Driving abroad vs motortax.

CiniO

There has already been few discussions in here, if actually Irish registered car while being abroad has to be taxed.

A bit of law.

1. FINANCE (EXCISE DUTIES) (VEHICLES) ACT, 1952tells us that every (almost) vehicle has to be taxed if used on public road.

1.—(1) On and after the 1st day of January, 1953, there shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, be charged, levied and paid in respect of mechanically propelled vehicles used on public roads duties of excise at the rates specified in the Schedule to this Act.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1952/en/act/pub/0024/print.html

2. So what actually is the public road? Here's the answer in Road Traffic Act:

"public road” means a road the responsibility for the maintenance of which lies on a road authority

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1961/en/act/pub/0024/sec0003.html

3. Go further. What's road authority?

"road authority” means—
(a) the council of a county,
(b) the corporation of a county or other borough, or
(c) the council of an urban district

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1961/en/act/pub/0024/sec0003.html

4. So looking at point 2 and 3, we can clearly see, that "public road" corresponds to public roads in Republic of Ireland. And that means, there is no law which would require car to be taxed while abroad.

Am I right?

pheelay

Can't see a problem driving an Irish car abroad with no road tax. I did it myself for a couple of months. Besides, who would control it? However, what happens when you return to Ireland?

For insurance however, any insurance company I've come across will allow only 2 months (and max 4 if you ask) driving per year in a foreign country.

Also, there is an EU law that if you are staying in another EU country longer than 6 months, your car must be registered in that country.
http://ec.europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/vehicles/registration/when-who/index_en.htm

CiniO

pheelay wrote: »

Can't see a problem driving an Irish car abroad with no road tax. I did it myself for a couple of months. Besides, who would control it? However, what happens when you return to Ireland?

Recently there was a thread in here, where someone said they were checking Irish motortax in Northern Ireland, and most likely in UK as well.
Answering second question: when you arrive in Ireland, you would probably need to leave the car in the port, and take a taxi to the motor tax office

For insurance however, any insurance company I've come across will allow only 2 months (and max 4 if you ask) driving per year in a foreign country.

On comprehensive cover. Or fire or theft.
Third party is valid for the whole period of the policy in the whole EU. That is required by law, and all insurers must obey it.

Also, there is an EU law that if you are staying in another EU country longer than 6 months, your car must be registered in that country.
http://ec.europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/vehicles/registration/when-who/index_en.htm

That's not law. That's just info from europa.eu website. And this website is very often wrong.
Even in this case you can see, that this is not true, as in Ireland it's more strict. In some other EU countries you don't have to register car there at all if you don't want to. You can drive on foreign plates as long as you wish, assuming you have valid insurance and car test.