A car tax reminder that does not depend on the post
Vehicle tax is easy to forget precisely because it is handled for you most of the time: the reminder letter arrives, you renew, and a year goes by. When the letter is late, gets lost or goes to an old address, the deadline passes unnoticed — and driving an untaxed vehicle can be expensive.
MiRicordi gives you an independent reminder. Add the renewal date, pick how much notice you want, and the app warns you in time. If you pay monthly or every six months, set the reminder to repeat on the same cycle.
You can also store the details you need in order to renew — the reference from your V5C logbook, for example — in a note attached to the reminder, so everything is at hand when the moment comes. It is your own record, kept private on your account.
What happens when the reminder letter does not arrive
Vehicle tax renewal usually starts with a letter. When it does not come — a recent move, a change of registered keeper, a delivery that went astray — the deadline still stands, and so do the consequences of missing it.
This is the single most searched question around car tax: how to renew without the reminder. The answer is that you can, using the reference number on your V5C logbook or, for a newly bought vehicle, the green new keeper slip.
Setting it up once so it never depends on the post
Add the renewal date to MiRicordi and choose the notice period. If you pay by monthly direct debit, set the reminder monthly; if you pay every six months or yearly, match that instead.
Store the reference you need for renewing in the note attached to the reminder. When the alert arrives, everything required is already in one screen.
- the renewal date
- how you pay: monthly, six-monthly or yearly
- the V5C reference kept in the note
- a photo of the logbook if you prefer
One car, several dates
Vehicle tax and the MOT often fall close together, and insurance is rarely far behind. Grouping them in one app means you see the cluster coming instead of handling each one as a surprise.
Direct debit is not the same as forgetting about it
A monthly direct debit renews on its own until something interrupts it: a new bank card, a closed account, or a change of keeper after a sale. When a payment fails, the vehicle simply stops being taxed and nobody phones to say so.
A yearly reminder on the anniversary date is the cheapest way to check the debit is still running, and to compare the monthly surcharge against paying in one go.
Off the road? The date still matters
A vehicle kept off the public road can be declared SORN instead of taxed, but the declaration ends the moment the car is used or sold, and tax has to start again before it moves.
Keeping the SORN date as a reminder — with the V5C reference in the note — avoids the classic mistake of driving a car that is insured and MOT'd but no longer taxed.
Car tax reminders — common questions
Do I get a reminder for car tax?
The DVLA normally sends a renewal reminder by post, but it depends on your details being current. A reminder set in MiRicordi works regardless of what arrives in the post.
What do I need to tax my car without the reminder?
The reference number from your V5C logbook, or the green new keeper slip if you have just bought the vehicle. Keeping it in the note attached to your reminder means it is there when you need it.
Is MiRicordi free?
Yes. MiRicordi is free to download from Google Play and the reminder features come at no cost.
Also useful: MOT reminders, renewal reminders, bill reminders.
Frequently asked questions
Can I tax my car without the reminder letter?
Yes. You can renew online using the reference number from your V5C logbook or the green new keeper slip. Keeping those details in a note attached to your MiRicordi reminder means you have them when you need them.
Does vehicle tax transfer when I sell the car?
No. Vehicle tax is not transferred between owners, so a new car usually means a new renewal date — one you can add to MiRicordi straight away.
Can I set monthly reminders for direct debit payments?
Yes. Reminders can repeat monthly, every six months or yearly, so they match how you actually pay.
Is MiRicordi available for iPhone?
MiRicordi is currently available for Android only and can be downloaded from Google Play. The iPhone version is on the way.
What else MiRicordi can remember for you
Deadlines people ask about most
- MOT reminders — Book the test before the certificate expires.
- Renewal reminders — Insurance, licence and subscriptions before they roll over.
- Bill due dates — Payment reminders without linking a bank account.
- Expiry dates — Passports, warranties and policies, flagged in advance.
- Registration renewal — Vehicle registration and inspection, on your state's cycle.
- Licence disc renewal — Warned before the disc on the windscreen expires.
- Driving licence renewal — A date years away, remembered months ahead.
- Car licence renewal — On time even when the renewal notice never arrives.
- Oil change reminders — Your own interval, without the windshield sticker.
- Warranty tracker — Receipts stored and an alert before coverage ends.
- NCT reminders — Early enough to actually get a test slot.
- TV licence renewal — A yearly payment that repeats itself, automatically.
- WOF & rego reminders — Two dates, two cycles, both remembered in time.
- Motor tax reminders — Renew on time even if the notice never arrives.
- Travel checklist — What to pack and what to do before you leave, each with its date.
Looking for practical advice first? Read the MiRicordi guides.
