Motor Tax Exemption Laws change in October
image courtesy of Jerry “Woody”
New motor tax laws came into effect on 1st October, aiming to clamp down on car owners attempting to dodge the tax bracket by declaring their car off the road for periods of time.
From today a new form RF150 must be filled out before a vehicle is taken off the road; under the Non-Use of Vehicles Bill 2013. This declaration must be made in the month of expiry of the current tax disc.
The new move will combat those avoiding paying motor tax, a legal requirement in Ireland. From today a vehicle cannot be declared off the road for a period shorter than three months.
The law was proposed due to a high level of unpaid taxes. In July 2012 there was an estimated €110 million accumulated in unpaid taxes, with many motorists driving without tax for periods of time.
Up until now, drivers who kept a vehicle off the road after the expiry date of their tax disc went to their local Garda station to declare their vehicle was off the road for various reasons, avoiding the payments of tax arrears. In many cases no questions were asked.
Speaking about the recent changes Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government Phil Hogan stated “this closes off an evasion loophole, where owners are able to make a declaration at their local Garda Station stating that their car was off the road and avoid payment of arrears of motor tax…
I am confident that the vast majority of motorists will welcome me tackling those who are evading their motor tax and who are free riders on the rest of us,” he continued.
The new forms are to be submitted through the motor tax office and can be downloaded from the Motor Tax website or collected at a local Garda Station, library or Citizen’s Information Centre.
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