Taxing A Used Vehicle - First Time In My Name
If you buy a used vehicle the seller may agree to include a current licence in the sale. If no licence is included in the sale then you need to use form V10(NI), or form V12(NI) for goods vehicles weighing over 3500Kgs.
To license the vehicle you will have to produce:
- Application form V10(NI) OR V12(NI) - whichever is applicable
- Section 10 (V5C/2). If you do not have Section 10 (V5C/2) you will have to obtain a Registration Certificate V5C(NI) by completing form V34(NI) Application For A Duplicate Registration Certificate and sending it to DVLNI, County Hall, Coleraine along with a £25 fee. Please bear in mind it may take up to six weeks to send you a V5C(NI) if the previous keeper hasn't told us that they have sold the vehicle. Form V34(NI) is available at main Post Office ® Branches or DVLNI Local Offices.
- If the vehicle requires a Vehicle Identity Check (VIC) we will not be able to issue the Registration Certificate until Driver & Vehicle Testing Agency (DVTA) notify us that it has passed the Identity Check.
- The duty payable.
- A valid certificate of insurance or cover note (not photocopies or faxes)
- A current test certificate, plating certificate or weight certificate if one is needed. (not photocopies or faxes ) (Link to DVTA Website)
Insurance
When using a motor vehicle on the public road, you must be insured against third party
claims in respect of death or injury and damage to property resulting from the vehicles use.
When you apply for a vehicle licence, you must produce the certificate or cover note (not the policy, receipt, schedule
nor a photocopy or fax) which must be valid on the date the licence comes into force. You may also have to
produce further evidence if it is not clear that the insurance covers the use of the vehicle, by the person
who is applying for the licence. Motor dealers insurance is not acceptable when licensing a vehicle in the
new owners name.
Vehicle Test Certificate
The following vehicles must have a valid MOT Vehicle Test Certificate.- Cars, motorcycles, motor caravans if more than 4 years old.
- Light Goods Vehicles under 3500kgs if more than 3 years old.
- Heavy Goods Vehicles over 3500kgs if more than 1 year old.
- Passenger carrying vehicle with more than 8 passenger seats and taxis (excluding private hire cars) more than 1 year old. Please note: a PSV certificate can only be used by the person who applied for the certificate and who is using the vehicle as a taxi. Once the vehicle changes hands and is no longer used as a taxi the vehicle will need an MOT certificate.
- Buses from new.
Vehicle age is measured either from the date of first registration in United Kingdom, or if the exact date of first registration is not readily available, vehicles imported from other countries, the test date is measured from the end of the year of manufacture.
It is an offence to use a vehicle on the public road without a valid test certificate. The only exceptions to this rule are, driving to and from a Vehicle Inspection Centre for a
Vehicle Identity Check (VIC), a pre-arranged compulsory Vehicle Test (generally known as an MOT test), or for a Motorcycle Single Vehicle Approval test (MSVA).
