What is a V11 Reminder?
Last updated September 02, 2022
The V11 is an important document that is sent by the DVLA. If you have made an application for a SORN or haven’t filed the road tax for your car, you may get a V11 sent to you. The name sounds similar to the V5C, but the V11 is just a letter sent as a reminder.
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Are V11 reminders still sent out?
Yes, the DVLA still issues V11 reminders to all drivers as a courtesy. You should ensure that you are still registered with the DVLA under the correct address to avoid missing your letter.
What is a V11 form?
You’ll need to complete a V11 form if you want to tax or SORN your car. Following feedback that the V11 form was too complicated and text-heavy, the DVLA redesigned the form in 2019 and it now comprises three sections:
- Section 1 - This section should be filled out with the car owner’s name and address, vehicle registration number and road tax expiry date.
- Section 2 - This is the section where you inform the DVLA why you are filling in the V11 form. You can choose either to pay your road tax or SORN your vehicle. If you’ve sold your car, you can also inform the DVLA in this section.
- Section 3 - This section explains how you can tax your car by phone, online or in person at a post office.
When will I receive a V11?
You should receive a V11 after the 5th day of the month before you are due to renew your road tax. For example, if your tax renewal is due on November 11th, you will receive your V11 any time after October 5th.
Remember that the V11 is a final reminder, and you should not wait to receive your V11 before paying your road tax. If you don’t act on your V11 in time, lose it or don’t receive your V11, this won’t be seen as a legal or valid excuse for driving without road tax.
To avoid any issues, you should pay your road tax by direct debit, far in advance of your final due date.
Finding the 16-digit reference number of the V11
Your 16-digit reference number can be found at the top of your V11. You’ll need to know your reference number to complete your road tax payment online or by phone, or to SORN your car.
Can I get a V11 online?
You can’t access a V11 online as it is classed as a courtesy reminder but as an essential document.
Can you SORN without a V11?
You can complete the process of taxing or applying to SORN your vehicle online without a V11. You can do this on the gov.uk website and will just need your V5C.
Taxing your car in advance
You can tax your car via the gov.uk website up to 2 months in advance. It’s worth noting that you are only supposed to do this if you will be away from home and unable to renew your tax when it runs out.
You’ll need to do this by post and must include:
- Your V5C logbook.
- A completed road tax application (V10 form).
- An MOT or Goods Vehicle Testing (GVT) certification, if applicable. This must be valid when the tax starts.
- A cheque, postal order or banker’s draft made payable to ‘DVLA Swansea’ for the total payable cost of your road tax.
This should all be addressed to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1DZ.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
You can tax your vehicle online using your V5C logbook via the gov.uk website. You should also ensure that you have the correct address registered with the DVLA, as this is likely the reason that you haven’t received your V11 letter.
In most cases, yes, the figure you will pay will be based on your vehicle’s specific tax banding. Currently, electric vehicles have a £0 road tax banding, but you’ll still need to file the paperwork – whether in the post office, by phone or online. The other vehicles that are exempt are:
- Vehicles used by a disabled person or disabled passenger vehicles.
- Mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs.
- Historic vehicles (manufactured before 1 January 1982).
- Electric vehicles.
- Mowing machines.
- Steam vehicles.
- Vehicles used for agriculture, horticulture or forestry.
If you pay your tax monthly, you will not be sent a V11 reminder. This is due to the fact your payments are taken automatically.
