Organization : Department of Transport
Type of Facility : Motor Tax/Vehicle Registration
Country: Ireland
DTTAS Vehicle Registration National & Driver File
The National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF) constitute the national driver and vehicle registers and has a legal basis in Section 60 of the Finance Act 1993.
Related :National Transport Authority Taxi Driver Check Ireland : www.statusin.org/9491.html
The NVDF database contains details in respect of the registered vehicles (2.4 million currently taxed) and 2.65 million licensed drivers in the country. The NVDF also plays a critical role in the collection of motor tax where over €1.1 billion was collected in 2013 (motor tax office and online transactions) with a further estimated €500 million derived from other activities such as parking enforcement where NVDF data is essential.
The NVDF also fulfils legal obligations in relation to the recording of penalty points and provides vehicle and driver related statistical analyses to assist with the business objectives of a range of stakeholders.
Motor Tax:
The Online Motor Tax (OMT) service enables vehicle owners to pay their motor tax by secure link over the internet thus avoiding attendance at local motor tax offices or making application by post. Full details on the OMT service including the types of vehicles which may be taxed online and the procedures associated with online taxing involving the Personal Identification No. (PIN) are contained on the OMT website www.motortax.ie (link is external).
Alternatively, you can tax at your local motor tax office by completing your motor tax renewal form. If you failed to receive, or misplaced your renewal form, you can get one at your local motor tax office or can downloaded Form RF100a under the Motor Tax Forms link at www.motortax.ie (link is external). Further details on motor tax including Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Motor Tax System for new cars registered since 1 July 2008, as well as download versions of motor tax forms are available at www.environ.ie (link is external).
If a vehicle is not going to be in use for a period of between 3 and 12 months, a non-use declaration must be made online at www.motortax.ie (link is external) or to your local motor tax office by completion of form RF150. The non-use declaration can only be made in advance (month of expiry of current disc or current non-use declaration only) of the vehicle being taken off the road if you wish to avoid the requirement to pay motor tax for the period of non-use. Vehicles may not be declared off the road for a period shorter than 3 months. Form RF150 and further details are available from your local motor tax office or for download from www.motortax.ie (link is external) or www.environ.ie (link is external).
Change of Vehicle Ownership:
The law requires that all changes of vehicle ownership must be notified to the Department of Transport and the changes recorded on the National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF). In addition to fulfilling legal obligations in relation to vehicle registration and motor tax collection these details may also be very beneficial to owners themselves. For example when a vehicle is subject to a safety recall manufacturers endeavor to contact all registered owners with the assistance of data from the NVDF. Therefore, it is important that the ownership and address details are up to date at all times and that changes are notified promptly.
There are obligations on both the sellers and buyers of vehicles to comply with the procedures for notification of vehicle ownership and there are penalties, upon conviction, for non compliance. The onus is on the seller to ensure that the necessary documentation relating to a change of ownership is completed. A registered owner must be recorded against each vehicle and in the event of failure to establish the correct credentials of a new owner the seller’s name remains on record. That person remains liable for any charges which arise in relation to the vehicle including motor tax and any penalties which may be incurred (parking, traffic violations etc.).
Online Change of Ownership Service:
Motor dealers are involved in the majority of vehicle sale and purchase transactions and the Department has an E- Government service which enables approved dealers notify these vehicle ownership changes to the NVDF over the internet at www.motortrans.ie (link is external).
The online facility can only be used by dealers who have been approved by the Department for the submission of details by electronic means. The website contains instructions for dealers to register to use the service.
The online service also incorporates:
** a facility whereby Authorised Treatment Facilities may notify vehicle end-of-life (ELV) instances
** a transaction tracking facility for motor dealers who submit electronic notices
** a facility for the general motoring public where, through a link from the online motor tax website www.motortax.ie (link is external), some non confidential information on recent transactions recorded on the NVDF may be obtained – this is to avoid the necessity to make telephone calls to establish the status of change of ownership notices.
