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Greetings

Apologies for the length.

A word of caution to all those of you who go on holiday out of the country, (and this particularly applies to those of us that go away for a month or more.)

Should you leave for the holiday in the month preceding the expiry of your cars VEL and before the reminder is sent out to you (usually on the 15^th day preceding the expiry) BEWARE.

The only way you can get another VEL is neither straightforward, simple or efficient.

You can apply ‘online’ but the DVLA will only post your new VEL to the address on your Registration Document. That’s not a lot of good if, like us, you live alone with noone to post it on to you at your address abroad and lets’ face it. Who would risk doing that anyway.

The alternatives are not much better. You can apply in person at a DVLA Office. In my case that involves a round trip of 80miles. You could also apply in person at a designated Post Office. In my circumstances that involves a round trip of 40miles, a toll bridge and parking charges in Plymouth city centre.

The only ‘sensible’ method I could suggest, other than risking driving without a current VEL on your return (and with the proliferation of No. Plate recognition cameras installed, who would risk?) is to surrender for VEL on the last day of the month preceding the one in which your disc runs out and then immediately apply for a new VEL to start on the following day. Oh, and if you do that here’s a tip. Get the postmaster in the Post Office to date stamp your application for surrender with his date stamp on the back of the envelope. That way DVLA can’t say you posted it too late to get your money back.

Happy Holidays!!!

You can renew you VEL up to 2 months in advance if you are going to be abroad when your current licence expires. This can be done by post or, quicker, by the General Post Office in the town. You need to tell them that you are going to be abroad and have all the necessary documents including the Vehicle Licence Application Form. I have done this several times and had no problems.

Phil.

Billy and Nimrodphil,

I have no objections to having to do the VEL prior to the holiday but to have to lose half a day to have to go 20miles and back as well as parking etc seems to me to slightly contrary to Government policy re climate change, use of vehicles etc.

Surely it couldhave been done at the local Post Office like it normal.

I think the only problem is that many of the smaller post offices do not have stocks of the blank discs more than about a month in advance whereas most main offices get them 2 months early. It might be worth asking the village PO if they can get them early for you.

Phil.

Quote: Originally posted by twooks on 04/11/2007

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Surely it couldhave been done at the local Post Office like it normal.

But ... there's no call for local post offices - didn't you know - that's why they're all being closed down -
they make a loss - because no one uses them - because most of what they did has been taken away - so noone uses them - so they're making a loss - so they're being closed down - cos no-one uses them

see obvious innit??????????????????????

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There's queues out of the door at our local one when it's Giro/Pension day.

I go for stamps or to post parcels and often feel that I must be one of the few that actually hand money over the other way !

I was concerned about the same thing so I purchased 6 months worth of road tax to move the annual renewal to March when its unlikely that we would be abroad. MOT not an issue yet!

David

Quote: Originally posted by emmitdb on 04/11/2007(and with the proliferation of No. Plate recognition cameras installed, who would risk?)

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Feux Verts,

 (the only issue here would be a Traffic Cop / Warden issuing a notice for failure to display a current disk - not sure how the law would apply nowadays on this matter).

Exactly!

I could think of much better things to do with my time than trying to explain, via letter why I didn't have an indate VEL. And, like you, I have forgotten how it works. What I do know is that they still have stocks of CLE2/6s (You will remember those forms!!!) I know I do.

Dear Heritage,

See this: www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/HowToTaxYourVehicle/DG_4022052 for the official answer.

Except that even the above doesn't tell the whole story.

Just been into Plymouth. As with most Citiy Centre Post Offices the queues were a length and, when I went to the container for the V10 document (as required by the above site), found that the space for the doc. was empty.

Joined the queue with a heavy heart imagining that I would have to queue for ever, then have to ask for and fill in the form then rejoin at the back to do the business.

Imagine the joy to discover that the doc. V10 for these circumstances is now obsolete. I handed over the V5,(Reg Doc), Cert of Ins. and Test Cert and the whole process was completed using the barcode on the V5.

I must be easily pleased because I went out of the door with a spring in my step!!!

Having said that I still think the above could have been done at my Local Post Office!

Happy Holidays.