New car, no tax - can I drive?

Random

Right, so you can't drive a car without tax.

Say I was buying a new car (well, new to me but second-hand). A lot of them aren't taxed. Can I buy it untaxed, pop it on my insurance and drive it home? Do I get any leeway in this regard?

I'm talking officially here rather than the Garda saying "ah go on sure ..".

Thanks.

Anan1

Officially, no.

TURRICAN

ya can ye but it could cost you an extra 80€ on top of your normal road tax:D

CharlieCroker

and a siezed car if its out more than 2 months!!:p

Turner

Unless you have a receipt stating it was bought a few days ago i wouldnt.

People who never will have tax always give this excuse. Gardai dont listen to it.

Its why Garda compounds are full of seized cars.

Random

Anan1 wrote: »

Officially, no.

So what is the preferred course of action? Assuming I don't have to pay the back tax on a car when I buy it?

TURRICAN wrote: »

ya can ye but it could cost you an extra 80€ on top of your normal road tax:D

I'm assuming this is a joke or something whereby you get penalty points and a fine? Not exactly the answer I was looking for.

CharlieCroker wrote: »

and a siezed car if its out more than 2 months!!:p

Can they only seize it if it's out by 2 months or more?

Chief--- wrote: »

Unless you have a receipt stating it was bought a few days ago i wouldnt.

People who never will have tax always give this excuse. Gardai dont listen to it.

Its why Garda compounds are full of seized cars.

You're saying that a receipt makes it ok or just that it may make the Garda more forgiving?

CharlieCroker

Random wrote: »

Can they only seize it if it's out by 2 months or more?

Ya, but there's not many guards out there ruthless enough to do that if you can prove you just bought the car, reciepts etc.

Turner

Random wrote: »

You're saying that a receipt makes it ok or just that it may make the Garda more forgiving?

Yes they are human.

If you say you bought the car 7 days ago and have a receipt to show it, the garda will know it might take 10-14 days to get your reg cert back before you can tax it.

Mind you if your car is parked up in a public place it liable to get a ticket for no tax, and parking wardens can issue these aswell.

Anan1

Random wrote: »

So what is the preferred course of action? Assuming I don't have to pay the back tax on a car when I buy it?

As long as you pay tax for the month you bought the car, you should be ok. Say you bought the car today, and got pulled on your way home. You pay tax from the beginning of March, and can therefore prove that you didn't drive without tax. Most Gardai will be fine with this, even though you also broke the rule re non-display of a valid tax disc.

Random

So ideal world scenario is that I apply for tax disc before I buy the car? But how can I do this if it's not in my name?

Black_Knight

Carry around a copy of your invoice for the car once ya get it and should you get stopped, just explain to the garda that you only bought the car and the TAX is in the post (assuming youve been a good lad and applied for your tax at this stage).
Its what I did, didnt get stopped though, but I was in galway for the week without a tax disk and because my tax was going to the house in Athlone.

Just to note, if your buying tomorrow, ask them to put the details through on wednesday and collect the car then. No point paying march tax for the sake of 1 day.

My 2 cents anyways

Anan1

Random wrote: »

So ideal world scenario is that I apply for tax disc before I buy the car? But how can I do this if it's not in my name?

You can tax the car afterwards, just as long as you pay tax from the date you assumed ownership.

jhegarty

Anan1 wrote: »

Officially, no.

So how does one legally get the car home ?

Anan1

jhegarty wrote: »

So how does one legally get the car home ?

If you wanted to do it without breaking any laws, you'd have to use a transporter. If you do as I suggested, however, you'd have to be extremely unlucky to run into problems.

dodzy

Buy the car, transfer insurance, and go tax it within a few days, ideally as soon as possible. Tax will obviously be liable for the entire month during which the car was purchased. As previously stated, you would have to come across one right b**lox who would fine you under the circumstances.

jhegarty

dodzy wrote: »

Buy the car, transfer insurance, and go tax it within a few days, ideally as soon as possible. Tax will obviously be liable for the entire month during which the car was purchased. As previously stated, you would have to come across one right b**lox who would fine you under the circumstances.

