V85 Form PDF – DVLA HGV Tax Form for Vehicles Over 3,500kg

If you operate a heavy goods vehicle that weighs more than 3,500kg when loaded, you need the V85 Form to tax it with the DVLA. You cannot tax an HGV online. You take the completed form and your supporting documents to a Post Office branch that deals with vehicle tax.

Which DVLA Form Do You Actually Need?

Before you fill anything in, check you have the right form. A wrong form is the most common reason an application gets sent back.

Vehicle is 3,500kg or under: Use the V10, not the V85

Vehicle is over 3,500kg, and you’re taxing it new or renewing: Use the V85, this page

You already have HGV tax and just need to change the tax class, and the current tax isn’t about to run out: Use the V70 form

You don’t have a V5C, or it’s lost, stolen, or damaged: Use the V62

DVLA has sent you a renewal reminder for an HGV already on the road: Use the V85/1

What Is the V85 Form?

The V85 is the DVLA’s official application to tax a heavy goods vehicle in the United Kingdom. Also known as the DVLA V85 Form, it covers any goods vehicle weighing more than 3,500kg when loaded, according to GOV.UK guidance on HGV vehicle tax. The V85 does not register the vehicle itself; that is handled separately through the V5C. What it does is apply for HGV road tax. The amount you pay is calculated based on your tax class, vehicle weight, and axle configuration once you submit the form with the required supporting documents.

Lighter vehicles, such as cars, vans, and motorcycles, use a different form called the V10 and can often be taxed online. HGVs cannot. You must complete the application form and hand it in at a Post Office branch that handles vehicle tax, along with your V5C registration certificate or green new keeper slip.

Who Needs the DVLA V85 Tax Form?

You need it to tax any of the following vehicle types once they exceed 3,500kg:

HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle): Standard lorries and trucks used to carry goods commercially
Trailer HGV: Vehicles that pull a trailer as part of their normal operation, taxed on the combined configuration
Private HGV: Heavy vehicles over 3,500kg used for private rather than commercial purposes
Recovery vehicle: Vehicles built and used specifically for recovery and towing work
Special types: Unusual heavy vehicles that do not fit the standard HGV categories
Small island vehicle: HGVs used exclusively on certain small islands with restricted use rules
Combined transport: Vehicles used as part of a combined road and rail freight operation

If your vehicle weighs 3,500kg or less, you do not need the V85. Use the V10 form instead.

When Should You Use It?

You are taxing an HGV for the first time
Your current HGV tax is about to expire, and you want to renew by post or at a Post Office
You have bought a used HGV and need to tax it in your name
Your vehicle’s tax class is changing into HGV, Private HGV, or a related category
A Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) on the vehicle is ending, and it is going back on the road

V85 vs V85/1 vs V10: Which DVLA Tax Form Do You Need?

These three forms often get confused because they sound similar. Here is the difference.

Form	Purpose	Vehicle Weight	How You Use It?
V85	New or renewed HGV tax application	Over 3,500kg	Complete and take to a Post Office branch that deals with vehicle tax
V85/1	HGV tax renewal reminder, also used to declare SORN	Over 3,500kg	Sent to you by DVLA before your tax expires; use it to renew or declare SORN
V10	Tax application for cars, vans, and motorcycles	3,500kg or under	Complete online, by phone, or at a Post Office

If you have been searching for the correct DVLA tax form V85, this is it. The form is specifically for goods vehicles over the 3,500kg threshold. Anything lighter uses the V10.

V85 vs V70: Taxing vs Changing Tax Class

A separate point of confusion is between taxing an HGV and changing its tax class. These are not the same process.

Use the V85 when you are taxing the vehicle for the first time, whether that is a first application or a renewal, and the registered keeper is not changing.
Use the V70 only when your vehicle’s tax class needs to change, and your current tax is not about to run out, for example, moving from a private goods classification into HGV or PHGV.

Check before you apply

If your tax is close to expiring, your vehicle is on SORN, or you pay by Direct Debit, DVLA’s own V70 guidance states you should not use the V70 in these cases. Apply for tax in the new band using the V85 or V10 instead.

