Stopped for non display of tax

cattie

I was stopped the other day and with all the Christmas rush paying for bills online I totally didn't know I was late paying my tax.! Big surprise for me was out nearly one month... I paid next business day for my tax genuine mistake not seen. My question is when do I receive my fine in the post?? told have 28 days to pay just want to deal with it as soon as i can...

colm_mcm

Were you asked to bring it in to the station, did they say you were getting a fine?

mickdw

Given that you were inside a month and you were not driving around with car declared off the road and Im sure you would have come across as genuine to the garda who stopped you, I think it would be harsh of them to fine you. After all, there was no benefit in that for you. You were not going to be saving a month or anything like that.

cattie

Nag was a shock for me being stopped i was not asked to produce to station just told fine for non display and have 28 days to pay... i was nearly sure id taxed online as I always do it like that... wondering when I will receive it in post.

cattie

colm_mcm wrote: »

Were you asked to bring it in to the station, did they say you were getting a fine?

Not asked to bring to station my licence was checked and nct (which is now due !) Simply told my fine was for non display ...

cattie

got my fine in post on Friday - yep can pay by post, cheque or phone, no penalty points just plain cash cash cash.. ouch shall not forget my tax again

mickdw

Thats harsh.
Ive never not paid my car tax but have often left it a few days before I get it. Seems thats not a great idea anymore!

ml100

unlucky there, happened to me once, I always pay online and one year I didn't see the renewal notice (it came to the house but the OH filed it away !) and was stopped with tax out by 3 weeks, I think by the surprise on my face the Garda knew it was a genuine mistake, I got 2 weeks to produce it at local station.

cattie

The guard saw I was shocked !! I really couldn't believe I was out on my tax!!

It was a genuine mistake but by hell he was not listening to me. He could have said produce it but nah wanted to teach this lass a lesson. ( and he damn well did )

corsav6

That was very harsh. When they send the reminder and the online pin they allow you to pay during the month your out of tax, we always pay nearly 4 weeks after the last disc expired and no guard batted an eyelid. You were extremely unfortunate OP, I think you got the wrong guard on a very bad day. I hope any future dealings with the Garda are more pleasant.

cattie

ah thanks corsav6 yes was unfortunate he was not giving an inch... ah well such is life we live and learn

Soarer

Strange that you can tax the car online, without penalty, for up to one month after it's due date, and yet this Guard didn't give the same courtesy.

Ah well, live and learn.

corktina

Soarer wrote: »

Strange that you can tax the car online, without penalty, for up to one month after it's due date, and yet this Guard didn't give the same courtesy.

Ah well, live and learn.

he was booked for non display not for not having tax, they are two separate offences.

Cienciano

I was stopped for out of date tax a couple of months ago. Tax was paid, but I forgot to put the new disc in the windscreen, the old disc was a month out. Guard let me on the way when I told him.
I think you'd have to get a complete bóllocks to do you for non display, or else you'd have to give him cheek.

corktina

it's usually when you are parked and a Warden gets you that you have a problem

djimi

corktina wrote: »

he was booked for non display not for not having tax, they are two separate offences.

This is a law that badly needs updating. If your car is taxed then its taxed; a piece of paper in the windscreen is only a courtesy to allow those who need to know to see that its taxed. No disc should mean having to produce a disc at a Garda station within 14 days or whatever; nothing more.

Soarer

corktina wrote: »

he was booked for non display not for not having tax, they are two separate offences.

So they were nearly a month out of tax, but didn't have anything in the windscreen? Where was the "old" tax disc?

corktina

Soarer wrote: »

So they were nearly a month out of tax, but didn't have anything in the windscreen? Where was the "old" tax disc?

What difference does that make? The old disc is just waste paper

corktina

djimi wrote: »

This is a law that badly needs updating. If your car is taxed then its taxed; a piece of paper in the windscreen is only a courtesy to allow those who need to know to see that its taxed. No disc should mean having to produce a disc at a Garda station within 14 days or whatever; nothing more.

They have just done this very thing in the UK. You don't need a disc there anymore, t's all on the computer. and the Police have the proper equipment to access it at the roadside.I don't think the Gardaí have such gear

slimjimmc

corsav6 wrote: »

That was very harsh. When they send the reminder and the online pin they allow you to pay during the month your out of tax, we always pay nearly 4 weeks after the last disc expired and no guard batted an eyelid. You were extremely unfortunate OP, I think you got the wrong guard on a very bad day. I hope any future dealings with the Garda are more pleasant.