You can't tax it until you get the vlc back. This takes a few weeks.

MarkN

And even when you get the VLC and you try and contact the motor tax office by phone with a question about your RF100 they're either on strike, on lunch or too busy to take your call.

I've had my car about 6 weeks now and I'm only finally after getting someone to answer a phonecall and got to hand over some money late last week.

Invoice for car has been with me since I left the garage in early Feb. Our country is a joke when it comes to many things and the red tape in the motor tax office is one of them and most if not all guards will give you a break once your story adds up.

Random

What if I don't have an invoice for the car - e.g. private sale. .

MarkN

You'd want to have a bit of charm

I've only ever had one instance where a guard was a pr*ck and I had bought a new car the DAY before, the alloys hadn't even had time to get brake dust on them and he read me the riot act but I still was let go.

This country doesn't provide you the opportunity to tax a car on the day you buy it so until it does, they can't enforce the law.

CreepingDeath

In the past, I've bought a 2nd hand car and drove it around.
I was stopped a few days after I bought it. The dealer had given me an SIMI car purchase docket to show the date of the purchase of the car. The guard was happy enough with that and waved me on. But one thing, if you don't have your insurance disk, then at the very least have your full insurance policy number with you.

But technically, it is illegal to drive an untaxed car.
I had rang the motor tax office, and they weren't prepared to budge from the official line.

Fluffybums

Never bought a car here, bought several in the Britain (I was living there) - generally there the garage takes your insurance details and taxes the car for you, this can be negotiated to be included in the overall price (if you are very lucky or very good at driving a bargain , you might get the full 12 months). I should be surprised that this is not the situation here, but oddly I'm not.:)

Random

I'm looking at buying this in a private sale so there is no official documentation in the way of receipts etc, just the new VLC when it comes out to me (I don't know what SIMI is?). I want to do things right but they're not making it easy for me. Forking out €100 to have it towed to my house to sit in my driveway for a couple of weeks doesn't make sense.

Maybe I'm better to ask the AA to tow it and pretend it's broke down !

Gary ITR

Random wrote: »

What if I don't have an invoice for the car - e.g. private sale. .

A receipt from the old owner and a photocopy of the change of ownership form is what I had when I was stopped on my way home.

I had only collected the car. In saying that I had my insurance docs, license, and NCT cert for the car all present and correct. The Guard congratulated me on my purchase and sent me on my way.

In saying that another Guard could have taken the car away as the tax was 4 months out

dodzy

Random wrote: »

I'm looking at buying this in a private sale so there is no official documentation in the way of receipts etc, just the new VLC when it comes out to me (I don't know what SIMI is?). I want to do things right but they're not making it easy for me. Forking out €100 to have it towed to my house to sit in my driveway for a couple of weeks doesn't make sense.

Maybe I'm better to ask the AA to tow it and pretend it's broke down !

You're worrying over nothing. Even considering a towtruck - are you for real ? :eek:
If it bothers you that much, and assuming that the tax has just expired, then give him the money and get him to tax it for you. If not, just drive the thing until you receive the book and then tax it yourself.

Random

I'm aware "everyone does it" just like "everyone" with L Plates drives without a fully licensed driver but I really don't want to get penalty points for something this stupid. I have enough as it is.

I would also dislike getting the car impounded while this retarded system we have works itself out.

dodzy

Random wrote: »

I'm aware "everyone does it" just like "everyone" with L Plates drives without a fully licensed driver but I really don't want to get penalty points for something this stupid. I have enough as it is.

I would also dislike getting the car impounded while this retarded system we have works itself out.

So, when did the tax expire ?

