Can I drive a car with no motor tax?

horseofstone

I bought a second hand car recently from a garage. The garage is sending the vehicle registration certificate on to the relevant authority to register the car in my name. So I'll be waiting a week or so for the vehicle cert to be sent on to me. My question is can I drive it during this period with no tax? Am I allowed to do so? And what happens if I'm stopped by a garda?

kirving

Legally, no.

In practice, you'll be fine to take it home.

CoBo55

You'd want to be unlucky and meet a bad guard who could give you hassle, you'll have to tax it for April anyway so you should be able to talk your way out of it. Bloody traffic warden could dart you unfortunately but that's a risk you're going to have to take.

horseofstone

horseofstone wrote: »

I bought a second hand car recently from a garage. The garage is sending the vehicle registration certificate on to the relevant authority to register the car in my name. So I'll be waiting a week or so for the vehicle cert to be sent on to me. My question is can I drive it during this period with no tax? Am I allowed to do so? And what happens if I'm stopped by a garda?

Have the reciept with you too show it's only purchased. The big one is always insurance followed by nct. Tax is only when either it's into 'taking the piss' territory or a way to piss off the driver.

lobbylad

Do you need to wait on the cert? I think you might be able to use the VIN to tax it? (I did but it was a first time registered UK import)

Try the reg number and the last 6 digits of vehicle registration certificate number as your pin on motortax.ie The dealer should have it.

You can change the address to yours.

lobbylad

lobbylad wrote: »

Do you need to wait on the cert? I think you might be able to use the VIN to tax it? (I did but it was a first time registered UK import)

Your can't tax a car not in your name

Atlantic Dawn

How long is the previous tax out by?

DeepBlue

Niner leprauchan wrote: »

Your can't tax a car not in your name

Probably the quickest way (online) to do it is monitor https://www.motortax.ie/OMT/changeOwnership.do which should show you when the tax office register the change and then tax it online using the VIN.

I've been fined twice while waiting for the VLC cert to come back, appealed it twice and had the fines cancelled but it's a hassle. Best not to park it in public if you can and if you do then avoid on-street parking if possible.

horseofstone

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

How long is the previous tax out by?

I'm not sure, it could be ages because its an 08 car so was probably sitting in garage forecourt for a while. Why, does that matter?

Atlantic Dawn

horseofstone wrote: »

I'm not sure, it could be ages because its an 08 car so was probably sitting in garage forecourt for a while. Why, does that matter?

If it's put by more than 2 month's it can be seized, if less the most is a fine. I've done it once or twice buying a car from a dealer with no tax but luckily less than 2 months out, can take a week or so to get sorted with logbook in your name and then get taxed.


I'd not leave the car parked in a public place with expired or no tax disc shown, can get a fine from traffic warden as well as Gardai.

horseofstone

CoBo55 wrote: »

You'd want to be unlucky and meet a bad guard who could give you hassle, you'll have to tax it for April anyway so you should be able to talk your way out of it. Bloody traffic warden could dart you unfortunately but that's a risk you're going to have to take.

If a traffic warden hypothetically were to give me a fine for no road tax would that mean penalty points also?

Atlantic Dawn

horseofstone wrote: »

If a traffic warden hypothetically were to give me a fine for no road tax would that mean penalty points also?

No penalty points for no tax.



No insurance or NCT on the other hand there is.
https://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Licensed%20Drivers/RSA%20Penalty%20Points%20Offences%202019.pdf

waynescales1

I was stopped by the Gardaí in that exact situation. Explained just bought, can’t tax it yet, they said no problem you have a 2 week grace period anyway and off I went.

CoBo55

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

If it's put by more than 2 month's it can be seized, if less the most is a fine. I've done it once or twice buying a car from a dealer with no tax but luckily less than 2 months out, can take a week or so to get sorted with logbook in your name and then get taxed.


I'd not leave the car parked in a public place with expired or no tax disc shown, can get a fine from traffic warden as well as Gardai.

Being out by more than two months etc doesn't apply in this case as the op is only liable for taxing the car from this month onwards, there probably isn't a disc in the car anyway.

