What happens when you report an untaxed vehicle to DVLA? ➤ AUTODOC CLUB

When an untaxed vehicle is reported to DVLA, they will investigate and may take legal action, potentially including clamping, removal, and fines. The DVLA may also choose to prosecute the vehicle’s owner for tax evasion.

The vehicle could be impounded, and the registered keeper would need to pay high fees to recover it. This process helps ensure vehicles on UK roads are properly taxed and meet legal requirements.

What are the rules on road tax?

In the UK, all vehicles used or kept on public roads must be taxed, even if they are not being driven. Road tax, officially called Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), must be paid annually or in monthly instalments. The amount depends on the vehicle’s type, engine size, fuel type, and CO₂ emissions.

AUTODOC experts highlight the following:

The vehicle tax does not renew automatically.
It is the owner’s legal responsibility to renew the tax before it expires.

You must tax your vehicle before driving it and ensure it remains taxed at all times unless it has a valid Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN). A SORN is required if the vehicle is not being used and is kept off public roads, such as in a garage or on private land. This also means that it can’t even be parked on public roads without tax and vehicle insurance.

What happens when you report an untaxed vehicle

Investigation and initial action

If you notice what looks like an abandoned car or you can’t see a valid tax sticker on a vehicle, you may want to report it to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). You can normally do this by entering the vehicle’s details online (as accurately as possible). Once you’ve done this, the DVLA take it from there:

The DVLA will verify if the vehicle is indeed untaxed using their database.
If the vehicle is on a public road, the DVLA or their contractors may issue a penalty notice or clamp the vehicle to prevent the holder from driving it.

Enforcement

Clamping: a heavy metal device, called a wheel clamp or “boot,” is attached to a vehicle’s wheel to prevent it from being moved until legal issues, such as unpaid tax, are resolved.
Removal: if the car stays untaxed even after being clamped for a while, it might get towed off to a vehicle pound. If its owner doesn’t claim it, it will be lost forever (safely disposed of).
Fines and prosecution: the vehicle’s keeper may face some hefty fines, and in some cases, prosecution for evading tax.

Vehicle recovery

To recover a clamped or impounded vehicle, the registered keeper will generally need to:

Provide proof of tax payment or pay a surety fee.
Produce the V5C registration certificate or apply for a replacement.
Provide proof of their identity and address.
Pay the impound fees – £192 is the standard fee for releasing a light car or van.

What happens when you report an untaxed car

How to report untaxed vehicle to the DVLA

You can report untaxed or unlicensed vehicles to the DVLA online via the GOV.UK website. The online reporting process is simple, but you’ll need to know the following information:

The vehicle make and model
The registration number (i.e. the one on the number plate)
The colour of the vehicle
The location of where it is parked, including the street name

Den

a smiley technician with plenty of experience starring in AUTODOC's video tutorials; Never seen without his goggles; races his BMW X5 E53; dreams about receiving a Gold Play Button for getting 1,000,000 subscribers on YouTube.