Not sure if anyone (in the UK) knows about this yet, but the 1972 free road tax threshold has been shifted in the March budget to 1973.

There's a story here on Sump:

http://www.sumpmagazine.com/classicbikenews/index.htm

But the upshot is that bikes/cars/trucks registered before 1st January 1974 will now be road tax free (instead of before 1st January 1973).

We don't know yet if it's a "rolling" tax threshold (in other words, if it keeps moving forward year by year as was the original intention).

Not much interest to anyone else in the world, except that there might be a small price rise for 1973 classics.

email (option): dannydefazio@sumpmagazine.com

Hi Fred, I hear what you're saying. But that's not what's being reported by various "reliable" sources. I am looking further into this and will post something if and when I get a definitive answer.

If anyone's got a definitive source for this, please let me know.

Usually it is the manufactured date, as was discussed recently regarding the free MOT issue. But there is a suggestion that for tax purposes, the government is looking at the "first registered" date.

I have tried to get an answer to this question today from the DVLA, but they haven't yet got back to me. Either way, there's a change afoot that will probably please a lot of people.

email (option): dannydefazio@sumpmagazine.com

here's a couple of links referring to build/Manufacter date, I'd be very surprised if they had changed it to registered date tbh..

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/classiccars/9943381/Budget-2013-Classic-car-VED-exemption-extended-to-1974.html

http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/budget-2013-what-it-means-for-motorists/265602

Nice to see the changes to SORN as well.

Hi Fred

Yes, I'm broadly in agreement with you - and I've seen these links.

But the DVLA does SOMETIMES use the REGISTERED date instead of the MANUFACTURED date for taxation purposes. Check this copy below and follow the link:

"... for cars registered before 1 March 2001 the rate of vehicle tax depends on its engine size

the rate for cars registered on or after 1 March 2001 depends on CO2 emissions and fuel type (if this information isn’t available they’ll be taxed using the old system)

Vehicle tax rates for cars, motorcycles, light goods vehicles and trades licences are also shown in the vehicle tax rate tables.

To check your vehicle tax rate online you’ll need your vehicle details, including make, model and when it was registered:"

https://www.gov.uk/calculate-vehicle-tax-rates



Interestingly, I got a phone call just this morning from a biking journalist friend who also said that he'd heard that the registered date was the one to watch, and added that early statements from the government had been issued giving that information. But this appears to be ordinary bureaucratic confusion (as we saw with the free MOT issue).

Thanks for raising the matter. I've updated Sump to reflect this.

The Sorn change that you mention isn't exactly news, however.

Sump reported on this back in Decemner 2011.

http://www.sumpmagazine.com/classicbikenews/news-december-2011.htm#sorn

email (option): dannydefazio@sumpmagazine.com

Thanks for the info Danny, my missus told me last night about the taxation change, but I didn't know about the SORN change. I have to set reminders in my phone to warn me which vehicles need to be SORNed, so this will save me lots of messing about going to the Post Office and risking a fine if I forget.

Love 'em or hate 'em, it was the Tories that brought in the Historic free tax in the first place and Labour stopped it from rolling when they got in. It's the Tories that had done away with MOTs for pre 1960 vehicles, and now these 2 changes. I don't think much of political parties, but they are the only ones that have given the vintage vehicle enthusiasts anything (even if they have cocked everything else up )

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk

It's just part of the drive to save money...that's all..Anything they have 'given' us has been completely outweighed by other restrictions and intrusions on our right to free movement...It's a different and much worse world than it was when I started riding...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

You may be right Ian, I'm talking purely as a vintage bike rider

email (option): horror@blueyonder.co.uk

Danny, .....yea .. anyway its done on build date.