Okay to drive without insurance and tax disc?

dutcher

Is it Okay to drive without insurance and tax disc. I have paid for them today but staying far from my normal home and need to drive four hours to get them as living in another county for short term contract work and I'm finished next week. Can gaurds do anything? Thanks. Tax was out three weeks but havnt drove the car in three week it was out.

Just need to get the car home really.

djimi

Legally, no.

If you can print off something to show that the car is taxed and insured then you should be okay (no guarantees of course; there is no way of knowing that you wont come across the wrong Garda). Insurance is going to be the trickier one.

GTE

Could you chance it and ask to produce them at your local station next week if you get asked about it?

Since you're online where you work, I wonder would you have any receipts/correspondence for insurance and tax that you could print off in the meantime?

unkel

Both need to be displayed. So you can be fined for not displaying them. Worst case scenario. Most guards would let you away with it / will let you produce as long as you have proof with you that the car is taxed and insured (receipts)

Most Gardai might let you away with it if you can show them something of worth, but beware that traffic wardens will issue you a ticket for no tax disc displayed if you park on a public road. I think it's an €80 fine.

Alfonzito

If you have paid your insurance premium, you should be on cover and a cover note will do. It usually has the time and date of noted on it. The insurance company should be able to fax or email it to you. If your insurance has expired, there is no grace period. You are not insured the day after your insurance expires on the day A tax disc that is three weeks out of date is no biggie unless as the poster above says, you meet the wrong Garda. You will have to pay the arrears anyway if you are going to renew it.

Stheno

Most policies give you online access to the policy and you could print this out?

Otherwise get a receipt, or keep a copy of your policy number and the number of the insurance company if the guards want to check.

If you can't prove it and have no disc, the police can seize a car with no restrictions if they are not satisfied you are insured

They can seize it if tax is out for more than two months.

slimjimmc

OP, there is only one situation where you are legally permitted to use a car in a public place without an insurance disc and that is during the first 10 days after the policy begins. You qualify for this exemption since you only bought insurance today.
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1986/en/si/0227.html

You are not legally permitted to use a car on a public road at any time without a tax disc.

Do as Stheno has said above and keep policy details and proof of payment in the car to help convince a Garda you're not bluffing to avoid it being seized on the spot.



* "to use" includes parking.

biko

As said above, it's not "paid" that matters, it's "displaying".
Chances are that you are asked to show proof then and there or at a garda station if they nab you.
If they do and you go into a station to show proof make sure to take name and number of the garda that you show proof to.