Anyone tried to tax their car recently?

It is easy, works all over the World.
System in BC is you apply to the state for a registration plate it has an annual sticker, try removing one it isn't as easy as it sounds without destroying the plate. That becomes your personal plate and can be transferred from vehicle to vehicle. It is also your insurance ID and ANPR recognisable. Emphasis is put on you rather than the vehicle on insurance premiums.  No meerkats so you can only get insurance from one place, unfortunately it is very expensive. MOT's do not exist
Believe it is the same in many countries, sure Al will know about New Zealand?

More complex in NZ than here. 
Vehicles, and everything they tow, including caravans and boat trailers, has to have an annual rego, much like VED, it's also linked to the licence number plate, if you allow it to lapse you have to get a new licence number. 
Also a yearly WOF, Warranty Of Fitness, equivalent to MoT.
For diesel vehicles there's an added complication. All diesel in NZ is sold free of duty, owners of every road registered diesel vehicle has to pay a Road User Charge, this is sold in multiples of 1000km. Most owners purchase blocks of 10,000km at a time as it works out cheaper. The sticker on your windscreen always has to read higher than your odometer or you're in trouble.
But for all this insurance is not compulsory...
Al.