No. Vehicle tax does not transfer to the new keeper. You must tax a vehicle you have bought before driving it on the road, unless it is being dealt with under the correct off-road rules.
Do not assume the seller's tax covers your journey home
The seller's tax position ends with the change of keeper. Buying the car creates a new tax responsibility for you.
Sort insurance at the same stage
The practical handover checklist is not just keys and payment. Make sure the keeper change, tax and insurance are dealt with correctly before you drive away.
Keep the process separate from the car's condition
having the paperwork sorted does not make the car a good purchase. Finish your history, condition and price checks before the excitement of collecting it takes over.
Before driving your purchase home, make sure the tax and insurance are both in place instead of depending on what the previous owner had.
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