Changes to the “off the road” declaration process, known more widely as “gapping”, have caused a huge surge in applications being received by Clare County Council’s Motor Tax Department.
There has been a 50% increase in the number of applications received by the Motor Tax Department since the introduction of the legislation on 1st July 2013. The new system requires a vehicle to be declared off the road in advance, and from 30th September will replace the system whereby owners declare a vehicle off the road retrospectively when seeking to tax a vehicle.
Fiona Mooney of the Motor Tax Department Office confirmed a “very high volume” of off the road declarations for vehicles, including tractors, have been received since July 1st.
“The complexities of the new legislation has caused some confusion amongst members of the public which has led to a significant increase in the numbers of people attending the County’s primary Motor Tax Office on the New Road in Ennis,” she added.
Ms. Mooney continued: “The surge in applications has caused waiting times in The Motor Tax Office to increase and has led to a backlog in processing postal applications. Customers can avoid or shorten queues in a number of ways, including opting to renew the tax on their vehicles online, a service that is operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at www.motortax.ie. Anyone who doesn’t have their PIN number, can click “PIN retrieval” on the website and take it from there. Customers wanting to lodge completed off the road declarations, where they are not taxing the vehicle, can simply drop them into the motor tax post box at the motor tax office at Aras an Contae. They don’t need to wait in the queue.”
Come October 1st 2013, vehicle owners will not be able to declare a vehicle off the road retrospectively and will have to pay the tax arrears on the vehicle if they wish to tax the vehicle and put it on the road. After October 1st, vehicle owners will still be able to declare a vehicle off the road in advance, using the form RF 150, for a minimum of a 3 month period and a maximum of 12 months, but retrospective declarations stamped and signed at a Garda station will be a thing of the past.
The Council’s Motor Tax Department has the following advice for members of the public:
My car/tractor/motorbike has been off the road but I want to tax it now:
Anyone wanting to tax a vehicle that has been off the road, has to complete a form RF 100A and have it signed and stamped at a Garda station. These must be received before 30th September as this is the legal deadline. Part of the form is the off the road declaration to the end of August and the rest of the form is to tax the vehicle from September.
My car/tractor/motorbike has been off the road and it’s going to be off the road in the future:
You need to complete TWO forms. Complete a form RF 100A and have it signed and stamped at a Garda station for off the road to the end of August. These must be received before 30th September as this is the legal deadline. Complete a RF 150 as well. The RF 150 does not need to be signed and stamped at a Garda station and is completed to cover the period from September going forwards to when the car will be back on the road. A minimum of 3 months and a maximum of 12 months can be declared in the RF 150.
My car/tractor/motorbike hasn’t been on a public road and will never be on a public road:
Nothing needs to be done, as vehicles are only liable to motor tax when they are in use on a public road.
I might sell my car/tractor/motorbike in the future:
Some people are afraid that if they sell a vehicle that is not declared off the road that the new owner will be liable for arrears of tax. New owners of vehicles are only liable for the motor tax on the vehicle from the date they become the owner. The new law that came into effect in July has not changed this.
More detailed ‘frequently asked questions” are available at the Motor Tax Office at the off the road information desk, or from www.clarecoco.ie.
There has been a 50% increase in the number of applications received by the Motor Tax Department since the introduction of the legislation on 1st July 2013. The new system requires a vehicle to be declared off the road in advance, and from 30th September will replace the system whereby owners declare a vehicle off the road retrospectively when seeking to tax a vehicle.
Fiona Mooney of the Motor Tax Department Office confirmed a “very high volume” of off the road declarations for vehicles, including tractors, have been received since July 1st.
“The complexities of the new legislation has caused some confusion amongst members of the public which has led to a significant increase in the numbers of people attending the County’s primary Motor Tax Office on the New Road in Ennis,” she added.
Ms. Mooney continued: “The surge in applications has caused waiting times in The Motor Tax Office to increase and has led to a backlog in processing postal applications. Customers can avoid or shorten queues in a number of ways, including opting to renew the tax on their vehicles online, a service that is operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at www.motortax.ie. Anyone who doesn’t have their PIN number, can click “PIN retrieval” on the website and take it from there. Customers wanting to lodge completed off the road declarations, where they are not taxing the vehicle, can simply drop them into the motor tax post box at the motor tax office at Aras an Contae. They don’t need to wait in the queue.”
Come October 1st 2013, vehicle owners will not be able to declare a vehicle off the road retrospectively and will have to pay the tax arrears on the vehicle if they wish to tax the vehicle and put it on the road. After October 1st, vehicle owners will still be able to declare a vehicle off the road in advance, using the form RF 150, for a minimum of a 3 month period and a maximum of 12 months, but retrospective declarations stamped and signed at a Garda station will be a thing of the past.
The Council’s Motor Tax Department has the following advice for members of the public:
My car/tractor/motorbike has been off the road but I want to tax it now:
Anyone wanting to tax a vehicle that has been off the road, has to complete a form RF 100A and have it signed and stamped at a Garda station. These must be received before 30th September as this is the legal deadline. Part of the form is the off the road declaration to the end of August and the rest of the form is to tax the vehicle from September.
My car/tractor/motorbike has been off the road and it’s going to be off the road in the future:
You need to complete TWO forms. Complete a form RF 100A and have it signed and stamped at a Garda station for off the road to the end of August. These must be received before 30th September as this is the legal deadline. Complete a RF 150 as well. The RF 150 does not need to be signed and stamped at a Garda station and is completed to cover the period from September going forwards to when the car will be back on the road. A minimum of 3 months and a maximum of 12 months can be declared in the RF 150.
My car/tractor/motorbike hasn’t been on a public road and will never be on a public road:
Nothing needs to be done, as vehicles are only liable to motor tax when they are in use on a public road.
I might sell my car/tractor/motorbike in the future:
Some people are afraid that if they sell a vehicle that is not declared off the road that the new owner will be liable for arrears of tax. New owners of vehicles are only liable for the motor tax on the vehicle from the date they become the owner. The new law that came into effect in July has not changed this.
More detailed ‘frequently asked questions” are available at the Motor Tax Office at the off the road information desk, or from www.clarecoco.ie.
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