Tax discs

Summary

A request was made to the Department of Infrastructure regarding the costs, quantities, and future of paper tax discs since January 2020. The authority disclosed the total cost, the number of discs printed via different channels, and confirmed that removing paper discs is being explored as part of digitization efforts.

Key Facts

• The cost of tax discs to the Department is approximately £1.36 per disc.
• Total expenditure on tax discs since January 2020 is £649,472.08.
• 477,533 tax discs were printed between 01/01/2020 and 30/09/2025.
• 212,865 discs were generated from online applications.
• 265,688 discs were generated from Post Office or Vehicle Test Centre counter applications.
• The Department is exploring the removal of paper tax discs to digitize services, but no timeframe is available.

Data Disclosed

• £1.36
• £649,472.08
• 477,533
• 212,865
• 265,688
• 01/01/2020
• 30/09/2025
• 2014
• 2025-09-16
• 2025-10-14

Original Request

1. Costs of tax discs since January 2020 2. How many have been printed since January 2020? 3. if the department is considering scrapping paper tax discs like the UK did in 2014? 4. Number of tax discs printed since January 2020

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Department of Infrastructure Sea Terminal Building, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2RF

Contact: FOI Response Team Telephone: (01624) 686785 Email: dpo-doi@gov.im

Our ref: 4939809 13 October 2025

Dear ###

We write further to your request, received 16 September 2025, which states:

"1. Costs of tax discs since January 2020

1. How many have been printed since January 2020?

2. if the department is considering scrapping paper tax discs like the UK did in 2014?

3. Number of tax discs printed since January 2020"

Our response to your request is as follows: I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.

1. The cost of tax discs to the Department including paper, ink & postage works out at approximately £1.36 per disc, or a total of £649,472.08 since January

3. The total number of tax discs generated and printed between 01/01/2020 and 30/09/2025 was 477,533. 212,865 were as a result of online applications & 265,688 were as a result of Post Office or Vehicle Test Centre counter paper applications.

4. As part of Government’s ongoing drive to digitise services and create efficiencies, removing the need for paper tax discs has and will be explored. No timeframe can be provided for any further development or introduction of this.

5. Please see answer to Question 2.

Please quote the reference number 4939809 in any future communications.

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I will now close your request as of this date.