Quick Answer
The V10 form is the official DVLA paper application for vehicle tax. You use it when you cannot tax your vehicle online using a V11 reminder or V5C reference number. Complete the form and take it to a Post Office that handles vehicle tax, or post it to DVLA for certain applications such as the 50% disability tax reduction.
Can I Download a V10 Form PDF?
✓ Yes — download the V10 PDF from this page
The V10 form is available as a free PDF download from GOV.UK. Print it on plain white A4, single-sided, at 100% scale. Fill it in using black ballpoint pen in capital letters. Do not photocopy the form. The current version is V10-0325, published March 2025.
You can also pick up a paper copy from any Post Office branch that handles vehicle tax. If you prefer to complete your details digitally before printing, use the PDF viewer on this page, then print and sign.
The form must be submitted in person at a Post Office or by post to DVLA. There is no fully online submission route for the V10 at this time.
What Is the V10 Form?
The V10 form, officially titled Application for Vehicle Tax, is the DVLA paper form used to tax a vehicle when the normal online methods are unavailable. You submit it at a Post Office branch that handles vehicle tax, or by post to DVLA in Swansea for certain applications. When you use it at a Post Office, the branch sends your information to DVLA electronically and gives you a receipt on the day.
It covers cars, motorcycles, vans up to 3,500kg, motorhomes, and most other light vehicles. It does not cover heavy goods vehicles. For an HGV, you need the V85 form instead.
When Do You Need It?
According to the official DVLA guidance notes on the V10 form itself, you should only use this form in the following situations:
- No V11 reminder letter. Your tax renewal is due but the DVLA reminder never arrived. Without the reference number on it, you cannot tax online.
- Vehicle details have changed. Your tax class or other registered details are different and you have not received an updated V5C yet.
- Break in vehicle tax. There has been a gap in your tax history. The standard online renewal will not work in this case.
- Returning from SORN. You declared the vehicle off road and now want to put it back on the road, but have no V11.
- 50% disability tax reduction. You receive the standard rate mobility component of PIP or ADP and are claiming the reduction by post.
You can apply up to two months before your current tax runs out. If you know you will be away when renewal is due, post the V10 early with a covering note explaining the reason.
What Each Section of the Form Asks
The V10 has three numbered sections. Here is what each one covers, straight from the form itself.
|
Section |
What to fill in |
Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
|
Section 1: Your details |
Title, first name, surname, business name if applicable, current address including house number and postcode. Use capital letters throughout. |
Using a previous address or abbreviating the postcode. |
|
Section 2: Vehicle details |
Registration number in the individual boxes, make, model, tax class (e.g. petrol car, PLG). Engine size in cc if PLG, bicycle, or tricycle. Seat count if bus. |
Entering the wrong tax class or skipping the engine size field for PLG vehicles. |
|
Section 3: Vehicle tax details |
Tick 6 months or 12 months. Enter the date you want the tax to start in DD/MM/YYYY format. You cannot backdate to before the first day of the current month. |
Choosing a start date in a previous month. |
Fill in the form using black ink in capital letters. Do not use a photocopy of the form. Original printouts only.
How to Fill In and Submit the Form
Download and print
Get the PDF from this page or from GOV.UK. Print on plain white A4, single-sided. Do not scale or shrink it.
Complete Section 1
Your full legal name and current address in capital letters. Include business or organisation name if applicable.
Complete Section 2
Copy the registration number, make, model, and tax class directly from your V5C log book. Do not rely on memory.
Complete Section 3.
Choose 6 or 12 months. Enter the start date. You cannot go back before the 1st of the month you are applying in.
Gather your documents
Full checklist is in the next section. Do not go to the Post Office without checking it.
Submit at a Post Office or by post
Standard applications go to a Post Office branch that handles vehicle tax. Disability reduction applications go by post to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BF.
