well done DVLA. My bike was a parts build and registered 1/5/77.

My bike was built 7 75 But log book (V5) only had the registration in 1976 listed no build date. Any way I did not tax it last year but this year I taxed it for 6 months while I got it sorted out. Then the other week a new V5 came through the post giving it Historic status followed by another letter telling me I would get a Refund. This was followed by a cheque.

My Commando MK111 is registered 5/4/78 and looking forward to free road tax and an old fashioned number plate next year. Hopefully without any problems.

According to the FBHVC newsletter, it will no longer be possible to appeal date of manufacture as, from 1976 /77 onwards, all registration applications were accompanied by a dealer declaration that the vehicles were newly manufactured.

Issue 3 2017 Page 4

www.fbhvc.co.uk/members-pages/newsletter-archive/

To go back to the original post the answer lies in the direct debit notification. The DVLA is obliged, like any other organisation, to inform you of its intention to take a direct debit. This is your opportunity to cancel your DD and explain the reason . If your bike was manufactured before the beginning of 2017 then it is entitled to be tax free. Many late Commandos lingered in the showroom and were registered after the manufacture year, this is the date that the DVLA rely upon and the onus is on the owner to notify them with proof of an earlier manufacture date.

Tim

To go back to the original post the answer lies in the direct debit notification. The DVLA is obliged, like any other organisation, to inform you of its intention to take a direct debit. This is your opportunity to cancel your DD and explain the reason . If your bike was manufactured before the beginning of 2017 then it is entitled to be tax free. Many late Commandos lingered in the showroom and were registered after the manufacture year, this is the date that the DVLA rely upon and the onus is on the owner to notify them with proof of an earlier manufacture date.

Tim