Parking warden fine for no tax on new car

Hey lads. Bought a civic on Sunday, went to the shop yesterday and had a parking fine for “failure to display current road fund licence”, eg no tax.

I know there’s no leeway in law but should I ring the council and just explain I only bought the bloody car 24 hours before the warden fined me or what?

inclined to just ignore it tbh but don’t want to cause the guy who sold it to me any hassle either, he’s a mechanic as well and I’d rather keep on his good side if I need help with car in future. 🤣

zell12

 ring the council and just explain I only bought the bloody car 24 hours before the warden fined me or what..

Do it do it!

Kimbot

just ring them and explain that you only bought the car so its not in your name yet so cannot possibly tax it until it is.

Allinall

I suspect the guy you bought the car from will get the ticket.

Someone will have to pay the fine, as the car was obviously on a public road without tax.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121658421#Comment_121658421

Yeah it was because I don’t have the logbook back yet.. it’s not my fault the tax office is a lumbering dinosaur.

Miscreant

Well, technically the offence is "failure to display" so if the car matches that offence then there is little comeback whether you owned the car for 24 hours or 24 years.

I wouldn't ignore the fine either as that will only bring more trouble on you in the long run. You could possibly appeal it with the council and see how far you get there but might just have to pay up in the end as it was issued on the spot by a parking warden.

Not sure why this would cause any hassle to the guy who sold the car anyway, it should have been clear from the sale that the car had no current tax and any change of ownership should have the correct date of change on it (even if it was a Sunday) so the previous owner will not be liable.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121658416#Comment_121658416

Yeah I’ll shout them so. I was worried I’d be potentially causing trouble for meself but honestly if I can’t get the fine cancelled I’ll just pay it.

Your man has said he’s happy to do work on the car for me with a wee discount for buying from him & he’s well known and highly regarded in the area so I don’t want to piss him off over €60. 🤣

But it’s stupid still. Most Garda I understand would have no issue with it if you don’t have the logbook back yet. I have a picture of the logbook after signing it as well. Sale date etc all there!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121658438#Comment_121658438

I’m pretty sure the council will send the fine notice (and subsequent reminders if unpaid) to whoever is the registered owner at the time of the fine.

My question is simply how likely is it the fine could be cancelled bearing in mind I had no means of paying for the tax yet, and that when the logbook is in my possession I’ll be doing so and paying from 21st.

10-10-20

Prepare to have to show proof that you bought the vehicle on Sunday. And by proof I don't mean a text saying "see you in the garage Sunday".

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121658484#Comment_121658484

I have a photo of the logbook with the date and time on it and signed by us both.

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121658490#Comment_121658490

That's pretty strong evidence.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121658502#Comment_121658502

Yeah better than a text!! Sure hopefully they’re sound enough about it.

I’ve the money aside just waiting for the logbook like so hopefully they sort it asap and can get it done. Has me a bit nervous of going too far tbh just not bothered getting a new car seized. 🤣

Skyrimaddict

I had this issues in the last few weeks.

Ring the council you bought the car off, they will ask you to log a ticket. It may even be on the fine. Raise it as a ticket with them, they will get back to you and say they will let you off the fine, once you provide

A: the log book showing the change of ownership date

B: a receipt for you taxing the car for the period of your ownership

They will cancel the ticket for you.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121658536#Comment_121658536

Perfect. So I’ll get onto them now and once I have logbook and tax paid send them those!

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121658546#Comment_121658546

If you keep checking the motortax website until the change of ownership is processed you can actually tax the car before the logbook arrives.

So it might be worthwhile checking that first and waiting another day or so before contacting them so that you can say you have taxed the car as early as the system would let you

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121658739#Comment_121658739

Yea I’ll keep an eye on it but logbook only sent of yesterday (I assume) as the earliest opportunity so I will check from tomorrow.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121658452#Comment_121658452

There's really nothing stupid about the actions of the traffic warden or council so far.

He just came across a car without a current disc and followed the correct procedure.

Hopefully you will get it cancelled by doing as outlined by others.

hoodie6029

Wasn’t there a piece of paper you’d put in your window years ago when you bought a car? RF2 or RF101? Covered you for non-display while you waited on the change of ownership. Is that still a thing?

bazz26

A "tax disc in post" cover note, lol.

If parked in a public place the car needs to have a valid tax disc displayed, that is what the fine is for. Parking warden isn't to know you just bought the car over the a guy driving around for ages without tax. If car ownership hasn't transferred over to the new owner yet then the fine will go to previous registered owner who will probably contest it showing date of transfer of ownership to OP.

