Road Tax
Hi,
Could any one give me information as to weather my MGB LE is eligible for free road tax this year.
It has a verified build date of 12/09/80 but was not first registered till 01/08/81.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Mike Ball.
Hi .... Unless heavily modified all MGB's will be eligable for historic tax and NO Compulsary MOT test from April 4th this year 🙂
Hi Colin,
Thank very much for your reply, its most appreciated.
Regards.
Mike Ball.
Hi,
Just thought I'd share my experience of trying to tax my GT LE as a historic vehicle earlier today. My car was built in Sep 1980 but not registered until Feb 1981.
I took the V5 and form V112 (Declaration of exemption from MoT) to the post office but when the lady scanned the V5 it wasn't showing as eligible and she advised me to contact the DVLA to ask them to update their records.
I finally got through to the DVLA after spending 30 minutes in the call queue only to be told that my car won't be marked as eligible for historic tax until 2022 because it was registered after the 1st of January 1981 (the rolling 40 year rule doesn't come into effect on the 40th birthday of the car, it's done on a kind of block release based on when vehicles were registered).
So then I said that the car was built in 1980 which can be verified via the VIN number checker on this website but apparently this isn't good enough and for legal reasons they need a Heritage Certificate issued by the Heritage Motor Centre verifying the build date, apparently this is now the only body able to satisfy the dating requirements of DVLA in respect to MGs. This certificate needs to be posted to the DVLA complete with the V5 and a covering letter. There is some information about this on the MG Owners club website here:- https://www.mgownersclub.co.uk/news/dating-classic-mgs
So then I said - but the MG factory closed in 1980, so from that you can deduce that all MGB's must have been manufactured over 40 years ago so why do I need to prove the build date? The same answer came back, you need a heritage certificate.
Oh well, £43 + P & P is much cheaper that buying 12 months road tax + MoT fee.
Regards,
Ross
Just an update – on 24th May I went to the PO with my documents and obtained a receipt for nil cost and VED for 12 months . I left the V5 relevant page with the PO who forwarded to the DVLA for change to historic tax. After 9 weeks and two tel calls I see the DVLA issued a new V5 on Fri 23rd July. This shows up on the vehicle check page of their website. I am expecting the V5 in the post this week. I am also expecting a VED refund as I taxed the car 1st May. All this started on 6th April when I applied to have the build date changed from 1981 to 1980 with DVLA. So that’s 3 1/2 months. There was an article in the paper last week stating there are 1.4 million documents outstanding at the DVLA. Coupled with at least two strikes the DVLA is not performing at all. If anyone is waiting for documents- expect huge delays.
I had similar problems with DVLA when trying to register my 1980 build, but 1981 registered Limited Edition Roadster. However, I contacted Colin and he suggested that I used the JULE letter of explanation concerning build dates of later MGB cars. Followed his advice and purchased a copy of the letter, enclosed it with my tear stained request for historic vehicle classification and within a month, I was issued with a new V5C showing historic vehicle status and soon thereafter a £100 plus rebate of Road Tax. RESULT!
Many thanks Colin and JULE.
Frank  ( OUT 49W)
Frank, that was a good result. First I have heard about DVLA accepting anything but a Heritage Certificate to change the build date.If you got a result within 1 month that was quick.