CathalC2011

You'll be fine. As others have noted, they'll see the change of ownership was recent enough.

I was recently stopped at a checkpoint in a new car, and had no tax or even insurance disc (had bought both the discs just hadn't arrived).

As soon as I told him I'd just bought the car he waved me on, he didn't even care to wait for me to show proof of the insurance.

biko

Title updated to motor tax so we avoid that whole mess.

FrankC21

I bought the jazz last month from santry privately and I live in Co. Louth no tax and insurance came with it. And all I had with me is a bit that was teared off from the Logbook with the phone number written on it by the seller. So it was grand like.

Then following week I had to bring it to a garage in north dublin for a service, no tax or insurance just used my discs from other car and put it on the jazz, away I go, went through a checkpoint asked where I was heading told them Car needed service off you go so. That's all.

Miscreant

FrankC21 wrote: »

no tax or insurance just used my discs from other car and put it on the jazz

I would not advise to do this as the vehicle could be taken off you if noticed.

@OP. Like others have said, a Garda would want to be having a really bad day to give you hassle on this. Most will know that a car cannot be taxed straight away by the new owner.
If the change of ownership has gone through (and you can check this on the Motor Tax website), then you may be able to use the last 6 digits of the chassis number as the password to get the tax instead of waiting for the cert to come through the post.

FrankC21

Miscreant wrote: »

I would not advise to do this as the vehicle could be taken off you if noticed.

@OP. Like others have said, a Garda would want to be having a really bad day to give you hassle on this. Most will know that a car cannot be taxed straight away by the new owner.
If the change of ownership has gone through (and you can check this on the Motor Tax website), then you may be able to use the last 6 digits of the chassis number as the password to get the tax instead of waiting for the cert to come through the post.

I agree with you, I was actually just trying my luck that day. But fortunately, did not get any hassle.

On the side note though, Jazz is taxed now but can I not put the jazz temporarily under the insirance policy of my other car like for a day.

snickers

FrankC21 wrote: »

I bought the jazz last month from santry privately and I live in Co. Louth no tax and insurance came with it. And all I had with me is a bit that was teared off from the Logbook with the phone number written on it by the seller. So it was grand like.

Then following week I had to bring it to a garage in north dublin for a service, no tax or insurance just used my discs from other car and put it on the jazz, away I go, went through a checkpoint asked where I was heading told them Car needed service off you go so. That's all.

Worst thing you could have done was use discs off another vehicle had that guard looked closer and he had noticed they did not correspond to the vehicle you were driving you would not have been waved through that checkpoint .

FrankC21

snickers wrote: »

Worst thing you could have done was use discs off another vehicle had that guard looked closer and he had noticed they did not correspond to the vehicle you were driving you would not have been waved through that checkpoint .

Really sorry, it was stupid really, I can assure you it won't happen again.

snickers

FrankC21 wrote: »

Really sorry, it was stupid really, I can assure you it won't happen again.

Ha you seem like the sort that would be on whinging when they get done for purposely displaying invalid discs keep doing things like that and see how it goes for you .

CoBo55

snickers wrote: »

Ha you seem like the sort that would be on whinging when they get done for purposely displaying invalid discs keep doing things like that and see how it goes for you .

There'll be something wrong with the jazz soon, we'll be seeing Frank again.

zilog_jones

As others have said, just avoid public parking where traffic wardens are about.

FrankC21 wrote: »

On the side note though, Jazz is taxed now but can I not put the jazz temporarily under the insirance policy of my other car like for a day.

So you're only asking this after already having driven it on public roads?

Driving a recently purchased car with no tax is a grey area (but usually fine) - driving with no insurance is pure idiocy.

_Kaiser_

Still waiting for the VLC for the new (to me) car myself, but the tax on it expired at the end of March.

Rang the local Garda station though to ask what they recommended and they were happy with me keeping a copy of the receipt/invoice from the dealer in the car if I'm stopped in the interim.

CoBo55

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

Still waiting for the VLC for the new (to me) car myself, but the tax on it expired at the end of March.

