In the UK, the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) has recently revealed that it will be focussing on clamping vehicles which haven’t paid their tax. There are 20 cities that they will be targeting in total by patrol. In this article we will talk about the DVLA’s plans, how much it costs to be clamped and even how to change address on driving licence.

In 2019, the DVLA took just under 600,000 enforcement actions against motorists in the UK. Based on the ‘hot-spots’ in 2019, the DVLA has revealed where it will be patrolling in 2020.

What’s The Big Problem?

Interestingly, from the highest targeted areas in 2019 Belfast came out on top with just under 80,000 fines. Manchester came in lower at just under 35,000 fines. So, you might be wondering ‘is tax evasion on the rise’? The data seems to suggest that since we removed the ‘paper-disk’ taxation badge tax evasion is increasing. Tax evasion is estimated to cost the UK economy just under £100 Million GDP every year. When expressed in those terms, it becomes clear why it’s on the DVLA’s agenda.

The DVLA has confirmed that 1.2 million enforcement actions have been taken against individuals in 2019. These include items like late licencing penalties, wheel-clamping and many more.

As you may know, if you don’t pay your vehicle tax you are liable for a £80 fine. This fine can escalate up to £1,000 if left unpaid for a period of time and it gets escalated to the courts. In the first instance, motorists without paid tax receive the letter and the £80 charge.

The DVLA is Clamping Down

The DVLA plans to patrol around the worst offending areas in search for cars which are not taxed. If one of the officers from the DVLA finds an untaxed vehicle they will apply a large clamp. To get the clamp removed you will need to pay a £100 ‘release fee’.

What’s more, if the owner isn’t able to show that the vehicle has been taxed by the time it’s released the DVLA will charge £160. This is being called a ‘sureity fee’. Of course, if you can demonstrate that the car has been taxed within 15 days the money will be refunded.

What Does This Mean For Me?

The bottom line is that the DVLA are cracking-down on untaxed drivers. If you think you might not have taxed your vehicle or know someone who hasn’t, now would be the best time to get it fixed. The last thing you want is a large yellow clamp on your vehicle and the inconvenience of having to pay hundreds of pounds.

How do I tell the DVLA I’ve moved?

You can let the DVLA know you’ve changed address by visiting their website. Alternatively, if you’re moving home and have multiple people you need to inform about your change of address you can use an online change of address platform. On those you can do things like a TV Licence change of address and much more.

The Author

This post was written with the help of SlothMove, an online moving home platform in which complete a change of address online and set-up your new home. They are on a mission to make moving home simple and lower-cost.