V5 - any help please?

Just over a year ago a bought a motorsport-bodied Elise. I didn’t get the V5 from the dealer at the time (I know…) but did get it from the guy who sold it to the dealer a few months later. He did not fill in any change of ownership details and neither have I. I now need to tax it. What should I do? Declare that I have just bought it? If I say I bought it a year ago, will I be hit for backdated duty plus a fine for not declaring SORN? It genuinely hasn’t been used on the road but I don’t suppose that will help me greatly!

Absolutely any thoughts/assistance appreciated.

Cheers

Will

If a change of ownership hasn’t been recorded then the PO is responsible for SORN (and the fact that it has gone a year and you have heard nothing seems to indicate that Swansea still think it belongs to the PO)

If I were you I would do the change of owner part of the V5, give the real date and declare it SORN at the same time.

all IMHO of course

1st thing I would do is check the status of the vehicle on the DVLA website HERE. Just do a vehicle check, you just need the reg plate and vehicle make.
YOu will then know if back tax is required or if someone has classed it as SORN.

Thanks for the 2 responses so far. This is from the DVLA website:

Date of Liability 01 11 2004
Date of Last V5 Issue 16 09 2004
Vehicle Status Unlicensed

Do I have any options!!! Or do I have to pay for this years duty and the last? Can I avoid a SORN fine?

Cheers

It looks a bit strange to me. The V5 changed in Sept last year, therefore it was changed, so it has either your name on it or the garages name, unless the bloke who sold it to the garage you bought it from only had it a month or so. Very unlikely it would be the garages name, think you need to understand this situation as well.

TBH I really don’t know what yopu should do next, any attempt to say you have just bought the car could easily be found out as the garage will have receipts etc. which could be classed as fraud.
I think you will get a fine of some description, best thing to do ist to probably trawl the DVLA website for info.