Sadiq Khan car tax conviction withdrawn after DVLA error

A car tax conviction against the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has been formally withdrawn by the DVLA. The case was dismissed at Hereford Justice Centre on 2 September 2026 after it emerged the vehicle was wrongly registered in the Mayor's name.

Mr Khan, 55, had been prosecuted by the DVLA for keeping an unlicensed vehicle, a 24-year-old Nissan Micra. The conviction was initially dealt with via the Single Justice Procedure, a fast-track court process. He was subsequently fined £220, with £85 in costs and £35.84 for unpaid tax.

Vehicle Registration Error

City Hall stated that the Nissan Micra does not belong to Mr Khan and that he had fallen victim to a "scam". The vehicle was first registered in 2002 and its annual tax ran out in September last year. The DVLA accused Mr Khan of being the keeper of the vehicle when it was spotted as untaxed on 24 January.

Court documents revealed that DVLA letters concerning the unpaid tax bill were sent to Gordon Ramsay's east London restaurant, rather than the nearby Transport for London offices. The DVLA has not provided an explanation for how Mr Khan was prosecuted despite not owning the vehicle.

Court Withdrawal

During a magistrates' court hearing at Hereford Justice Centre on 2 September 2026, the case was formally reopened and withdrawn by a panel of magistrates following a request from the DVLA. The legal advisor informed the magistrates that the DVLA had requested the matter be marked as withdrawn. The chairwoman of the bench, Mrs Digings JP, accepted the request and stated the matter would be marked as withdrawn.

The DVLA relies on motorists to provide accurate vehicle details, and it is an offence to deliberately provide false or misleading registration information. The agency has not explained how Mr Khan came to be prosecuted.