If you buy a car and are waiting for a tax disc can the car be driven or not?

Or does it have to be showing a valid tax disc in the window?

Your answer is here.

The fine is for failing to display a current disc, not having an untaxed car.

Your answer is here.

And according to the letter of the law , that answer is wrong.

If you have paid for a tax disc and are waiting for it to arrive in the post then you would still be failing to display a valid tax disc and can be prosecuted for this.

It's unlikely that you would be caught and fined , as you'll show as being covered if you go past an ANPR van , but if a police officer spots the missing disc you will probably be pulled over. They will be able to check that you have paid , and will probably leave it at that if all else is in order , but that's not certain.

If you haven't paid because you are waiting for an insurance certificate or V5 then you are definitely taking a big chance in driving

In retrospect, I should have said some 'information' was here, not necessarily the letter of the law.

In retrospect, I should have said some 'information' was here, not necessarily the letter of the law.

Yep , there's basically two separate relevant offences.

Using the car without tax , and failing to display the disc.

If you've paid but not got it on display then 99% of the time nothing will happen , but you could still be the 1%.

Lots of bikers don't bother displaying the tax and carry it in their wallet as it's very easily stolen.