The DVLA and NCP started an initiative back in May 2006 with the goal of removing untaxed vehicles from the roads that are seen as a danger to the general public. Incidentally, many vehicles found without tax are also often found to be without insurance and MOT’s.

Thanks to a new fleet of NCP monitoring vans, a record number of untaxed vehicles are now being removed from UK roads. As many as 9,000 vehicles a month are now being removed, with annual figures expected to hit 100,000.

These new NCP vans are now fitted with Automatic Number Plate Reader (ANPR) technology, allowing them to scan up to 10,000 vehicles a day. This information is then fed through wanted lists issued by the DVLA and the Police.

Vehicles found to be without a valid tax disc are likely to be clamped, towed and in some cases crushed. A DVLA spokeswoman did state, however, that such action would only be taken against offenders who have no intention of purchasing tax as opposed to people who have missed their renewal date by a few days.

In order to have a clamp removed from a vehicle, the owner must produce a valid tax disc and pay a release fee of £80. In order to get a vehicle released after it has been towed and impounded the owner must pay a £160 fee and storage fees of £15 per day, as well as producing a valid tax disc or surety payment. 

A surety payment acts as a deposit for your tax and will cost £120 for a car or motorcycle and up to £600 for other vehicles. This payment is then refunded once your vehicle has been taxed and a valid tax disc is produced. If, however, a valid tax disc is not produced within 2 weeks the culprit will forfeit the surety payment.

Unclaimed vehicles that have been impounded are likely to be crushed after a 7-day period.

It is hoped that this new zero tolerance approach will also help reduce the amount of illegal and unsafe vehicles on the road. This is due to the fact that a tax disc can only be purchased with a valid car, motorcycle or van insurance certificate and MOT.