Vehicle tax renewal – reminder letter, Direct Debit and SORN

You must tax your car to use it on the road, even if the tax is £0. DVLA sends a reminder before your tax runs out. If you pay by Direct Debit, it renews automatically and you will not get a reminder letter (V11).

Deadline

No fixed deadline

Last checked

Checked against the official source: 21 October 2026

What if you miss the deadline? It is illegal to drive an untaxed vehicle. You can be fined £80 if you do not tax your vehicle or tell DVLA it is off the road (SORN), and you still have to pay for the time it was not taxed.

Vehicle tax is paid to DVLA. You can pay yearly, every 6 months or monthly by Direct Debit, or by debit or credit card. There is a 5% surcharge if you pay monthly or every 6 months, and no surcharge if you pay yearly.

How to do it

1. Look for the vehicle tax reminder letter (V11) or 'last chance' letter from DVLA, or use your log book (V5C) in your name.
2. Tax your vehicle on GOV.UK, by phone or at a Post Office that deals with vehicle tax.
3. Choose how to pay. Direct Debit renews automatically when your tax runs out.
4. If you pay by Direct Debit, do not tax the vehicle again – you would be charged twice.
5. If you keep the car off the road, make a SORN instead of taxing it.

Common questions

Can I tax my car without the V11 reminder?

Yes. You can use the 11-digit reference number from your log book (V5C) if you are the current keeper, or the 12-digit number from the green new keeper slip if you have just bought the car.

Does vehicle tax renew automatically?

Only if you pay by Direct Debit. You will get an email or letter telling you when payments will be taken. Your car still needs a valid MOT when the tax renews.

What happens if a Direct Debit payment fails?

DVLA tries again within 4 working days. If it fails twice, the Direct Debit is cancelled and your vehicle is no longer taxed, so you need to tax it again.

Official source: gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

This information is not legal or tax advice.