Section 4 | Amount of duty.

(1)Where a vehicle licence for a vehicle of any description is taken out for a period of 12 months, vehicle excise duty is to be paid on the licence—^F1

(a)at the annual rate of duty applicable to vehicles of that description, or^F1

(b)if the duty is to be paid by more than one instalment pursuant to an agreement under section 19B, at a rate equal to 105% of that annual rate.^F1

(2)Subject to subsection (2A), where a vehicle licence for a vehicle of any description is taken out for a period of 6 months, vehicle excise duty is to be paid on the licence—^F1

(a)at a rate equal to 55% of the annual rate of duty applicable to vehicles of that description, or^F1

(b)if the duty is to be paid by direct debit pursuant to an agreement under section 19B, at a rate equal to 52.5% of that annual rate.^F1

(2A)In the case of a vehicle which is charged to HGV road user levy, the reference in subsection (2)(a) to 55% is to be read as a reference to 50%.^F1

(3)Repealed^F2

(4)Where a vehicle licence for a vehicle of any description is taken out for a period specified in an order under section 3(3), vehicle excise duty shall be paid on the licence at such rate as may be specified in the order.

(5)A rate of vehicle excise duty specified in an order under section 3(3) in relation to a licence taken out for a vehicle for a period of—

(a)a fixed number of months other than twelve, or

(b)less than one month,

shall be such as to bear to the annual rate of duty applicable to the vehicle no less proportion than the period for which the licence is taken out bears to a year.

(6)A rate of vehicle excise duty specified in an order under section 3(3) in relation to a licence taken out for a vehicle for a period of three months or a period of four months shall not exceed for each month of the period ten per cent. of the annual rate of duty applicable to the vehicle.

(7)The power to make an order under section 3(3) includes power to amend or repeal subsection (2) ... of this section.^F3