Eligibility Requirements

Requirement	Detail
Vehicle weight	Must exceed 3,500kg when loaded
Registered keeper	You must be the registered keeper, or hold the green new keeper slip
Valid MOT or GVT	Required unless your vehicle is specifically exempt from testing
Valid insurance	A certificate of insurance or cover note, not a renewal notice or receipt
Payment	Cheque, postal order, debit card, credit card, or Direct Debit

Vehicle Types and Categories Covered by the V85

The application form itself lists seven tax class options you tick on the vehicle details section:

HGV
Trailer HGV
Private HGV
Recovery vehicle
Special types
Small island vehicle
Combined transport

You tick only one box, based on your vehicle’s primary use.

How to Fill Out the V85 PDF Form?

Complete the form in black ink using capital letters throughout. DVLA scanning systems read printed capitals more reliably than mixed case or joined-up writing.

Your details

Enter your title, company name if applicable, and full address exactly as it should appear on your V5C.

Vehicle details

Enter your registration number exactly as shown on your V5C, with no spaces. Enter the make of the vehicle. Tick one tax class box.

Weight and axle details

For rigid vehicles, enter the plated gross weight and the number of axles. For articulated vehicles, enter the combined weight of the cab and semi-trailer, and the number of axles on the cab only, not the trailer.

Tax band

Look up your tax band using the weight and axle figures at the official DVLA rate tables.

Tax duration and start date

Choose 6 or 12 months. Enter the month and year you want the tax to start. You cannot backdate tax to before the first day of the month in which you are applying.

Leave the official use section blank

The right-hand column of the form is for DVLA staff only.

Attach your documents and payment

Then take the form to a Post Office branch that deals with vehicle tax.

Required Documents Checklist

Bring these with your completed V85 form:

Your original V5C registration certificate, or the green new keeper slip
A valid MOT certificate or Goods Vehicle Test (GVT) certificate, unless your vehicle is exempt from testing
A valid certificate of insurance or cover note (in Northern Ireland, a downloaded copy is accepted, but not a photocopy)
Payment for the tax due
If you only have the green slip and not a full V5C, a completed V62 form as well

No photocopies

Photocopies and faxed copies are not accepted for the V5C, MOT, GVT, or insurance documents. Bring originals.

Understanding HGV Tax Bands (A to G)

HGV tax is calculated differently from car tax. Instead of CO2 emissions, it is based on weight, axle count, and trailer use.

For rigid vehicles: the tax band depends on the vehicle’s weight and its number of axles. If the vehicle weighs 12,000kg or more and pulls a loaded trailer over 4,000kg, you pay extra tax based on the heaviest trailer you use.

For articulated vehicles: the tax band depends on the combined plated weight of the cab and semi trailer, plus the number of axles on the cab.

You can check your exact tax band using the DVLA’s official vehicle tax rate tables, referenced on the V85 form itself as form V149 for HGV rates.

Goods Vehicle Testing (GVT) Certificate Requirements

Quick answer

Most HGVs need a valid Goods Vehicle Test certificate to be taxed. Only vehicles in specific exempt categories can be taxed without one.

Your vehicle is exempt from testing only if one of the following applies:

It’s used on the road under an order made under Section 44 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, or the equivalent Northern Ireland order
It’s used exclusively on certain small islands named in the Goods Vehicles (Plating and Testing) Regulations 1988
It falls into a vehicle class listed in Schedule 2 of those same regulations, detailed further in form V112G
It’s a heavy or light locomotive or motor tractor that has been given an allocated revenue weight

If none of these applies, you must provide a valid GVT certificate dated before your tax start date. If you are unsure whether your vehicle qualifies for an exemption, contact the DVSA directly on 0300 123 9000. Northern Ireland vehicle owners should contact DVAT on 0845 601 4094.

Cost and Payment Methods

There is no single fixed price for HGV tax. What you pay depends on several factors together, not any one of them alone:

Your vehicle’s revenue weight, taken from the plate or the V5C
The number of axles on the vehicle, or on the cab for articulated vehicles
Whether the vehicle is rigid, articulated, or pulls a trailer over 4,000kg
Your tax class, for example, standard HGV, Private HGV, or recovery vehicle
Whether you choose a 6 or 12-month tax period

Once those factors are known, your tax band (A to G) determines the exact figure, as published in the DVLA’s V149 rate tables. Because rates are reviewed periodically, check the current figure on the official DVLA rate tables at the time you apply, rather than relying on a figure from a previous year.

