Drivers are being urged to check if they could be eligible for a refund on their car tax if they do not use their car for a certain amount of time.
As drivers struggle to deal with rising car tax costs, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has informed drivers to check if they can receive a refund.
Motorists are able to declare their vehicle as off the road, which is referred to as a "Statutory Off Road Notification" (SORN).
This can be done if drivers plan to keep their vehicles in a garage for an extended period of time, or they are temporarily moving away from their usual place of residence.
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Drivers could receive a hefty car tax refund from the DVLA
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Taking to social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, the DVLA questioned whether people needed to take their vehicle off the road.
The agency told drivers that they should inform the DVLA online if they plan to declare their vehicle as SORN.
The DVLA added: "You'll get a refund for any full months of remaining tax!"
When someone declares their vehicle as SORN, they will get a full refund for any full months of remaining tax they are owed, although they will not be able to use it on the road until they tax it again.
Once a driver informs the DVLA that their vehicle is off the road, their vehicle tax will be cancelled by the DVLA, with the Direct Debit also being cancelled if they choose to pay in this way.
Drivers will automatically get a refund cheque for any full months left on their vehicle tax. This is calculated from the date the DVLA receives the information.
However, motorists will not receive a refund for any credit card fees, the five per cent surcharge on some Direct Debit payments or the 10 per cent surcharge on a single six-month payment.
If someone applies for a refund for the first tax payment on the vehicle, they will receive the lower value of the first tax payment when they registered the vehicle, or the rate for the second tax payment onwards.
The SORN notification will start immediately if the vehicle tax is expired, or if they are not applying in the month their vehicle tax is due to expire.
This can be done online via the GOV.UK website, by phone through the DVLA's 24-hour service, or by sending a V890 application form to the DVLA by post.
Drivers can also cancel their vehicle tax for a number of other reasons, including if it has been sold or transferred to someone else.
The GOV.UK website outlines that drivers can only cancel their vehicle tax for certain reasons. If a motorist fails to inform the DVLA about any changes, they could be hit with a hefty £1,000 fine.
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Drivers can receive a car tax refund if they declare their vehicle SORN
GETTYDrivers can cancel their vehicle tax if they have told the DVLA about if their vehicle has been:
- Sold or transferred to someone else
- Taken off the road, for example, if it is being kept in a garage - Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN)
- Written off by your insurance company
- Scrapped at a vehicle scrapyard
- Stolen - They will have to apply for a refund separately
- Exported out of the UK
- Registered as exempt from vehicle tax
