Do You Need Insurance to Tax a Car?

No, you can’t tax a car without insurance. When you apply for vehicle tax, the DVLA automatically checks the Motor Insurance Database (MID) to confirm that valid insurance is in place. 

Unless your car is declared off the road (SORN), it must be insured and taxed at all times. If you don’t have an annual policy sorted, you won’t be able to tax the vehicle, but short-term insurance offers a quick, legal workaround. Temporary cover gives you the flexibility to get insured instantly, so you can tax your car without delay.

You need to tax your car every year. If you’re unsure of your tax status, just enter your reg into the DVLA’s tax check service.

You’ll also need to tax your car if:

• You’ve bought a new (or used) vehicle
  
• You’re changing the registered keeper

Failure to tax your car carries serious penalties, including a fine of up to £1,000 or five times the amount of tax owed – whichever is greater. You may also have to appear in court and could have your vehicle clamped or impounded.

There are some vehicles which are exempt from paying for road tax, but you still need to tax them, you just won’t be charged for it:

• Vehicles driven by disabled people, or used to transport disabled passengers
  
• Classic cars (made pre-1985)
  
• Agricultural or forestry vehicles
  
• Steam vehicles
  
• Lawnmowers used solely for mowing (not towing)
  
• SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) vehicles

Since April 2025, electric vehicles are no longer exempt from road tax costs.

Yes, you can get insurance and tax on the same day, and it doesn’t take too long to sort either of them, especially if you’re using temporary cover (it takes under two minutes). If you have insured and taxed your car on the same day, make sure you have the following before getting behind the wheel, though:

• A valid insurance certificate (we email yours straight after purchase
  
• Confirmation that your tax has gone through

You’re legally allowed to drive as soon as both are confirmed. Keep in mind there may be a short delay before your details appear on the MID, so have your documents handy if you’re stopped. If you’ve just bought a car, you must insure and tax it before driving it away – even if you’re just heading home. Our temporary drive-away cover makes this easy.