Used Car Tax - Driving before receiving Registration Cert

MJohnston · 09-05-2011 6:20pm #1

Hey all, as the title suggests, I just bought a used car (2007 BMW 320i) and have to wait a week or so before the registration certificate arrives. Therefore, from what I understand, I have to wait until then to tax the vehicle for the first time in the tax office. Question is, am I allowed to drive the car until that time, perhaps with proof of date of purchase etc? Or should I park it until then.

coylemj · 09-05-2011 7:00pm

I am in the same boat. Technically you are not supposed to drive the car but in practice what I am doing is making sure that I have the bill of sale from the garage with me when I'm driving, it is dated May 6th i.e. Friday last and if I am stopped by the cops I will politely explain that as I haven't yet received the new reg. cert. from the folk in Shannon, I cannot tax it but intended doing so and paying from May 1st.

The worst that can happen is that an overzealous Garda summons you for non-display and non-payment. You go down to the court with the evidence that you have paid the tax from May 1st so the non-payment will get dismissed, then show the bill of sale from the garage, explain to the judge that you hadn't yet received the cert. from Shannon and therefore couldn't tax the car until a week or so had elapsed at which stage unless he/she is a total pr1ck you should get off on that one too.

challengemaster · 09-05-2011 7:03pm

coylemj wrote: »

I am in the same boat. Technically you are not supposed to drive the car but in practice what I am doing is making sure that I have the bill of sale from the garage with me when I'm driving, it is dated May 6th i.e. Friday last and if I am stopped by the cops I will politely explain that as I haven't yet received the new reg. cert. from the folk in Shannon, I cannot tax it but intended doing so and paying from May 1st.

Still doesn't make it legal, so you've no leg to stand on if you get a garda on a bad day.

coylemj · 09-05-2011 7:09pm

challengemaster wrote: »

Still doesn't make it legal, so you've no leg to stand on if you get a garda on a bad day.

I thought I made it clear that it was not legal ('Technically you are not supposed to drive the car'), I know where I stand and will take my chances, thanks for your observation anyway. See the second half of my first post which I may have added after you read it.

allyJay · 10-05-2011 10:59pm

I'm in boat, and the same, I rang the tax office before I bought the car, the lady there told me that once I am the registered owner on their computer system I can tax it, without waiting on the paperwork to arrive as it can sometimes be delayed. I bought my car yesterday she told me to call her next monday.

ottostreet · 10-05-2011 11:14pm

Wouldn't worry about it. As long as youre not acting the maggot or a smart arse to the guard, you should be grand. I drive most of the time while waiting for the VLC (genuinely) to arrive, and I've never had any problems with the guards over it.

Mimikyu · 10-05-2011 11:33pm

This post has been deleted.

Kintarō Hattori · 10-05-2011 11:37pm

Silly question but..... if you buy a used car and it is still taxed by the owner say for 3/4/5 months from the day you buy the car do you have to tax it or only just before it runs out from the previous owner having taxed it?

coylemj · 10-05-2011 11:45pm

The tax disc is associated with the vehicle, the same goes for the NCT cert.. When you sell a car you take away the insurance disc but the NCT cert. (if any) and tax disc stay with the vehicle so the new owner will benefit from whatever few months are left on the tax disc and won't have to renew until the disc expires.

whyulittle · 10-05-2011 11:47pm

Bought a new car recently.

Paid for it on Wednesday, picked it up on Saturday, and had my new cert on Monday morning.

Then waited for the new month to arrive to tax it.

MJohnston · 12-05-2011 10:27pm

whyulittle wrote: »

Bought a new car recently.

Paid for it on Wednesday, picked it up on Saturday, and had my new cert on Monday morning.

Then waited for the new month to arrive to tax it.

I thought you were accountable for the tax starting from the month you took ownership of the vehicle rather than when you go in to get the tax done?

fatalll · 12-05-2011 10:33pm

MJohnston wrote: »

I thought you were accountable for the tax starting from the month you took ownership of the vehicle rather than when you go in to get the tax done?

Yeah I thought so too....actually pretty sure its the month you purchased it

coylemj · 12-05-2011 10:47pm

fatalll wrote: »

Yeah I thought so too....actually pretty sure its the month you purchased it

Correct, when you send in the reg. cert for a change of ownership you have to say what date the sale took place, the new owner has to tax it to cover from the beginning of that month if the tax had already expired.

whyulittle · 12-05-2011 11:08pm

Leaflet that came with the new cert, or the renewal form (I'm not sure which, they both came on the same day), states you're liable for tax from the date of purchase.

So went in happy to pay the tax from the date I purchased it and was told I had to pay for the whole month. Damned if I'm paying tax for the three weeks it was sitting on the dealer's forecourt, so she said just wait for the new month. So I did.

Used Car Tax - Driving before receiving Registration Cert

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