Rang the local Garda station though to ask what they recommended and they were happy with me keeping a copy of the receipt/invoice from the dealer in the car if I'm stopped in the interim.

Have you checked on the website to see has it been changed to your name, it could have been done already.

_Kaiser_

CoBo55 wrote: »

Have you checked on the website to see has it been changed to your name, it could have been done already.

I have and it hasn't. I've been chasing with the dealer but I'm thinking I'll have to take that up a level if not sorted next week.

CoBo55

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

I have and it hasn't. I've been chasing with the dealer but I'm thinking I'll have to take that up a level if not sorted next week.

Dealers are the absolute worst for that messing around, you'll be caught for a months arrears if it isn't sorted by Friday, very annoying.

Psychedelic Hedgehog

Keep the sales receipt in the glovebox, as long as it's insured and NCT'd (if applicable), the Gardai will be fine, as mentioned above just don't park it in a traffic warden patrolled spot.

Years ago, garages used to give you a small slip of paper showing the date of sale for such purposes, but that doesn't seem to be a thing anymore.

About 20 years ago I encountered a checkpoint when driving a car I'd just bought, I didn't have a stitch of anything on the windscreen, so was bracing myself for the usual conversation, but just got waved on!

gypsylee

I bought a car from a dealer on Wednesday with no tax disc. Parked in the car park opposite work yesterday with a note in the disc holder explaining the situation. Came out of work yesterday and a ticket stuck to the windscreen! Have appealed that one. Put a bigger note on the dash this morning and no ticket so far today!

frozenfrozen

kaiser try immediately mark the car as off the road then tax it so you don't get arrears

I got a penalty and lost a months tax because it transferred to me on the last day of the month and I taxed it on the first. Total bollocks system

_Kaiser_

frozenfrozen wrote: »

kaiser try immediately mark the car as off the road then tax it so you don't get arrears

I got a penalty and lost a months tax because it transferred to me on the last day of the month and I taxed it on the first. Total bollocks system

Well any arrears because of the dealer's delay in sorting it (I've already been on to them several times over the last week) they will be compensating me for.

I've already told them as much.

Marking it off the road isn't a runner I'd think(?) as I do need to use it in the interim.

CoBo55

frozenfrozen wrote: »

kaiser try immediately mark the car as off the road then tax it so you don't get arrears

I got a penalty and lost a months tax because it transferred to me on the last day of the month and I taxed it on the first. Total bollocks system

He can't declare the car off road as it isn't in his name.

zilog_jones

gypsylee wrote: »

I bought a car from a dealer on Wednesday with no tax disc. Parked in the car park opposite work yesterday with a note in the disc holder explaining the situation. Came out of work yesterday and a ticket stuck to the windscreen! Have appealed that one. Put a bigger note on the dash this morning and no ticket so far today!

The problem here is failure to display is an offence, so it doesn't matter what kind of note you put in the car - if you don't have a tax disc and park it in public you are liable for a fine.

vandriver

FrankC21 wrote: »

I agree with you, I was actually just trying my luck that day. But fortunately, did not get any hassle.

On the side note though, Jazz is taxed now but can I not put the jazz temporarily under the insirance policy of my other car like for a day.

Did you actually ring a broker or insurance company and do a transfer,or were you (wrongly)relying on a driving other cars clause?

gypsylee

zilog_jones wrote: »

The problem here is failure to display is an offence, so it doesn't matter what kind of note you put in the car - if you don't have a tax disc and park it in public you are liable for a fine.

I am aware of that but I am hoping common sense will prevail! We shall see.

McCrack

gypsylee wrote: »

I am aware of that but I am hoping common sense will prevail! We shall see.

It's the law, this tax in post bollocks is just that.

gypsylee

McCrack wrote: »

It's the law, this tax in post bollocks is just that.

Thank you for your input. You have a lovely way with words.

CoBo55

McCrack wrote: »

It's the law, this tax in post bollocks is just that.

If you get stopped on the 26th of the month and then tax the car for that month when you get it into your name there’s no harm done.