Car tax

TracyCa

Hi,
My car has been off the road for the past two months and there has been no tax on it.

I have heard a rumour that there was something brought in that garda can not sign the form anymore.

Does anyone know anything about this as the tax is in 2 months arrears???? And i dont fancy nor have the money to pay it after having to get the car fixed!!:mad:

Ken.

There is talk of bringing in a system whereby you will not be able to get a garda to sign a car as off the road. What you'll have to do is go into the station before the tax runs out and say your car will be off the road x number of months.

This system is not in place yet so its still the old way.

TracyCa

Phew!! thats great thanks!

Also just wondering is there anything I need to bring with me other than the form?? I dont actually have my car back yet getting it on friday so want to sort out tax before then!!

Ken.

TracyCa wrote: »

Phew!! thats great thanks!

Also just wondering is there anything I need to bring with me other than the form?? I dont actually have my car back yet getting it on friday so want to sort out tax before then!!

I would always bring I.D. with me when getting anything signed by a garda. Never been asked for it but you never know. Other than that nothing else but the form.

Del2005

TracyCa wrote: »

Hi,
My car has been off the road for the past two months and there has been no tax on it.

I have heard a rumour that there was something brought in that garda can not sign the form anymore.

Does anyone know anything about this as the tax is in 2 months arrears???? And i dont fancy nor have the money to pay it after having to get the car fixed!!:mad:

All the Garda is doing is witnessing you signature. You're the one making making the declaration that you haven't used the car or had it parked on a public road.

As the others have said there's talk of bringing in pre declarations but nothing has been done about it yet.

And it's Motor Tax not car tax:D Why is this a consumer issue?

Wetbench4

Bring your insurance policy number, you need it for the form you have to fill out.

CodyJarrett

Has anyone ever even heard of someone declaring a car off the road when it wasn't and it coming back to them down the line?

As it seems to me people can declare cars off the road and unless they have something on their system (speeding fine, non display fine while parked on a public road etc) then nothing is likely to find these people out.

Maybe there's regular fines for such things, but I've never seen them in the papers, hence the question.

Also, is there a chance that some Garda stations don't even have the ability to check for evidence a car has been used, and people who get three months on, three off, just know which stations they will breeze through the check (or lack there of) on?

Del2005

whiplashed wrote: »

Has anyone ever even heard of someone declaring a car off the road when it wasn't and it coming back to them down the line?

As it seems to me people can declare cars off the road and unless they have something on their system (speeding fine, non display fine while parked on a public road etc) then nothing is likely to find these people out.

Maybe there's regular fines for such things, but I've never seen them in the papers, hence the question.

Also, is there a chance that some Garda stations don't even have the ability to check for evidence a car has been used, and people who get three months on, three off, just know which stations they will breeze through the check (or lack there of) on?

There is no come back. There are no checks. All the Garda is doing is witnessing your declaration that the car hasn't been used. If you've driven the car when you said it was off the road you are breaking the law but I've never heard of anyone getting done for it and I know a fair few people who did/do the 3 months on/off scam. Which is why there are plans to bring a system like SORN.

djimi

I suppose its all down to the risk involved if you do get caught. Id say the chances of getting caught with a false declaration are fairly slim, however when you sign the form you are signing a legal declaration, witnessed by a Garda, that the car was not used on a public road in the time frame specified, and if something were to come to light the proved this statement to be false then as far as I know the penalties are pretty serious (its fraud I think, but I could be wrong). Its up to you as to how much of a risk you are willing to take.

CodyJarrett

Del2005 wrote: »

There is no come back. There are no checks. All the Garda is doing is witnessing your declaration that the car hasn't been used.

Well, I've only had to do declare a car 'off-the-road' once (was working in UK for seven months) and not knowing anything about the system, just went to tax office and asked there and was given the form in which I needed signing and told that I needed it witnessed by a Guard to which I popped off to the Bridewell (it being the nearest station, now know you're supposed to go to your local station for obvious reasons).

Anyway, when I was there they took the form and said they were checking their system to see if there was evidence of the car being used in the time period that I declared it 'off-the-road'. So it can't just be about witnessing the signing of the form. Maybe that's just the 'Bridewell'?

Actually, when they went off with the form, I suddenly began to panic: 'What if my little bother had been taken spins in my motor while I was away! I started to imagine two burly Guards dragging me off to the cells - thankfully all was well

Would love to see what does happen when they find some evidence of the car being used though. Would they just refuse to stamp it?

If you've driven the car when you said it was off the road you are breaking the law but I've never heard of anyone getting done for it and I know a fair few people who did/do the 3 months on/off scam. Which is why there are plans to bring a system like SORN.

Sounds good.