DVLA warning as drivers urged 'take five minutes' to avoid £100 fine
Motorists could avoid being hit with costly fines by taking advantage of a new DVLA service available to all road users.
The DVLA has warned petrol and diesel motorists could dodge the hassle of being slapped with a £100 fine by taking “five minutes” out of their day this week.
Drivers run the risk of forgetting when their car tax is due to be renewed with drivers likely to face severe consequences for letting it slip their mind.
All petrol and diesel owners must pay Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) to use the roads with the annual charge set at £190 per annum.
Some motorists are exempt from the charge but the vast majority will have to pay every year to avoid falling foul of the rules.
However, drivers who have not set up a direct debit to automatically bill them for the charge may forget when their tax expires and could be travelling illegally.
The DVLA has urged drivers to quickly sign up to an online account which will send motorists reminders around their due date.
According to officials, it takes just five minutes to sign up and could help individuals avoid being penalised.
In a message posted on social media site X, the DVLA said: “Do you know when your vehicle tax is due? With a driver and vehicles account, you can choose to receive vehicle tax reminders by text or email.
"Make life a little easier, it only takes around five minutes."
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Drivers could be issued an £80 late licensing penalty (LLP) for not paying their car tax charges on time.
This can be reduced to £40 if the fee is paid within 33 days but will be chased by a debt collection agency if it is ignored.
However, enforcement teams could clamp vehicles which are found to not have the correct taxation in place.
Drivers will then need to pay a £100 clamp release fee which is payable just 24 hours after a vehicle is caught.
To create an online account, the DVLA confirms that drivers must provide an email address and information of previous home addresses over the past three years.
Motorists must also have a valid driving licence issued in England, Scotland or Wales or a vehicle log book (V5C) document in their name to use the service.