OP, I'd contact your local motor tax office and see if fine can be cancelled. Ignoring it probably means it may eventually fall on your lap anyway. Rule of thump is don't park the car in a public place until it is taxed and has a valid tax disc displayed. Even if it's taxed you can still be fined for non displaying of the disc.

sham58107

Happened to me with brand new car ,council were late issuing disc (Covid) even though they had record of payment company had to pay the fine !!

Just total jobsworth, failure to display is failure to display , not that car was not taxed, I asked a local Garda and they did not even know wardens issued tickets for this.

As stated if car is still in other owners name he will get fine, but you were driving it.

Do not ignore it ,as I think it may increase over time? open to correction on this.

Dav010

Are you saying the car is taxed and the previous owner took the disc off, or are you saying you bought an untaxed car and then knowingly drove it?

If the fine gets sent to the previous owner, he will of course claim you are he car owner, not him.

POBox19

The last owner is still the registered owner until the office in Shannon receive the notice of change from them and issues the new registration document to you. So it should not be your problem as the fine goes to them.

When the cert arrives pay the tax online using the last 6 digits of the "Vehicle Registration Certificate Number (VRC)" as the PIN number. Any previous unpaid tax is not your concern.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121659655#Comment_121659655

That’s completely untrue. The change of ownership date on the logbook is what determines ownership. All it takes is one phone call from the previous owner for the fine to be cancelled and forwarded to the new owner. Same with speeding fines, unpaid Eflow’s etc.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121659545#Comment_121659545

I bought a car from a garage that has been otherwise off the road for about a year, so it currently has no tax nor indeed arrears not that it’s my problem anyway.

I am well aware it’s not legal to drive untaxed but I’m also not a new driver and have never before had an issue if stopped (and I have been) when it’s just bought and usually the Gardai anyway have always been sound about it within the first 2 weeks. The one time it was beyond that because Shannon was taking ages they weren’t impressed but let it go on the promise I’d bring them proof I paid by the end of the month. I did.

Anyway, I’m not asking for a lecture about the legalities of driving an untaxed car, I bought it on Sunday, so go away. I’m not in the habit of spending a few grand on an ornament because we’re so backwards in Ireland we can’t sort these things in a matter of hours electronically.

Im also not trying to “get away” without paying the tax. I’ll pay it right now if I can. Is that possible? If I rang Shannon and asked to pay today would that be facilitated?

Happy to do so. I’m very fond of this car and do not want it seized or any fines on it. I’ve actually never wanted to give the government money so bad before. But here we are.

Anyway, as I said, I’ve got my answer. I shall await the councils word on it. If they don’t cancel it then I’ll pay it. Maybe I’ve picked you up wrong but some replies here really do make you out to be a real chancer.

Dav010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121659749#Comment_121659749

Isnt that exactly what you are asking? You are waiting for someone to tell you the basis on which you should ignore your legal responsibility to have your vehicle taxed when driving on a public road.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121659809#Comment_121659809

Ah here would you give your head a shake you donut I literally cannot put tax on the car until I get the logbook back, but sure that’s my fault for buying a car on Sunday and Shannon not handling it any other way than by post.

Go away man and troll someone else.

Rows Grower

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121659809#Comment_121659809

Yep, that's exactly what he was asking and then when he doesn't get the answer he likes he turns on the poster, he has form for that carry on.

You broke the law, you got caught, pay the fine and don't do it again.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121659809#Comment_121659809

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121659866#Comment_121659866

And I suppose you two fine upstanding citizens have never gone even so much as 1km above the speed limit, parked somewhere for a moment where you shouldn’t have or otherwise ever broken the law?

I’ll pay the tax when I get the logbook. My question was simply will the council be likely fair enough about the whole thing and leave the fine get cancelled or am I better off saving my energy and just paying it.

If you two want to turn it into something else that’s on you. Acting like I’m some master criminal dying to skip my car tax.

Can the two of you both go away if you’re not going to be helpful?

Rows Grower

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121659883#Comment_121659883

There you go again attacking the poster instead of the post all because you are being told the truth and not what you want to hear.

The truth hurts sometimes, no need to cast aspirations on the integrity of others you know nothing about.

You broke the law, you, not the person who sold you the car.

Pay the fine, learn the lesson and move on with your life.

Dav010

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121659865#Comment_121659865

Then you wait until it is taxed before legally driving it on a public road, otherwise you risk getting a fine.

Im sure if you wait long enough, someone will come along and agree with you that everyone else is to blame except you.

I certainly wouldn’t mistake you for a master criminal, you took a chance, knowing the car was off the road for a year, knowing it wasn’t legal to drive an untaxed car, and you got caught, master isn’t the word that springs to mind.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121659959#Comment_121659959

I’d rather if you just left me alone Dav.