V10 Application Mistakes That Cause Delays
These are the errors that come up repeatedly. Most are simple to avoid once you know what to look for.
|
Mistake |
What goes wrong |
How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
|
Wrong tax class in Section 2 |
DVLA cannot process without the correct tax class. A petrol car is TC48. A PLG van is TC39. If you guess, expect rejection. |
Check the V5C log book. The tax class is printed on it. Copy it exactly. |
|
Incorrect start date |
You cannot backdate to a previous month. DVLA will reject or return the form. |
Start date must be the 1st of the current month or a future month. Never earlier. |
|
Missing V5C or keeper slip |
Without the V5C or the green new keeper slip (V5C/2), the Post Office cannot process your application. |
If your V5C is lost, apply for a replacement using the V62 form first. Costs £25, takes up to 6 weeks. |
|
Sending disability applications to Post Office |
The 50% PIP and ADP reduction cannot be processed at a Post Office counter. Applications sent there will be turned away. |
Post the full document pack to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BF. No exceptions. |
|
Photocopied form |
Only original printed V10 forms are accepted. A photocopy will not be accepted. |
Download fresh from this page each time. Do not photocopy. |
|
Cheque to the wrong payee |
Post Office: cheque to Post Office Ltd. DVLA postal: cheque to DVLA, Swansea. Wrong payee causes payment rejection. |
Two routes, two payees. Double-check before you write the cheque. |
|
Missing or expired MOT |
A vehicle over 3 years old cannot be taxed without a valid MOT. The tax start date and MOT must overlap. |
Check your MOT expiry at gov.uk/check-mot-status before applying. Book a test if needed. |
Documents You Need: Full Checklist
Taking it to the Post Office
- Completed V10 form — printed, filled in black ink, capital letters
- V5C log book — or the green new keeper slip (V5C/2) if you recently bought the vehicle
- Valid MOT certificate — if your vehicle is over 3 years old. Electronic copies are accepted
- Proof of motor insurance — certificate or cover note; downloaded copies are acceptable
- Payment — cash, debit card, credit card, or cheque payable to Post Office Ltd
Sending by Post to DVLA — 50% Disability Reduction Applications
- Completed V10 form
- DWP letter — confirming your PIP rate and the dates you are receiving it (England, Wales, Northern Ireland)
- ADP decision letter — from Social Security Scotland, showing your mobility component rate and dates (Scotland only)
- V5C log book — original, not a photocopy
- Valid MOT certificate — or GVT certificate if your vehicle needs one
- Cheque or postal order — made payable to DVLA, Swansea, for 50% of the full vehicle tax rate
- Insurance certificate or cover note — Northern Ireland residents only
Post Office vs Postal Application: Which Route Is Yours?
|
Details |
Post Office branch |
Post to DVLA (SA99 1BF) |
|---|---|---|
|
Who it is for |
Standard applications with V5C or new keeper slip |
50% disability reduction (PIP/ADP standard rate mobility) |
|
What you bring or send |
Form, V5C, MOT, insurance, payment |
Form, benefit letter, V5C, MOT, cheque/postal order |
|
Payment method |
Cash, card, cheque to Post Office Ltd |
Cheque or postal order to DVLA, Swansea only. No cash. |
|
Processing time |
Immediate. Receipt given on the day. |
Up to 4 weeks from the date DVLA receives your post. |
|
Can I do it online? |
No. In person at the branch only. |
No. Post only for disability reduction applications. |
How Long Does a V10 Application Take?
Post Office branch
Same day
Processed immediately. You leave with a paper receipt.
DVLA postal (standard)
2–3 weeks
From date DVLA receives your application.
DVLA postal (disability)
Up to 4 weeks
50% PIP/ADP reduction applications.
Check whether your vehicle tax has been processed at any time at gov.uk/check-vehicle-tax using your registration number. No login required.
V10 vs V11 vs V85 vs V62: Which Form Do You Need?
Before you fill in the V10, make sure it is the right form for your situation. These four DVLA forms are the ones most commonly confused.
V10
Application for Vehicle Tax
Tax your vehicle when you have no V11 reference, when there has been a break in tax, or when claiming the 50% disability reduction by post.
V11
Vehicle Tax Reminder
Not a form you fill in. It is the renewal reminder DVLA sends automatically. Use the reference number on it to renew online at gov.uk/vehicle-tax.
V85
Application to Tax a Heavy Goods Vehicle
For HGVs over 3,500kg. The V10 cannot be used for heavy goods vehicles.
V62
Application for a V5C Log Book
Replacing a lost, stolen, or damaged V5C. Costs £25. Takes up to 6 weeks.
Current Vehicle Tax Rates 2025/26 — Including Electric Vehicles
All rates come directly from GOV.UK vehicle tax rate tables, last updated May 2026. What you pay depends on when your vehicle was first registered, its fuel type and CO2 emissions, and its list price when new.
Cars Registered On or After 1 April 2017 — Standard Rate
From year two onwards, most cars pay a standard rate of £200 for 12 months (£110 for 6 months). Paying by monthly Direct Debit costs £210 in total for the year. The first-year rate varies by CO2 emissions from £10 to £5,690 — check your specific band at gov.uk.
