Can I drive a newly bought car home before taxing it?

The previous keeper's tax is cancelled when ownership is notified to DVLA, so it does not follow the car to you.

Taxing online using the green new-keeper slip is usually the quickest option. Make sure insurance is already active and that any required MOT is valid before setting off.

If you cannot tax it immediately, arrange transport or keep it genuinely off-road. Buying the vehicle does not create a temporary grace period for ordinary driving home.

For 'Can I drive a newly bought car home before taxing it?', keep the DVLA confirmation or reference number once the transaction is completed. Tax, SORN and keeper records are separate, so a dated confirmation helps show exactly when your responsibility changed.

Check the current source for 'Can I drive a newly bought car home before taxing it?' before acting if the relevant rule, policy, fee or eligibility has recently changed. Keep any official confirmation or reference number produced by the process because it can help resolve a later query. This note is specific to answer 422.