Cheques

You can pay by debit card, credit card, Direct Debit, cheque, or postal order. Cheques and postal orders should be made payable to Post Office Ltd, since you are submitting the form at a Post Office branch rather than posting it directly to DVLA. If your cheque bounces, your vehicle will not be taxed, and you risk a fine or prosecution for using an untaxed vehicle.

Can You Get a 50% Reduction on HGV Tax?

Yes. If you or your nominated driver receive certain disability benefits, you may qualify for a 50% reduction on your HGV tax. To claim it, submit an original certificate of entitlement with your V85. Accepted certificates include:

Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Child Disability Payment (CDP)
Adult Disability Payment (ADP)
Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance (SADLA)
War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement (WPA0442)

Originals only

All certificates must be originals. Photocopies and faxed copies are not accepted, and you should not send medical assessment paperwork with your application, only the certificate of entitlement itself.

Where to Submit Your V85 Application?

According to current GOV.UK guidance, you fill in the V85 and apply in person at a Post Office branch that deals with vehicle tax. You can find your nearest eligible branch using the Post Office branch finder, or by phone. This differs from some older or third-party guidance that suggests posting the form directly to DVLA Swansea. Always check the branch finder before travelling, since not every branch processes HGV tax.

How Long Does It Take?

There is no fixed, published processing time for a V85 application. Because it is submitted and processed in person at a Post Office branch, a complete, correctly filled application with valid documents and payment is generally handled at the counter during that visit. What actually causes delay is missing or invalid paperwork, an unclear MOT or GVT status, or a cheque that needs to clear before the vehicle is confirmed as taxed. Apply before your current tax expires, and bring everything listed in the documents checklist above, so a return visit is not needed.

Special Cases and Circumstances

You only have the green new keeper slip, not a full V5C

Complete a V62 alongside your V85. Until you receive your V5C, you may need to keep the vehicle off the road.

Your V5C was lost, stolen, damaged, or destroyed, and there’s no change of keeper

Apply for a replacement online at the same time as the tax return, using the V62 process.

You’re in Northern Ireland

Insurance documents must be downloaded copies rather than photocopies, and a Certificate of Roadworthiness replaces the MOT where no NI MOT test exists.

Your vehicle doesn’t need an MOT or GVT

Confirm your exemption category before applying, since an incorrect exemption claim will delay processing.

Why Is HGV Tax Mandatory? What Happens if You Do Not Comply

Legal requirement

All drivers must have valid motor insurance and tax to use a vehicle on a public road. If your HGV is not being used, the only lawful alternative is a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN). Driving an untaxed or uninsured HGV can lead to a fine or prosecution, and enforcement agencies use automatic number plate recognition cameras to detect untaxed vehicles on public roads.

Frequently Asked Questions

The V85 is the DVLA’s application to tax a heavy goods vehicle over 3,500kg. You complete it in black ink and submit it with your V5C, MOT or GVT certificate, and payment at a Post Office branch that deals with vehicle tax.

Car tax is based on the V10 form and largely on CO2 emissions. HGV tax is based on the V85 and the vehicle’s weight, axle count, and trailer use.

No. HGVs over 3,500kg cannot be taxed through DVLA’s online service. You must use the V85 at a Post Office branch that handles vehicle tax.

Your V5C or green new keeper slip, a valid MOT or GVT certificate, valid insurance, and payment. Originals only, no photocopies.

Yes, a 50% reduction is available if you or your nominated driver receive certain disability benefits, with an original certificate of entitlement submitted alongside your V85.

Use the V70 form to change your tax class without starting a new tax period, provided your current tax is not about to run out and the registered keeper is not changing.

Unless your vehicle qualifies for one of the specific legal exemptions, you cannot tax it without a valid GVT certificate. Contact DVSA if you are unsure whether your vehicle is exempt.