Expensive Car Supplement
Vehicles with a list price over £40,000 when first registered (£50,000 for EVs from April 2026) pay an extra £440 per year for 5 years from the second payment. Total: £640 per year. The supplement follows the vehicle, not the owner.
Cars Registered Between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017
Rate is based on CO2 band shown on your V5C. Ranges from £20 per year (Band A, up to 100g/km) to £790 per year (Band M, over 255g/km). Full band table at gov.uk.
Cars Registered Before 1 March 2001
|
Engine size |
12 months |
6 months |
|---|---|---|
|
Up to 1549cc |
£200 |
£110 |
|
Over 1549cc |
£340 |
£187 |
Motorcycles and Light Goods Vehicles
|
Vehicle type |
12 months |
6 months |
|---|---|---|
|
Motorcycle up to 150cc (incl. zero emission) |
£27 |
N/A |
|
Motorcycle 151cc to 400cc |
£59 |
£32.45 |
|
Motorcycle 401cc to 600cc |
£90 |
£49.50 |
|
Motorcycle over 600cc |
£125 |
£68.75 |
|
Light goods vehicle, PLG (from 1 Mar 2001) |
£360 |
£198 |
⚡ Electric Vehicles: What You Pay in 2025/26
Since 1 April 2025, electric vehicles pay Vehicle Excise Duty. Free road tax for EVs has ended.
|
EV registration date |
Annual rate |
|---|---|
|
Registered 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017 |
£20 per year (Band A) |
|
Registered 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2025 |
£200 per year (£110 for 6 months) |
|
Registered from 1 April 2025 — year 1 |
£10 first-year rate |
|
Registered from 1 April 2025 — year 2 onwards |
£200 per year (£110 for 6 months) |
|
EV list price over £50,000 (from Apr 2025) |
£640/year for 5 years from year 2 (£200 + £440 supplement) |
Why Can’t I Tax My Car Online?
You can tax your vehicle online if you have either the 11-digit reference number from your V11 reminder letter, or the 11-digit reference number from your V5C log book. If you have neither, the online system will not let you proceed.
|
Your situation |
Route to use |
|---|---|
|
You have your V11 reminder letter |
Tax online at gov.uk/vehicle-tax using the V11 reference number |
|
You have your V5C but no V11 |
Tax online at gov.uk/vehicle-tax using the V5C reference number |
|
You have neither V11 nor V5C reference |
Use the V10 form at a Post Office branch |
|
Break in tax, SORN, or tax class change |
Use the V10 form regardless of what documents you have |
|
Claiming 50% PIP or ADP reduction |
Use the V10 form by post to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BF |
What If My Tax Runs Out While I Wait?
This is the question nobody answers clearly. Here is exactly what you do.
If you are applying at a Post Office
There is no waiting. The Post Office processes your application the same day and you leave with a receipt. Your tax starts from the date you choose on the form.
If you are posting to DVLA for a disability reduction
Allow up to 4 weeks for DVLA to process after receiving it. If your current tax is about to run out, pay the full rate upfront at a Post Office first. DVLA will refund the difference once the 50% reduction is processed. Send a covering letter stating the date you want the tax to run from.
You cannot drive a vehicle with expired tax. If you are cutting it close, pay the full rate at the Post Office first, then sort the reduction by post.
Disability Exemptions and Reductions
100% Exemption — Who Qualifies
You pay nothing if you receive any of the following:
- The enhanced rate mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- The higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- The War Pensioners Mobility Supplement
- The Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Child Disability Payment (CDP) higher rate mobility — Scotland
The vehicle must be registered in your name or the name of your nominated driver.
50% Reduction — PIP and ADP Standard Rate Mobility
Cannot be done at a Post Office
If you receive the standard rate mobility component of PIP, or the standard or enhanced rate mobility component of Adult Disability Payment (ADP) in Scotland, you are entitled to half-price vehicle tax. This must go by post to DVLA, Swansea, SA99 1BF. Vehicles with this reduction stay in the standard tax class, not the Disabled class.
Historic Vehicle Exemption — 40+ Years Old
Vehicles manufactured or first registered more than 40 years ago are exempt from vehicle tax. The rate is zero, but you still need to tax the vehicle or declare it SORN. The first time you claim the historic vehicle tax class, take a completed V10 form, your V5C, and a valid MOT to a Post Office branch that handles vehicle tax.