Posting on X, the DVLA wrote: “You must tax your vehicle, even if you don’t have to pay anything.”

Motorists who forget to pay their car tax on time will be automatically issued a late licensing penalty (LLP).

This charge will be sent at £80 but rates can be cut to £50 if road users pay the fee within 33 days. 

Failing to act will lead to an out-of-court settlement (OCS) letter with charges set at £30 plus one and a half times the outstanding vehicle tax.

But, if the OCS is not paid, penalties can rise to either £1,000 or five times the amount of tax chargeable whichever is more valuable. 

Motorists can tax their vehicles in seconds using GOV.UK’s online portal or through the Post Office using a 12-digit reference number from the V5C.

Breakdown experts at the RAC said road users will not be able to get away with driving an untaxed vehicle, with enforcement now better than ever. 

They explained: “At one time, the police used to check paper tax discs displayed in the front windscreen of people’s vehicles to find out whether a car was taxed or not, but these days all checks are carried out electronically.

“Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras are used to scan registrations and check them against information stored in the DVLA’s database.

“If your vehicle is found to be untaxed, an officer may issue you with a fine.”