Motor tax refund

Johnnyowl

This may turn out to be a silly question but please bear with me - is it possible to obtain a refund for unused (full) months' Road Tax?
John

coylemj

There has to be at least three full months remaining to get a refund.

13Q. Can I apply for a Motor Tax Refund?
13A. Refunds are normally issued where a vehicle is scrapped (by an Authorised Treatment Facility), stolen or exported. They are not issued where a vehicle has been sold. There must be a full three calendar months of unexpired tax remaining on the disc for a refund application to be considered.

All applications for a refund of motor tax, irrespective of whether you taxed online or at your local Motor Tax Office, must be made to your local motor tax office. You will need to complete Form RF120 get it witnessed and stamped by a member of An Garda Síochána, and then forward it to your local motor tax office. Form RF120 is available at your local motor tax office or can be downloaded under the Motor Tax Forms link at the homepage.

https://www.motortax.ie/OMT/staticContent.do?page=faq

Johnnyowl

Thanks very much for the prompt reply.
Sadly I only have two full months left so am out of luck!

uck51js9zml2yt

If the car is being scrapped ..yes. Any other reason..NO
And there must be 3 full months left.

coylemj

Derek Damaged Machine wrote: »

If the car is being scrapped ..yes. Any other reason..NO

If the vehicle is exported or stolen, you can also claim a refund. See post #2.

uck51js9zml2yt

coylemj wrote: »

If the vehicle is exported or stolen, you can also claim a refund. See post #2.

A lot of it will fall down to the discretion of the person issuing the refund.

coylemj

Derek Damaged Machine wrote: »

A lot of it will fall down to the discretion of the person issuing the refund.

So your (caps) 'NO' should have been a 'maybe'?

uck51js9zml2yt

coylemj wrote: »

So your (caps) 'NO' should have been a 'maybe'?

NO is still No..in most cases!
There is no guarantee that an exported vehicle wont be re-imported or a stolen vehicle not found.
If a car is scrapped and you have a certificate of destruction...the only way it can come back is as a tin can:D

coylemj

Derek Damaged Machine wrote: »

NO is still No..in most cases!

So it is a 'maybe' then

uck51js9zml2yt

coylemj wrote: »

So it is a 'maybe' then

If it's Dublin then it's fairly by the book!....well more exactly by the book and only if the person has had their home made muesli for brekkie!

Gumbo

There is no maybe about it. Here in Dublin we refund motor tax based on permanent export, stolen, scrapped cars.

Usually a letter from the insurance company to say they have paid out secures the refund.

There is no discretion involved in Dublin City Council motor tax office. I can confirm this from an internal point of view. It's black and white, and there srules to govern each claim for refund.

Hitman3000

Not being smart but does any one who works for the state in this country actually know the rules of the department they work for. 'Maybe' or 'depends on the discretion of the whoever you deal with'.

Pawwed Rig

I got a refund years ago as I was going abroad to work and the car would be off the road while I was away. The girl in the office didn't realise it was possible but I went in armed with the legislation and got it done.

inger

I know it's an oldish thread (but please don't close it as it's perfectly relevant).
So, a related question - I am "exporting" a car, well just taking out of the country and sell it. I know there is an export process but I don't want that hassle as VRT refund is N/A in this case..
Can I get motortax refund just be filling out that refund form, without the rest of the procedure? (NCT, etc)
I understand the tax should have more than 3 months on it, but the thing is, tax is just coming up for renewal - so I could buy 6 months *if* I'd then get back 5 months on "exporting". As far as I understand, that would be applicable but not so sure..? thanks for any clarification.

wonski

I wouldn't even bother taxing it if it is going to be exported in a week or two to be honest.

High horse brigade look away now Yes I would drive it untaxed for a week or two no problem

Gravelly

inger wrote: »

I know it's an oldish thread (but please don't close it as it's perfectly relevant).
So, a related question - I am "exporting" a car, well just taking out of the country and sell it. I know there is an export process but I don't want that hassle as VRT refund is N/A in this case..
Can I get motortax refund just be filling out that refund form, without the rest of the procedure? (NCT, etc)
I understand the tax should have more than 3 months on it, but the thing is, tax is just coming up for renewal - so I could buy 6 months *if* I'd then get back 5 months on "exporting". As far as I understand, that would be applicable but not so sure..? thanks for any clarification.

If the tax is just out, and you are only driving it for a month, I wouldn't be taxing it - I've never heard of anyone being prosecuted for no tax if it is less than a month out.

inger

> I wouldn't be taxing it 
Hmm, fair enough, maybe I would have done that some years ago... but I get it's a bit riskier now, so let's assume I want to avoid the risk, and I would be ready to pay the minimum amount of tax that's still legal - which as I understand is 1 month? (given that you can only take it out from the coming month)

wonski

In that case give motor tax office a call or go in person and ask what documents will they accept as a proof of permanent export.

They won't just take your word so ask them what is needed.

Del2005

inger wrote: »

> I wouldn't be taxing it 
Hmm, fair enough, maybe I would have done that some years ago... but I get it's a bit riskier now, so let's assume I want to avoid the risk, and I would be ready to pay the minimum amount of tax that's still legal - which as I understand is 1 month? (given that you can only take it out from the coming month)

Minimum is 3 months tax and you need more than 3 to reclaim. If its only expired in September you will be very unlucky to get done, August is a bit riskier.

CiniO

As said before, it has to have at least full 3 months left to be able to get refund.
So if his tax expired say end of September, and he pays now for 3 months (October, November, December) then he won't be able to get refund.
Only way is to tax it for at least 6 months (October-March), and then once car is exported before end of October to claim tax back for 5 months (November-March).

Refund will be only made as 1/12 of annual rate for each month, so it will come actually less than he would have to pay per month as 6 month rate is higher than 1/2 of annual rate.

To avoid that he could pay full 12 months tax, and then reclaim 11 months if car exported by end of October.

Here's the form which needs to be submitted to motor tax office for a refund.
https://www.motortax.ie/OMT/pdf/RF120_en.pdf

I can't find info what proof is needed that car was exported.

Good luck.

I'm in the same situation (tax expired end of September, and car will be going abroad end of October or very early November). I'm not planning on paying the tax.

inger

> If its only expired in September you will be very unlucky to get done, August is a bit riskier.

It's not taxed currently (off the road basically) - I can tax it anytime now. So was thinking of either buying it for 6 months then getting refund for 5 - or buying the 3 months and export/refund straight away somehow.
[*]

CiniO

inger wrote: »

> If its only expired in September you will be very unlucky to get done, August is a bit riskier.

It's not taxed currently (off the road basically) - I can tax it anytime now. So was thinking of either buying it for 6 months then getting refund for 5 - or buying the 3 months and export/refund straight away somehow.
[*]

You can't do that for 3 months. As once you buy 3 months tax, it will already have less than 3 months tax left on it, disqualifying it from possibility of refund.

Only 6 months or 12 months - 12 months being cheaper option.

Esel

inger wrote: »

It's not taxed currently (off the road basically) - I can tax it anytime now. So was thinking of either buying it for 6 months then getting refund for 5 - or buying the 3 months and export/refund straight away somehow.

Is it officially declared off the road? If not, you will have to pay arrears if you tax it now.