mission

Can anyone confirm if the car reg is given the same start date as the car insurance? SHED above said that even if you renew your car reg and insurance in the 13th month, the car reg will get back dated to the month before?
Just to make things crystal clear - my car reg expired 27/11/18; car insurance expires 27/12/18. I intend to renew my car insurance around the 26/12/18 (no need for any testing malarkey since the car is only a year old), so will the car reg start from 26/12/18 or get back dated to 28/11/18 ie after the last expiry date?.

Millhouse

I've not had mine backdated.

farooq12

Yes I guess it should be a month before..

mission

Ta MILLY

Millhouse

TheShed

archie159

It is not backdated if you do it before the 30 days grace period is up, and it is nothing to do with who you deal with - in fact I am not sure why you are dealing with a person at all, as it was announced by RTA in July that it had to be done online-only from end of that month. You must have just missed the 30 day grace period.
I've done it this way for almost 8 years now, for 2 cars, just renewing it slightly before each 13 month point - and not dealt with a person for several years.

TheShed

Thanks for the clarification - yes, its possible i just over the 30 days (but didn't get fined strangely). I know ho two do the online bit, but how do you arrange the testing for a car over 3 years? Surely you must visit physically for the testing?

archie159

You do the testing as usual, at a testing centre (or get someone to take it there for you), once it passes "the system" (online) knows this. AFAIK the test is valid for 30 days only (or maybe 2 months?), so don't do it too early. Once insurance is renewed, the start date for that (which you agree with the insurers) also goes into the system. Once both these steps are done, you complete the process online whenever you like near the last safe moment - just ensure you complete it before the 13 month point is reached, the test validity lapses, and ASAP after the new insurance policy begins.
OK, to make it easier, this is what I just did on one of our cars:

• Old registration was due to expire 6 Nov, insurance was valid till 6 Dec.
• Tested the car about 20 Nov.
• Renewed insurance online, requested renewal to be put into the system with start date 4 Dec.
• Did the online renewal on 5 Dec. New card issued (delivered by courier yesterday), valid till 4 Dec 2019 (but insurance is valid till 3 Jan 2020).

So I will re-do this all again just before the insurance expires in 3 Jan 2020 - ie only once every 13 months, not 12 months. Clearly, your insurance company will try to persuade you to renew the policy at the 12 month point to maximise the premiums you pay them, but the policy is valid for 13 months so to me it makes sense to use all of that, and to reduce the frequency you have to do all this.

mission

Thanks ARCHIE for the clarification - will make sure to do it just before the 30 days grace period ends. And yes, of course, i am aware it can all be done online...i'm not THAT out of touch

flood2

Mine passed test in AD this year with one headlight out!

They do a suspension check thing there where they bounce the car and check shocks