Q What level of road tax should I be paying?
We own an Auto-Trail Imala 615 coachbuilt motorhome. Our V5C document shows:
Body type: Motor caravan
Taxation class: Diesel car
Revenue weight: 3,500kg gross
Cylinder capacity: 2,287cc
Fuel type: Heavy oil
Date of first registration: 16.03.2017
The vehicle tax is currently £630 per annum. On the DVLA website there appears to be a vehicle classification for motorhomes, for which the current rate is £295 per annum.
I have queried with the DVLA if the taxation class of the vehicle can be changed to motorhome in line with the information on the its website and in the process reduce my vehicle tax bill.
The DVLA replied that there is no vehicle tax classification for motorhomes. I have further queried twice why there appears to be one on its website, but have had no reply.
I appreciate this is a complicated subject; after ringing around organisations that I thought could help, I have drawn a blank. Is there anyone at MMM who can give some advice? Is it possible to have the tax reduced or does the lower rate not apply to our vehicle?
Mike Nicholls
A Checking the gov.uk website for vehicle tax rates there is a reference to motorhomes. It clearly states, “The rate of vehicle tax is based on the vehicle’s revenue weight (also known as maximum or gross vehicle weight).” This means that for most motorhomes that are based on goods vehicles, like the Fiat Ducato, the taxation regime is as a private light goods vehicle or private heavy goods vehicle in the case where the GVW exceeds 3,500kg. Hence, the DVLA is correct insofar as there is no separate vehicle classification for motorhomes.
The situation is confused because some budgets have adjusted taxation rates to suit certain environmental issues. Under the motorhomes section, your vehicle appears to have an annual taxation rate of £295, as you just missed coming into the “registered between 1 April 2017 and 11 March 2020” category.
I cannot see another tax rate that would be more appropriate.
So, my understanding of the rate applicable is the same as yours. The £630 you pay appears to put your vehicle in the section for cars registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017. This could have been accurate if your motorhome was based on a car derivative, not on a
Fiat Ducato.
Check the data held for your ’van on gov.uk/check-vehicle-tax as this site lists the vehicle details, such as date of first registration, CO2 emissions, etc, and check this against the information you hold. The display for your vehicle details also allows you to input the 11-digit reference number from your V5C registration certificate to establish the tax rate for your vehicle.
If you can find no evidence that your ’van is being taxed correctly and the DVLA continues to be unhelpful, you may need the help of your local MP.
There was a change in motorhome tax in 2019, which saw them being taxed on emissions, but this rule was reversed in 2020 (not retrospectively, so some ’vans registered between these dates may still be paying a ‘luxury vehicle’ tax). The planned graduated tax rise in 2021 for motorhomes was cancelled also.
Barry Norris