Sale to a Motor Dealer:
If a vehicle is being sold to a motor dealer, the seller should give the dealer the Vehicle Registration Certificate (or licensing certificate) and both the seller and the dealer must complete form RF105. Where a dealer is enabled to use the online change of vehicle ownership service the dealer will arrange to have the details notified online. Otherwise the seller must send the RF105 form to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Computer Services Division (DVCSD), Department of Transport, Shannon, Co. Clare. The DVCSD will record the dealer as the registered owner of the vehicle.
Private Sale:
If a vehicle is sold privately, both the seller and the buyer must complete reverse portion of the Vehicle Registration Certificate (or in the case of pre-April 2004 vehicles Part B the vehicle licensing certificate) and send to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Computer Services Division (DVCSD), Department of Transport, Shannon, Co. Clare. The DVCSD will process this transaction and issue a new Vehicle Registration Certificate (VRC) to the new owner.
Change in Ownership for pre 1993 vehicles:
Form RF200 should be used where a change of ownership needs to be notified for a vehicle registered before 1 January 1993. The completed form and registration (log) book must be submitted to your local motor tax office. This Form RF200 is available from Motor Tax Offices, Public Libraries and Garda Stations or can be downloaded at www.motortax.ie (link is external). If the vehicle is being sold to a motor dealer the registration book should be given to the motor dealer and Form RF 200 sent to the local motor tax office.
Vehicle Registration Certificate:
The Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations, 2004 introduced a document for registration and licensing purposes in compliance with the requirements of EU Directive 1999/37/EC. The Registration Certificate constitutes the registration or ‘log’ book for a vehicle and is generated by the National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF) when a recently registered vehicle (new and imported) has been road taxed for the first time and upon each change of ownership (other than to a motor dealer) subsequently. The registration certificate is an important document and must be stored carefully. It will be required when the vehicle next changes ownership.
The Vehicle Licensing Certificate predates the Vehicle Registration Certificate and ceased to be issued in May 2004. However this Certificate may still be associated with vehicles registered before May 2004 which has not changed ownership in the interval. In such cases a Vehicle Registration Certificate will be issued to the new owner upon change of ownership.
Where a Vehicle Registration Certificate has been lost or destroyed Form RF134 must be completed and forwarded to the vehicle owner’s local motor tax office. This form must be witnessed and stamped by a member of An Garda Siochana. This form is available at all motor tax offices or can be downloaded at www.motortax.ie (link is external). A motor tax office will charge €12 for this service.
Change of Address:
A vehicle owner may amend their address on the NVDF by completing the reverse side of their Vehicle Registration Certificate/Vehicle Licensing Certificate and forwarding it to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Computer Services Division (DVCSD), Department of Transport, Shannon, Co. Clare. The Department will process the details and forward a new Vehicle Registration Certificate with the updated details to the owner. An address change can also be processed online, but only as part of an online motor tax transaction.
Vehicle Destructions:
Insurance Write Offs
Insurers provide details of written-off vehicles and the NVDF is updated with these particulars. Where written off instances are noted on the NVDF it results in the affected vehicles on the system being generally ‘locked down’ so that no further activity such as changes of vehicle ownership or renewal of motor tax can be recorded. ‘Write offs’ generally refer to vehicles that have been extensively damaged and designated by insurers as being totally or substantially destroyed.
End of Life Vehicle (ELVS):
The Waste Management (End of Life Vehicles) Regulations 2006 provide for the implementation in Ireland of Directive 2000/53/EC on end of life vehicles. The Regulations introduced new environmental standards to ensure that materials are recovered and recycled in a way that does not harm the environment. In the event of the destruction of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles (less than 3,500 kg gross vehicle weight), the vehicle registration certificate/licensing certificate must be surrendered to an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) when the vehicle is being deposited for destruction. An ATF is a facility where the collection and storage and treatment of ELV’s may take place. Details of ATF’s can be got from each local authority. Vehicles can be deposited free-of-charge at an ATF.
A Certificate of Destruction (COD) is issued to the registered owner of the vehicle. The COD is a declaration that the vehicle to which it relates will be destroyed in accordance with the requirements of the regulations and that the specified information on that certificate will be noted on the NVDF. When a COD has issued for a vehicle, the vehicle cannot be subsequently taxed or used in a public place and the relevant record on the NVDF is ‘locked down’ and no further activity can be recorded.