Pay Tax on Car if "off the Road" for Summer?

grey_so_what

My niece is working away for the summer - She will be back end Sept/Oct. She has asked me to park it up for her and renew her tax due end April (3 months x2 to bring it up to then) but as she is not driving it and nobody else will (apart from me revving it up a bit) could she put it "off the road"? She pays and will continue to pay her car insurance by the month.

Is this allowed? Seems to be a waste of 400E if it is just sitting there!

If so how do I organise this?.....Presume you contact the tax office - do I need any documentation for this?

Thanks for reading this and I appreciate any help you could give her.:)

colm_mcm

It is allowed. There was talk of changing this, but at the moment you can get the gardai to sign the car off the road retrospectively when taxing

grey_so_what

I remember them talking about that colm_mcm but I wasn't sure if it had come in. So if I just bring the tax form to the Garda Station is that enough or should I ring the Tax Office also as they send out the renewals every three months?....It costs a fortune to tax (700 odd a year so she pays it by the 3 months)

Better the money in her pocket than theirs!!:)

colm_mcm

She'd technically have to get the guards to sign it, being her car and all

Jonny1384

When you go to tax the car in2 or 3 months time, you have to bring your motor tax renewal form to a Garda station and get them to stamp and sign it and declare it was off the road. Simple as that.

grey_so_what

She can buy us a drink after that so!!

CiniO

grey_so_what wrote: »

My niece is working away for the summer - She will be back end Sept/Oct. She has asked me to park it up for her and renew her tax due end April (3 months x2 to bring it up to then) but as she is not driving it and nobody else will (apart from me revving it up a bit) could she put it "off the road"? She pays and will continue to pay her car insurance by the month.

Is this allowed? Seems to be a waste of 400E if it is just sitting there!

If so how do I organise this?.....Presume you contact the tax office - do I need any documentation for this?

Thanks for reading this and I appreciate any help you could give her.:)

It indeed would be a big waste, the same as is paying insurance for period she is away.

With motortax you don't need to do anything. Ignore any reminder letters from them, and when your niece is back, she will have to fill in the motortax renewal form (RF100A) and on this form she will have to declare car was not used on public place between May and f.e. October. She will have to get is signed by Garda to witness her signature.

In regards insurance, if she wants to keep her policy, best thing to do is to suspend it, while keeping fire and theft cover. Most insurers would charge only sth like 25% of normal premium during that period.
So for example if your niece is paying €800 a year for her insurance, then she would save €300. (half a year at normal price - €400 euro + half a year at 25% price €100, so €500 in total - saving of €300). It could be even bigger saving if she pays bigger premium. No need to be worried about the car then, as fire and theft cover are still in operation, and no problem with collecting NCB as they are still being added for this year.

grey_so_what

CiniO - That's a great idea!...I think she just presumed that it would have to be covered. She pays by the month (AA as far as I know) for fully comp. I'll get her to give them a ring....She'll be seriously buying the rounds and can do Taxi for us when she gets back if that works out for her!!!....Cheers for that - will let ye know how she gets on.....:)

El Kabong!

ooops

CiniO

grey_so_what wrote: »

CiniO - That's a great idea!...I think she just presumed that it would have to be covered. She pays by the month (AA as far as I know) for fully comp. I'll get her to give them a ring....She'll be seriously buying the rounds and can do Taxi for us when she gets back if that works out for her!!!....Cheers for that - will let ye know how she gets on.....:)

Only thing worth mentioning with insurance suspension, if she pays it by direct debit monthly, they will keep collecting money, and they will only refund her when policy is over. Not really big difference, as she will get the money, but just not straight ahead.
She also will most likely need to send them a letter asking for policy suspension, and attach certificate and disc with it.
That was the case with all insurers I was suspending my policies so far.

MarkR

Are you parking it on the road, or private property / car park etc? If it's physically on the road it would still need tax.

grey_so_what

That shouldn't be any problem CiniO....She can look forward to a few bob at the end of the year....She tried to sell it before she left but couldn't so she decided to hold onto it as it is in great nick - Just a fortune to tax!

Thanks again for that...

grey_so_what

MarkR wrote: »

Are you parking it on the road, or private property / car park etc? If it's physically on the road it would still need tax.

No MarkR - It is in my apt building in my car parking space so it is in a lock up garage - Not that that makes it the safest place in the world unfortunately!

billyhead

grey_so_what wrote: »

No MarkR - It is in my apt building in my car parking space so it is in a lock up garage - Not that that makes it the safest place in the world unfortunately!

Just a question in relation to the above if you payed up front in one lump sum for your annual insurance and you parked up your car for 3 months could you be refunded for this period or is it only if you pay by direct debit

CiniO

billyhead wrote: »

Just a question in relation to the above if you payed up front in one lump sum for your annual insurance and you parked up your car for 3 months could you be refunded for this period or is it only if you pay by direct debit

You can be refunded regardless if it's direct debit or all paid up front.
But most likely money will be refunded only when policy expire.
Also amount of refund might differ between insurers.