Once you get your first car, you’re are eager to get out and enjoy the open road. Before you can do that though it is important that you have all the legal bits in place; these are not optional and must be in place as you don’t want the police taking your new car away or even your licence.

A new law meant that any new driver that gets more than six penalty points in the first two years of passing their driving test, will get an automatic suspension. You will not only have to do the theory test element again but also an extended driving test which lasts 80 minutes!

Road Tax

Road tax or road fund licence as it is also known is a mandatory requirement. This tax varies depending on when it was made and what type of car it is. If you are buying a car that was registered before 1 March 2001 the tax will be judged on the size of the engine. The larger the size the higher the fee. If it is registered after 1 March 2001 then the fee will be judge on the amount of CO2 it produces. There has been changes to car tax in both 2017 and 2018 where the average amount paid has gone up. Even Hybrid vehicles still have to pay a tax when previously they didn’t.

If you are deciding to buy a full electric car then the tax is free as it is part of the ‘ultra-low emission’ group of vehicles.

There are two ways to tax your new car; online or through the post office. Online is the easier option but both have the same result. If you do decide to go to the post office then you must take your MOT certificate, vehicle registration documents (V5C) and if in Northern Ireland, insurance certificate.

You can pay road tax monthly, 6 month and 12-month increments. You can save some money by choosing to pay it yearly. If you have chosen to pay it yearly and decide to sell your car, you will receive a refund as the road tax cannot be transferred to a different car.

MOT

The MOT is a health check but for your car. Every year this must be conducted, and it is not optional. The test lasts a couple of hours and consist of many checks such as tire pressure, breaks, lights and other important safety aspects. The only exception to this is if you purchase a brand new car as an MOT does not have to be completed until the car is three years old.

There are over 19,000 MOT centres in the UK so they are easy to find. If you look out for the blue three triangle sign this will indicate they offer MOT’s. The MOT does not guarantee the mechanical condition of the car as the test does not cover engine, gearbox and clutch.

If your car fails its MOT, you will be given the reason why. Most MOT centres let you resolve the issue within a time period and will complete a second test on your vehicle. You will not be given a MOT pass certificate without fixing an issues with your vehicle.

Car insurance

For a new driver (and particularly young drivers), this is the biggest payment they will have to pay in the first year after passing their driving test. Sometimes it can be more expensive than the csot of your car! Regardless of price it is still the law that you are required to insure your car. Failing to have insurance can often lead to an instant ban (especially if you are a new driver who has just passed their driving test).

How much the insurance is going to cost is down to quite a few factors such as:

• Age
• Where you live.
• what you do for a living.
• completion of the pass plus course.
• The type and model of your car and engine size.
• Where the car is kept.
• Number of miles you intend to do each year.
• If there are any modifications to the car.
• How old the car is.

The price of the insurance will steadily go down as you build up your no-claims bonus, grow older and hold your licence for longer. Penalty points could easily increase the cost of insurance.  

For drivers who have just passed their driving test, a good option would be a ‘black box’. This is a little box that is fitted to your car and will track the way you drive. This means the insurance company can see how you are driving and will monitor things such as acceleration, time of day you are driving the car, speed and breaking intensity. Some insurers offer discounts for young drivers throughout the year for good driving scores.  

When you filled out an insurance quote it will offer you three different types of insurance –

Comprehensive – This is what most people tend to go for as it is offers complete insurance. With this type of insurance, you are covered for damage to your vehicle and personal injury. Due to the amount of cover you get, this is often the most expensive option.

Third party – This is the legal minimum and the cheapest policy. The third party is anyone you might injure or whose property you damage.

Third party, Fire and Theft – This also covers other people, property damaged and also covers your vehicle being involved in a fire or if it is stolen.

Choosing the right insurance can be difficult, as a new driver it is important that you shop around before you commit, there are comparison site available which will help you in this process.