Can I can get away with not paying a late tax fine?

[apple tango]

Motorbike road tax, that is.

It was due on 1st Dec 2012. For various reasons (the main one is me being an idiot), I've only just paid it today.

Apparently I've got to pay a fine of £40 if paid before 26th Feb, or £80 if paid before 21st March.

Also, another kick in the balls is that the lady in the post office could only tax it from the beginning of Feb. She said I might have to explain to the DVLA why it's not been taxed from Dec to Feb.

The reason is because I never got the initial letter telling me my tax was due. Then when I got the reminder I realised that my bike didn't have a valid MOT either, so I had to wait to get that done.

Any advice is welcome.
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CBR125 -> Bandit GSF600 '99 -> SV650 02

[Wonko The Sane]

Did you send a SORN form off as you had it off the road to work on it?
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[apple tango]

[andym]

I was told the same thing by the post office, still haven't had a letter from the DVLA about it though... and as far as I know... it wasn't taxed or SORN'ed for well over a year

[piazza]

So what your saying is your bike was in waiting for parts for an MOT and couldn't possibly be on the road, also you did send in a SORN which was not acknowledged? *what I'd do* probably..

[Rogerborg]

[MattEMulsion]

If it was me then I think that I would just pay the £40 fine and that's the end of the matter. At the end of the day, as you have admitted it was your own mistake, trying to find something else to blame and get out of paying it is generally a waste of time. Besides you have saved yourself two months tax...

On a related but irrelevant note I got myself a council parking ticket in my car last year. I was somewhat livid to say the least. But at the end of the day I parked my car over a drop-kerb (as does everyone in the street) but I was the unlucky one to be there when the traffic warden came round. It wasn't worth the arguing for the £35 it cost me as like it or not, I was in the wrong from the beginning.
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Yamaha YZF-R6

[Joncrete Cungle]

It is not a fine and it is not fine to call it a fine. Either you sent the SORN form off first class in the post, and mtfu. Or you pay a bribe to Crapita, ball is in OP court.

What did you do insurance wise while the bike had no tax?

[apple tango]

[Joncrete Cungle]

[apple tango]

[Joncrete Cungle]

Don't want you to potentially fall foul of the sneakily worded Continuous Insurance legislation. I can't find a link to the actual wording of the act.