Buying car with expired tax. Can I drive home?

Andrewf20

Folks, the web is not very clear. Can I drive home if tax is expired on a 2nd hand car I just bought? Citizens info page suggests that I can only tax new car after change of ownership has been registered by revenue and I receive the updated vrc with my details.

But then it suggests it needs to be taxed to drive it. What's people's thoughts? I'm guessing it needs tax and therefore id need to get the seller to get it taxed, which delays things a bit by the time the tax disc is sent to them.

Im looking at cars all over the country so it could be a long drive home.

Cheers.

wotzgoingon

No but usually you explain to the garda that you bought it and they usually let you go not always though as I bought a car once and the next day I was caught so really my own fault as I had already got the car home and decided to drive some place the next day.

It is all down to the discretion of the garda.

Isambard

don't park it in a public place for fear of getting a "no tax displayed" ticket from a Warden. You'd probably get it overturned eventually, but best to avoid all the hastle.

You can tax it online as soon as it shows on the 'net as having changed ownership.

u140acro3xs7dm

I'm interested in this myself. I might be buying a car where the nct and tax have both expired. The car is fine and will fly through the test, but how am I expected to drive it home and to the test centre without getting points?

Isambard

you take a chance or you hire a tow truck

u140acro3xs7dm

Isambard wrote: »

you take a chance or you hire a tow truck

So the only legal way to do it is a tow truck? Is there no waiver at all? It is at least a 100km trip so it will be pricey on a truck, then I'd have to tow it to the test centre once I have a date.

wotzgoingon

It's illegal to tow a car unless you have a dedicated tow truck.

I'm nearly 99.99% positive that above is fact.

colm_mcm

wotzgoingon wrote: »

It's illegal to tow a car unless you have a dedicated tow truck.

I'm nearly 99.99% positive that above is fact.

It’s not fact.

Andrewf20

The funny thing is when you pay the tax you have to pay it for the whole month you bought the car in which means you effectively do pay the tax for when you 1st drove it.

A tow truck could cost a small fortune if transporting 100+ miles.

callaway92

If it's a car from a garage, they should be able to put a sticker inside the windscreen (above the tax discs etc) stating the car was purchases on so-and-so date.

Generally then there'd be a week you could have that up for.

You should try to get them to either backdate the tax or wait till the 1st of the month so you can 'purchase' on that date.

wotzgoingon

colm_mcm wrote: »

It’s not fact.

Really? I honestly thought it was as it is far from safe in my eye anyway.

colm_mcm

wotzgoingon wrote: »

Really? I honestly thought it was as it is far from safe in my eye anyway.

You can transport cars on trailers for example.

wotzgoingon

colm_mcm wrote: »

You can transport cars on trailers for example.

Yea but that's different or maybe I picked up the OP wrong. I just assumed he was going tying a rope and pulling it there.

Isambard

if it's on it's own wheels , it needs to be taxed, may as well drive it as tow it,.

Heres Johnny

Correct me if I'm wrong but if it's out by less than 2 months it can't be taken off you, just get fined. Over 2 months and it can be impounded? And there's no penalty points either way?

Otherwise, realistically you'll get it home unless you're very unlucky. Take a photo of the change of ownership. I've done it myself even though I knew legally it wasn't the right thing to do.

Current owner can tax it for you but if its out a while they have to back tax it.

biko

It seems from the OP you already know you cannot drive an untaxed vehicle home using public roads.
Feel free to chance it but driving far will increase the risk

It's more important (imo) if you do get stopped to have the car insured.