How to Get Your Road Tax Back - Eligibility, Refund Amount, and 3 Ways to Claim

Getting your road tax back requires notifying the DVLA that your vehicle has been sold, scrapped, declared off-road, or exported. The DVLA issues an automatic refund for any complete unused months remaining on the vehicle tax. Refunds are paid by cheque to the registered keeper.

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What Is a Road Tax Refund?

A road tax refund is a reimbursement of unused Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) issued to a vehicle's registered keeper. The DVLA calculates the refund based on the number of complete calendar months remaining on the tax period.

Partial months are not refunded. For example, if road tax expires on 31 October and the vehicle is sold on 5 September, the refund covers 1 complete month - October.

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Who Is Eligible to Get Road Tax Back?

There are 4 situations that qualify a registered keeper for a road tax refund. These are:

• Selling or transferring the vehicle to a new owner
• Declaring a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN)
• Scrapping the vehicle at an authorised treatment facility (ATF)
• Exporting the vehicle permanently outside the UK

Can You Get Road Tax Back When You Sell Your Car?

Yes, you are eligible for a refund when you sell your car. Road tax is non-transferable. When ownership changes, the DVLA cancels the existing tax and issues a refund for unused complete months to the previous registered keeper.

The new owner is required to purchase road tax before driving the vehicle.

Can You Get Road Tax Back When You Declare a SORN?

Yes, a SORN declaration triggers an automatic refund for unused road tax. A SORN confirms the vehicle is kept off public roads. The DVLA processes the refund from the date the SORN takes effect.

Can You Get Road Tax Back When You Scrap Your Car?

Yes, scrapping a vehicle at an authorised treatment facility (ATF) entitles the keeper to a refund of unused road tax. The ATF issues a Certificate of Destruction, which notifies the DVLA. The DVLA then calculates and issues the refund for remaining complete months.

Authorised treatment facilities include those registered with the Environment Agency and the DVLA's approved ATF network.

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How Much Road Tax Can You Get Back?

The refund amount is calculated on complete unused calendar months remaining on the tax period. Partial months are excluded.

The table below shows refund amounts based on annual tax cost and months remaining.

Annual Tax Cost (£)

Months Remaining

Refund Amount (£)

180

6

90

180

3

45

360

6

180

360

3

90

600

6

300

600

3

150

Refund = (Annual tax cost / 12) x complete months remaining.

If road tax was paid by direct debit, the DVLA cancels future payments and refunds any amounts already collected for unused months.

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How Long Does a Road Tax Refund Take?

The DVLA issues refunds within 4 to 6 weeks of the cancellation date. Refunds are sent by cheque to the address held on the vehicle's V5C logbook.

According to GOV.UK, delays beyond 6 weeks require direct contact with the DVLA via the vehicle enquiries helpline at 0300 790 6802.

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How Do You Claim Your Road Tax Refund?

There are 3 ways to claim a road tax refund. These are:

1. Online via the GOV.UK vehicle tax cancellation service

2. By phone through the DVLA vehicle enquiries helpline

3. By post using the relevant section of the V5C logbook

The DVLA does not require a separate refund application in most cases. Notifying the DVLA of a sale, SORN, or scrapping triggers the refund automatically.

How Do You Get Road Tax Back Online?

To cancel road tax online and receive a refund, follow these 4 steps:

1. Visit GOV.UK and search "cancel vehicle tax"

2. Enter the vehicle registration number and V5C reference number

3. Select the reason for cancellation - sold, SORN, scrapped, or exported

4. Submit the notification - the DVLA processes the refund automatically

The online service is available 24 hours a day. A confirmation of cancellation is sent by email upon submission.

How Do You Get Road Tax Back by Phone?

Contact the DVLA vehicle enquiries line at 0300 790 6802. The line operates Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm, and Saturday, 8am to 2pm. Have the vehicle registration number and V5C reference number ready before calling.

How Do You Get Road Tax Back by Post?

To cancel road tax by post, follow these 3 steps:

1. Complete the relevant section of the V5C logbook - Section 9 for a private sale, or the yellow slip for motor trade transfers

2. Send the completed section to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BA

3. Keep a copy of the submitted form for personal records

The DVLA processes postal notifications within 4 weeks of receipt.

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What Happens to Road Tax When You Sell Your Car?

Road tax is cancelled automatically when a vehicle changes ownership. The DVLA receives notification through the online sale process or V5C logbook submission. A refund is then calculated for unused complete months and issued to the previous registered keeper.

Road tax has not transferred between owners since October 2014, when the paper tax disc was abolished.

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Can You Transfer Road Tax to a New Car?

No, road tax cannot be transferred from one vehicle to another. Each vehicle requires its own Vehicle Excise Duty payment. When a vehicle is sold or replaced, the road tax on the original vehicle is cancelled and a refund is issued for unused months. The replacement vehicle requires a separate tax payment before use on public roads.

This rule applies to all vehicle types. These include cars, motorcycles, vans, and campervans.

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What Documents Do You Need to Claim a Road Tax Refund?

There are 3 key documents involved in claiming a road tax refund. These are:

• V5C logbook (vehicle registration certificate) - required for online, phone, and postal notifications
• Certificate of Destruction - required when scrapping a vehicle at an ATF
• SORN confirmation - issued by the DVLA after a SORN declaration is processed

The V5C must show the correct registered keeper details. Discrepancies in keeper information delay refund processing. Learn more about [updating your V5C logbook] (internal link).

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When Are You Not Eligible for a Road Tax Refund?

There are 3 situations where a road tax refund does not apply:

1. Road tax was purchased with less than 1 complete month remaining - partial months produce no refund

2. The vehicle tax has already expired - expired tax carries no refund entitlement

3. The vehicle was stolen and not recovered without a valid police report and DVLA notification

For stolen vehicles, the DVLA requires a crime reference number from the police before processing a refund.

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How Do You Check the Status of Your Road Tax Refund?

Road tax refund status is checked by contacting the DVLA directly. The DVLA does not provide an online refund tracking tool. Contact the vehicle enquiries helpline at 0300 790 6802 if the refund has not arrived within 6 weeks of the cancellation date.

Retain the cancellation confirmation reference number before contacting the DVLA about a delayed refund.