Eligibility and how to apply for road tax exemption from the DVLA if you are a disabled driver of a vehicle, invalid carriage or mobility scooter and exemptions for vehicles transporting disabled people.
Who can apply for the free vehicle tax
The registered keeper, who can be
• the person with the illness or disability
• someone who uses their vehicle only for the ill or disabled person.
How to apply for free tax for the first time
Applying for the first free tax is different from renewing it every year. For new vehicles, you should take the Certificate of Entitlement for:
• Disability Living Allowance (DLA), or
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP), or
• Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP), or
• War Pensioners Mobility Supplement (WPMS)
to the dealership to claim the free tax. Vehicles registered with a Northern Ireland (NI) address also need an insurance certificate valid on the day the tax starts.
For used vehicles, when you first apply for free tax you must also change the vehicle’s tax class at a Post Office® branch that deals with vehicle tax. You need to take the following documents
• Vehicle registration certificate (V5C) or the V5C/2 (new keeper’s details) and a filled in ‘Application for a vehicle registration certificate’ (V62)
• Certificate of Entitlement to DLA, PIP, AFIP or WPMS (please write the registration number of the vehicle in the top right hand corner)
• vehicles registered with a NI address need a certificate of insurance or cover note (downloaded or faxed copies are acceptable, photocopies are not), valid on the day the tax starts
• an original MoT or GVT certificate (if your vehicle needs one).
To find your nearest Post Office that deals with vehicle tax go to www.postoffice.co.uk/branch-finder or phone 0345 722 3344.
Follow this link for more information: “How to apply for free disabled tax (INS216)” https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ins216-how-to-apply-for-free-disabled-tax
How to renew free tax
Once the tax class of the vehicle is shown as disabled, you can use the V11 ‘Reminder to get vehicle tax or make a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN)’ or the V5C in the following ways:
• online at www.gov.uk/vehicle-tax (not available for AFIP customers)
• by phone on 0300 123 4321 (not available for AFIP customers)
• by textphone on 0300 790 6201 (for hard of hearing customers only)
• at a Post Office that deals with vehicle tax.
For further information go to www.gov.uk/vehicle-tax
Using the vehicle in the disabled tax class
The vehicle must either be used by the disabled person or someone who only uses their vehicle to help them, for example, to get prescriptions or go shopping for the disabled person.
If the exemption no longer applies
If you don’t use the vehicle as described above or the disabled person is no longer entitled to free disabled tax, you must tax the vehicle in the appropriate tax class.
This can be done at a Post Office that deals with vehicle tax.
You will need:
• the V5C or the V5C/2 and a V62
• an MoT/GVT (if applicable), and • the appropriate fee (if applicable).
Vehicles registered with a NI address also need an insurance certificate valid on the day the tax starts.
When to get a replacement Certificate of Entitlement to DLA, PIP or AFIP
A replacement certificate is needed when:
• the registered keeper or their vehicle has changed
• the certificate has been lost, stolen or damaged.
To get a replacement certificate contact:
DLA
(GB customers only)
• by phone on 0845 712 3456
• by textphone on 0845 722 4433 (speech or hearing difficulties)
PIP
(GB customers only) and AFIP (GB and NI customers)
• by phone on 0345 850 3322
• by textphone on 0345 601 6677 (speech or hearing difficulties)
DLA
(NI customers only)
• by phone on 0300 123 3356 • by textphone on 028 9031 1092 (speech or hearing difficulties)
PIP
(NI customers only)
• by phone on 0300 123 9221
• by textphone on 0300 123 1008 (speech or hearing difficulties)