Apply for vehicle tax in advance

You can tax your vehicle up to 2 months before it expires if you’re going to be away from home (for example on holiday) when your current tax runs out.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Apply by post before you go

You need to send:

  • your V5C registration certificate (log book)
  • a letter explaining why you’re applying in advance
  • a completed application for vehicle tax (V10) or application to tax a heavy goods vehicle (V85)
  • evidence of a valid MOT - for example, a copy of your vehicle’s MOT history or your MOT certificate, if you have one
  • an original goods vehicle testing (GVT) certificate (if you need one) - it must be valid when the new tax starts
  • a cheque, postal order or banker’s draft to pay for your vehicle tax made payable to ‘DVLA Swansea’ - damaged or altered cheques will not be accepted

In Northern Ireland, you’ll also need an insurance certificate or cover note and an original MOT test certificate.

Send your documents and payment to:

DVLA
Swansea
SA99 1DZ

If you don’t want to apply in advance

You can tax your vehicle online while you’re away from home. You’ll need the following:

  • V5C vehicle registration certificate (log book) number
  • vehicle registration number

You can only do this from the 5th of the month.

Example

You can tax online from 5 March if your vehicle tax runs out on 31 March.

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