CreepingDeath

Random wrote: »

I'm looking at buying this in a private sale so there is no official documentation in the way of receipts etc, just the new VLC when it comes out to me (I don't know what SIMI is?). I want to do things right but they're not making it easy for me. Forking out €100 to have it towed to my house to sit in my driveway for a couple of weeks doesn't make sense

Can you not get the current owner to tax it now for the min 3 months, you pay him, and by the time that expires it will be legally yours ?

in2dblue

I used to work in a Motortax office. When you were buying the car privately did the previous owner give you the VRC of the car to send away to get the car ownership into your own name?
If he did you can tax the car in the morning or on your way home from the place once you have your insurance policy number with you. You fill out an RF100A form and submit the signed and completed VRC with the tax form. You should get your Tax disc there and then and then your new VRC form will be sent out to you in the post in about 2 to 3 weeks.
Hope that helps

Random

dodzy wrote: »

So, when did the tax expire ?

Not sure. I'm just told it's out of date "for some time".

CreepingDeath wrote: »

Can you not get the current owner to tax it now for the min 3 months, you pay him, and by the time that expires it will be legally yours ?

Can I?


- I've not bought the car yet or viewed it but hope to this week and will probably be purchasing.

stepbar

I will have this problem on Saturday and TBH I won't be taking a day off specially to do it. I wonder is there such a thing as a tax office being opened on a Saturday?

in2dblue

stepbar wrote: »

I will have this problem on Saturday and TBH I won't be taking a day off specially to do it. I wonder is there such a thing as a tax office being opened on a Saturday?

No the opening hours are pretty restricting for anyone in work all week
It opens half 9 to half 3 Monday to Friday.
Unless you left it with a queue for you place but they charge about ten to fiftenn euro extra to get the tax done

Anan1

Random wrote: »

I'm aware "everyone does it" just like "everyone" with L Plates drives without a fully licensed driver but I really don't want to get penalty points for something this stupid. I have enough as it is.

I would also dislike getting the car impounded while this retarded system we have works itself out.

Just stop worrying, drive the car home, and tax it when you get the VLC. Honestly, you're making a mountain out of a molehill here.:)

Richie15

Ideally the old owner should tax it before he sells it, that saves any messing.

If you do buy an untaxed car, officially you're supposed to leave it where the old owner has it parked (off public property) or tow it home on a trailer. Then you should leave it off public property until your tax disc has been delivered.

Realistically, you're OK driving it once you send in the VRC and pay for the tax as soon as reasonably possible but if it's out by more than two months they're supposed to take it off you.

You don't have to pay for when you didn't own the vehicle and if it's off the road for a whole month and you manage to get a Garda to sign the form, you get away with that too.

Edit: Sorry folks, didn't reaelise the thread was so long. Suppose that's already been said by now then.

Chief--- wrote: »

Mind you if your car is parked up in a public place it liable to get a ticket for no tax, and parking wardens can issue these aswell.

Is it true that it can be clamped for it? I've only once heard of it happening, and that was from the one person who's ever told me that it's possible. She's also the same person told me I definitely wouldn't be insured as an unaccompanied learner driver (link to contrary evidence), so that'll explain why I'm doubtful.

Vertakill

I doubt you can be clamped if you haven't commited a parking violation but the wardens can definitely now do you for not showing a tax disc.

To the OP, you can type up a proof of purchase piece of paper that you and the seller can sign. If you're paying with a bank draft or anything like that you could carry the receipt with you either.

It's better than nothing if you do happen to be stopped.

Plenty of people drive around without tax all the time so you'd have to be pretty unlucky to get pulled over this one time when you're driving it home.

Gregor Samsa

in2dblue wrote: »

No the opening hours are pretty restricting for anyone in work all week
It opens half 9 to half 3 Monday to Friday.
Unless you left it with a queue for you place but they charge about ten to fiftenn euro extra to get the tax done

The Motor Tax office in Ennis is open 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m Thursday and Friday. I'm not sure if the rest are the same, but it's handy if you work during the day.

http://www.clarecoco.ie/Motor_Tax/Motor_Tax.html

MidnightQueen

Sorry if this was asked anywhere on this thread already.. but do you have to back tax a car if the tax was out for months before you buy it?

L-M

KittyKat wrote: »

Sorry if this was asked anywhere on this thread already.. but do you have to back tax a car if the tax was out for months before you buy it?

No