Motor tax arrears on used car

LariToper

Hey lads, I bought a car a week ago on the 30th of May. Got the logbook in the post today and went online to pay my tax when I got the nasty surprise of a month of arrears for the month of May (€63 extra).

I was just wondering will this have to be paid? Surely I shouldn't be punished as there was no way of taxing the car in between the time I bought it and the end of the month, as the next working day was the 2nd of June, and I didn't get the logbook until today.
Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Pa994

Go to tax office and they will basically get you to declare the car off the road and then back on, you will not have to pay for the month of May provided you tax the car within ten days of buying IIRC

CiniO

Yes, this will have to be paid.
That's how the system works.

You are penalised by paying €10.6 more than if you could pay your tax in May, assuming you were planning to pay for whole year.
If you were planning to pay only for 3 months, then you are only €3.95 because of that.

bmwguy

Future reference buy the car at the start of the month as you are liable for tax for the full month of May even if you owned it for only a day if I am not mistaken

TallGlass

LariToper wrote: »

Hey lads, I bought a car a week ago on the 30th of May. Got the logbook in the post today and went online to pay my tax when I got the nasty surprise of a month of arrears for the month of May (€63 extra).

I was just wondering will this have to be paid? Surely I shouldn't be punished as there was no way of taxing the car in between the time I bought it and the end of the month, as the next working day was the 2nd of June, and I didn't get the logbook until today.
Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Always always, wait to send off a log book when until your sure your into the new month and you will use the car. I know some times the owner will send it off but if it's a day or two ask them can you hold the logbook or can they delay on sending it.

I'm not sure you can write it off as easily as suggested above. But its worth a try for 63€ !

LariToper

Thanks a million, I'll go into the tax office ASAP armed with my language of persuasion.

First time buying a car, I'll know better in the future! It's pretty typical getting a punishment for late payment when payment wasn't possible!

jca

Pa994 wrote: »

Go to tax office and they will basically get you to declare the car off the road and then back on, you will not have to pay for the month of May provided you tax the car within ten days of buying IIRC

No chance there I'm afraid, Mr Howlin and Co. put paid to that one.... A lesson learned I'm afraid.

FishOnABike

Once the previous owner sold the car they are no longer liable for any arrears.

As you became the new owner in May you are liable for any motor tax due from the change of ownership.

As far as I know the facility for declaring it off the road retrospectively was done away with so I can't see how you can avoid paying the arrears for May.

LariToper

jca wrote: »

No chance there I'm afraid, Mr Howlin and Co. put paid to that one.... A lesson learned I'm afraid.

This is a sad state of affairs

Well, I'll guess I'll have to try and make back that €63 in other ways, I'm thinking charging my phones off the plugs in the tax office and doubling up on toilet roll when I'm using public toilets.

Might even leave my taps running until the water meters get fitted!!! Mwuahaha

CiniO

Wait - I just looked up the calendar.
If car was bought 30th May, and it has to be declared off the road within 10 days, then it expires on 9th of June which is tomorrow.
Then OP - run to motortax office tomorrow, and declare your car off the road for May, and pay tax from 1st of June.
However obviously you can do it legally only if you didn't use the car in May in public place.

savagethegoat

TallGlass wrote: »

Always always, wait to send off a log book when until your sure your into the new month and you will use the car. I know some times the owner will send it off but if it's a day or two ask them can you hold the logbook or can they delay on sending it.

I'm not sure you can write it off as easily as suggested above. But its worth a try for 63€ !

most sellers me included would want to follow the procedure correctly and send off the logbook themselves for their own protection

punisher5112

Have you the car in your name 10days or less?
Then declare off the road and then tax this month. You can do this online motortax.ie

LariToper

savagethegoat wrote: »

most sellers me included would want to follow the procedure correctly and send off the logbook themselves for their own protection

Ya i was feeling the same way even as a buyer, oh well beginners mistake I guess

LariToper

punisher5112 wrote: »

Have you the car in your name 10days or less?
Then declare off the road and then tax this month. You can do this online motortax.ie

Didn't realise you could do it online, I'll give that a go now

LariToper

punisher5112 wrote: »

Have you the car in your name 10days or less?
Then declare off the road and then tax this month. You can do this online motortax.ie

Didn't realise you could do it online, I'll give that a go now...

... scrap that, the earliest date I can declare it off until is the 31st of July

TallGlass

savagethegoat wrote: »

most sellers me included would want to follow the procedure correctly and send off the logbook themselves for their own protection

Your totally correct and if it blows back on you as a seller or buyer then your on your own. Put if you know the person this is a good way to wait it out, generally buying a car the old owner will take the log book, you could ask them to hold off a few days before sending it but it's up to them.

LariToper wrote: »

Ya i was feeling the same way even as a buyer, oh well beginners mistake I guess

You can re register the car in someones name tax it and re register the car in your name. Not sure of the legality of this but think its legal for the moment. That would get you around having to pay the back tax for one month.

savagethegoat

"until" doesn't matter. you can declare it off within the 10 days and then tax it from the ist June. be quick though

mickdw

Ya there is a minimum period for declaring off road but that won't effect you.
You can go back later and tax it back on the road from any date in June thereby avoiding May altogether.

mgbgt1978

LariToper wrote: »

Didn't realise you could do it online, I'll give that a go now...

... scrap that, the earliest date I can declare it off until is the 31st of July

As the lads have said that doesn't mean you can't declare it off the road now. It simply means that the minimum you can declare it SORD is 3 months (May, June & July).
Declare it SORD online now, and then just tax it online an hour later, from June 1st.
You can only declare it SORD within 10 days from the date of purchase, so it must be done tomorrow at the latest.

LariToper

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

As the lads have said that doesn't mean you can't declare it off the road now. It simply means that the minimum you can declare it SORD is 3 months (May, June & July).
Declare it SORD online now, and then just tax it online an hour later, from June 1st.
You can only declare it SORD within 10 days from the date of purchase, so it must be done tomorrow at the latest.

Thanks again! I have SORD'd it now, just waiting for it to kick in and pay the tax then, fingers crossed!

savagethegoat

€63 saved.... or approx 13 pints..... :-)

CiniO

savagethegoat wrote: »

€63 saved.... or approx 13 pints..... :-)

€4.85 per pint on average :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Where is it that expensive?

LariToper

I think ill opt for 21 pints of fosters (or whatever cheap p155 i can find) and line them up outside the co. council building with a smile on my face.

Also sorry to be annoying again but the arrears still haven't magically disappeared, I assume I just have to wait a bit longer?

punisher5112

Told you ya had 10 days.

Wish they could fix the motor tax itself nexy.

Pigs may ly 1st though.

sdanseo

jca wrote: »

No chance there I'm afraid, Mr Howlin and Co. put paid to that one.... A lesson learned I'm afraid.

"Sorry sir, you can no longer lie to the guards to save a few quid"

Hardly something we can complain about. :rolleyes:

CiniO

sdanseo wrote: »

"Sorry sir, you can no longer lie to the guards to save a few quid"

Hardly something we can complain about. :rolleyes:

Bit OT, but you still can, and lots of people do.
New system abolishing retrospective declarations, and introducing in-advance declarations didn't really change much.

People still drive untaxed vehicles...
It's either drive for few months and than change ownership to get rid of arrears, or just declare car off the road and keep driving.

All this change of system was one big bu11sh1t, and unless they introduce actual road-side checks and ANPR which will be common, nothing will change.

jca

sdanseo wrote: »

"Sorry sir, you can no longer lie to the guards to save a few quid"

Hardly something we can complain about. :rolleyes:

Unless you work in the banking sector and you can do what you like.