Just so you know for your own protection...
The tax form allows you to pay any time during the month following tax expiry without incurring arrears, however at no stage are you legally permitted to drive (which includes park) on a public road without valid motor tax. While in practice very few Garda would fine you for it you can be as the OP found, and don't forget Traffic Wardens can get you too.

timmy4u2

Soarer wrote: »

So they were nearly a month out of tax, but didn't have anything in the windscreen? Where was the "old" tax disc?

A bit harsh given that most Gardai will not take action within three weeks of expiry.

It is actually a seperate offence to display an expired disc

Soarer

corktina wrote: »

What difference does that make? The old disc is just waste paper

timmy4u2 wrote: »

A bit harsh given that most Gardai will not take action within three weeks of expiry.

It is actually a seperate offence to display an expired disc

That's the point I'm trying to make.

If I had my car taxed for the last 3 months, I'd have a disc in the window showing 01/14.
I can go into the tax office up to the end of Febuary and tax the car without penalty.
I can go online up to the end of Febuary and tax the car without penalty.

So I think it's a little unfair that a guard can fine you for your tax being out less than a monthwhen "the system" doesn't.

Now if the OP had no disc in the window, I could understand the guard's position.

corktina

tht's what he was fined for..non-display

Soarer

Well then the guard's a dick.

corktina

He's doing his job. You do not have a month to pay your tax, you have to pay it before the last disc expires. If you don't, you can pay it within the following month, as normal. If you don't do that , you have to pay the arrears plus the tax. This doesn't imply it is OK to pay late, it is an offence to use a car without tax and it is an offence to not display a disc if you have paid.

slimjimmc

Soarer wrote: »

That's the point I'm trying to make.

If I had my car taxed for the last 3 months, I'd have a disc in the window showing 01/14.
I can go into the tax office up to the end of Febuary and tax the car without penalty.
I can go online up to the end of Febuary and tax the car without penalty.

So I think it's a little unfair that a guard can fine you for your tax being out less than a monthwhen "the system" doesn't.

Now if the OP had no disc in the window, I could understand the guard's position.

"The system" doesn't permit you to drive untaxed nor does it permit you to drive without displaying a valid Motor Tax disc. That is why the OP was penalised.

You seem to be equating not being charged arrears if you pay within the month with permission to continue driving without displaying valid motor tax.

oopsiedaisy

Sorry for hijacking the thread but just have a quick question.. bought a new car from a dealer a week and a half ago (Jan 26th) and haven't received the reg cert back. Can I tax the car without the reg cert or do I have to wait for it to come? And if I get stopped by the guards, can I get done for non-display of/not having a tax disc? I'm driving in round Dublin so am fairly nervous about it but I have all the docs from the dealer proving I only just bought it...

corktina

you can check online if it's been put in your name and if so, you can tax it. Strictly speaking you can be fined for not having the disc.

timmy4u2

Soarer wrote: »

That's the point I'm trying to make.

If I had my car taxed for the last 3 months, I'd have a disc in the window showing 01/14.
I can go into the tax office up to the end of Febuary and tax the car without penalty.
I can go online up to the end of Febuary and tax the car without penalty.

So I think it's a little unfair that a guard can fine you for your tax being out less than a monthwhen "the system" doesn't.

Now if the OP had no disc in the window, I could understand the guard's position.

If the Garda was a dick he would have issued a summons for displaying an expired tax disc.
It is a separate offence.
You have a liability to pay motor tax if you intend to use an mpv on the public road.

The offence is of being found using an mpv without the excise duty (tax) having been paid and the non display of a valid tax disc.
You will have extreme difficulty looking up the legislation as it dates back to the Roads Act of 1920 which was and is an" English Act"

SCOOP 64

cattie wrote: »

got my fine in post on Friday - yep can pay by post, cheque or phone, no penalty points just plain cash cash cash.. ouch shall not forget my tax again

Seems harsh , I'm normally 2/3 weeks late, especially if the electric bill has come it, never thought i could be fine for 2/3 Weeks late.
how much was the fine?

PS, i like the smiley, but i wouldn't be smiling.

Ninap

I actually thought you had a month's grace. I paid my tax online yesterday and printed out the receipt. Hopefully enough until the disc arrives.

corktina

No grace, you are reliant on the Gards discretion. A warden would just ticket you, as might a Gard on patrol who sees you parked.