Drivers face £1,000 fine as DVLA system undergoes maintenance
Weekend work to Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency system could catch out motorists as they’ll be unable to tax vehicles
Essential maintenance to the DVLA system this weekend could see motorists landed with massive fines.
Most Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency services will be down from 3pm on Friday, August 17 until 6am on Monday, August 20, which means that drivers who buy an untaxed car over the weekend won’t be able to tax it online, at post offices or by phone until the system is restored.
It’s illegal to drive a car if it’s untaxed, and laws introduced in 2014 mean the tax is non-transferable between owners.
Motorists who drive an untaxed car face an £80 on-the-spot fine, which could rise to £1,000 if the case goes to court.
Not all services are affected, and the DVLA has said that drivers can still view and share their licence information with third parties, such as car hire companies. Motorists are still able to renew their 10-year photocard driving licence at post offices, too.
