Sorry if this has been discussed before if so please send a link to the thread as I cant see one.
I am taking my camper to BG in the next few days for less than 6 months. I know I have to buy a vignette for Bulgaria but does my UK tax disc cover me for passing through other countries, its looking like France, Belgium, Germany, Austria ( i belive a vignettes is a deffo for here ) Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Bulgaria .
My UK road tax runs out on friday 31st so was going to get there before it expires.

Camp Cooks wrote:

Sorry if this has been discussed before if so please send a link to the thread as I cant see one.
I am taking my camper to BG in the next few days for less than 6 months. I know I have to buy a vignette for Bulgaria but does my UK tax disc cover me for passing through other countries, its looking like France, Belgium, Germany, Austria ( i belive a vignettes is a deffo for here ) Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Bulgaria .
My UK road tax runs out on friday 31st so was going to get there before it expires.

hI Wynnie yes your UK road tax is valid until you get to Austria then you start buying your first vignetta, you also buy one in Romania and when you get to Bulgaria - When you get to Bulgaria the vignetta is 35lev a month, you can either buy two months or a year at 67 lev but the year one will only last till Jan - You will have to buy a new one again in Jan 67lev for a year. The UK road tax will be of no use to you here but you will still need to have it for your UK vehicle.

Also your UK insurance will be vlaid abroad for 60 to 90 days depending on your UK insurance company policy. I am baffled how people manage to keep UK registared vehicles legally on the roads here after that period, but that is another bridge to cross later on.

Only France, Belgium and Germany are free from road taxes if you have a current UK tax, tho there are tolls on some French motorways, tho i imagine your travelling from either Calais or Dunkique, either way there aren't any tolls as you head east until, as you correctly state, Austria, then there are tolls/vignette charges after that. I haven't done Slovenia/Serbian route as i prefer Romania and cross at Vidin into BG, so cannot comment on what the charges or border crossings are like. Enjoy your journey.

A vehicle driven within the EU needs to be road legal in the country of its registration so strictly speaking you need a valid UK road tax, but i doubt non UK police will know if it has been paid now that thier is no physical disc on display anymore.

Interesting, as I was thinking only the other day what will happen once the new law comes into effect that we are no longer required to display our road fund licence disc (tax disc).

Although saying that, I was also under the impression that the road fund licence was only relevant to the UK and therefore not required when travelling abroad, basically because that is also why Tolls are paid.
Although there could be a issue if the tax had run out before taking the car abroad or on it's return if a tax application was not made before re-entry into the UK, because if it's not taxed then it should be SWORN'd.

Phil H wrote

Quote :

Although saying that, I was also under the impression that the road fund licence was only relevant to the UK and therefore not required when travelling abroad, basically because that is also why Tolls are paid.

What Tolls and where?

As i already stated, To use a vehicle throughout the EU the said vehicle MUST be road legal in the country of its registration.

BG Ian

BGIan wrote:

A vehicle driven within the EU needs to be road legal in the country of its registration so strictly speaking you need a valid UK road tax, but i doubt non UK police will know if it has been paid now that thier is no physical disc on display anymore.

Most European countries require some form of tax disc or sticker on the windscreen and some motorists have expressed fears that foreign police might look askance at vehicles not displaying any tax documentation. The British government says that the European authorities have been told about the changes. "
DVLA have informed the European Union that from 1 October 2014, UK registered vehicles that are travelling in the EU will not display tax discs"
.

When driving from Germany to Austria, at service stations in Germany you can buy the whole lot at the same time ,they list the prices for them all, much easier and only one place to get the documents out

Police wait just over the border to stop you in Austria so get it in Germany

will666 wrote:

When driving from Germany to Austria, at service stations in Germany you can buy the whole lot at the same time ,they list the prices for them all, much easier and only one place to get the documents out

Police wait just over the border to stop you in Austria so get it in Germany

A that is a good idea Wills no hassle at other ports than.

oddball wrote:

Camp Cooks wrote:

Sorry if this has been discussed before

Also  your UK insurance will be vlaid abroad for  60 to 90 days depending on your UK insurance company policy.  I am baffled how people manage to keep UK registared vehicles legally on the roads here after that period, but that is another bridge to cross later on.

Saga car insurance is unlimited travel in Europe

Cheers

Ted the Red

tedthered wrote:

oddball wrote:

Camp Cooks wrote:

Sorry if this has been discussed before

Also your UK insurance will be vlaid abroad for 60 to 90 days depending on your UK insurance company policy. I am baffled how people manage to keep UK registared vehicles legally on the roads here after that period, but that is another bridge to cross later on.

Saga car insurance is unlimited travel in Europe

Cheers

Ted the Red

TTR that is good to know

To put things straight, UK car insurance is valid in all EU Countries (and others) for a Full 12 months, tho only for the minimum third party cover for whatever EU Country you happen to be in called i believe "
the established minimum EU liability cover"
and more "
every EU country complies with the First Directive on Motor Insurance which says that every insurance policy issued in the EU must provide the minimum insurance cover required by law in any other EU country."

The quotes about 60 or 90 days cover is for your exact/the same cover that you enjoy in the UK, ie fully comprehensive.
Ted the Red is correct that Saga offer a full 365 day comprehensive cover (the same as you enjoy in the UK) except your car is classed as exported when its been out he country for over 6 months according to the DVLA, not that i know of any cases were they pursue this (I own a vehicle ta was out of the Country for over 2 years without consequence), tho your insurance company may use this as a reason not to settle any claim, like they do.

Thanks for the info folks, in Austria at the mo, just trying to decide to go through Romania or Serbia now, in Romania worried about stopping and getting fleeced as advised by someone or serbia where i've read on here that I may or may not need this green card, worrying times just wish I was there.

If you have not got the green card you will be charge up to 400euro in Serbia. Not heard of anyone being fleeced in Rom, we certainly had no problem. keep safe

Romania is fine, I travel via the Mako border crossing a lot less hassle and traffic (lorries) onto Timisoara etc etc to Vidin Bridge, it's a scenic drive.