Drivers no longer need to display paper tax discs in their vehicles, but this isn’t an excuse to forego buying the tax altogether.

The DVLA has revealed some of the more inventive excuses people have used this year for not taxing their vehicles, none of which cut the mustard… 

These include:

• I’m about to start a prison sentence, so is there any way you could hang on to my ice-cream van for six months ‘til I get out?
• I would’ve taxed my van but my bitter ex put four live chickens in it
• I know it was untaxed, but I didn’t think you’d clamp cars in a heatwave
• I forgot to tax it as I was looking after the kids…aged 19 and 26
• I couldn’t tax my car as I’ve had man flu and have been stuck in bed for four weeks
• I would’ve taxed the car, but you clamped it so early in the morning (the car was clamped at lunchtime).

DVLA chief executive, Julie Lennard, said: “While we know the vast majority of motorists tax their cars on time, there are still some who choose not to.

“Taxing your car is so easy to do online, so there really is no excuse – even if it is filled with chickens.”

Last month the DVLA launched a campaign urging drivers to ‘tax it or lose it’ and said it was focusing on 20 regions with the highest level of road tax evasion.

The DVLA sends reminders to motorists when their vehicle tax is due but you can also check online via the Vehicle Enquiry Service on GOV.UK.

Drivers can also ask Alexa or Google Home products. You can tax your vehicle online or by phoning 0300 123 4321.

However, beware of scams as figures show a 20% increase in reports to the DVLA. Scammers are targeting unsuspecting customers with links to services that don’t exist and messages of tax refunds, all of which are fake.