Motor Tax

The principal responsibility of the Motor Tax Office is the processing of motor taxation applications. Motor Tax is collected by Limerick City and County Council on behalf of the Department of Transport.

Motor Tax Office Opening Hours

Council Building Dooradoyle: 9.15am - 3.30pm
Newcastle West Area Office: 9.15am - 3.30pm

The easiest and most convenient way to pay Motor Tax and access information about motor tax, including motor tax rates and forms, is online at Motor Tax Online.

Renewing your Motor Tax
Taxing a New Vehicle
Taxing Other Vehicles
Taxing Light Goods/Own Goods Vehicles
Taxing Heavy Goods Vehicles
Applying for a Refund of Motor Tax
Application Forms
Additional Motor Tax Information
Driver Licence/Learner Permit
Vehicle Testing
Useful Links
Contact Information & Motor Tax Office Locations

Renewing Your Motor Tax

Renewing Your Motor Tax Online
Renewing Your Motor Tax by Post
Renewing Your Motor Tax at your Local Tax Office

Renewing Your Motor Tax Online

Did you know you can now renew your motor tax 24 hours a day, 7 days a week over the internet?

Motor Tax Online is a secure service provided by Ireland's local authorities and the Department of Transport, which allows customers to tax their vehicles or renew their motor tax online using the PIN number provided on their motor tax renewal notice (RF100B) issued by the Department of Transport.

To complete your motor tax renewal online you will need:

Credit card or debit card
Your motor insurance details
Your PIN number - this is printed on the renewal form sent to you by post or may be obtained by clicking the "Get Your PIN" link on www.motortax.ie

Alternatively, your PIN can be found on your VRC (vehicle Registration Certificate). It is the last six digits of the Serial Number.

The following types of vehicles can be taxed online; private cars, motorcycles, agricultural tractors, excavators/diggers, combine harvesters, hearses, vehicles adapted for use by disabled persons, motor caravans (not for first taxing) and vintage or veteran vehicles.

You can renew motor tax for a goods/commercial vehicle online providing you have a certificate of road worthiness which is valid from the beginning of the new motor tax period.

Renewing Your Motor Tax by Post

You can renew your motor tax anytime during the month of expiry of your current motor tax disc. Post your completed application together with fee and relevant documentation to the address below.

Use Tax Renewal Form RF100A (blank form) or reminder form RF100B to renew your motor tax by post. You can use your preferred method of payment whether that is bank draft, cheque, postal or money order, or by completing the credit card details section on the form. You will also need valid insurance details and signature of vehicle owner.
Note: If vehicle is changing ownership motor tax/arrears are due from date of sale or if the vehicle has been declared off road from the current month in which you want to tax the vehicle.

(RF100B is a renewal/reminder form issued by the Department of Transport which is posted to you when your tax is due to expire.)

Customers can avail of the postal service by sending their applications to:

Motor Tax Department
Council Buildings
Dooradoyle
Limerick

Please do not send cash via the postal system.

Renewing your Motor Tax at your Local Tax Office

Full motor tax over the counter services are available at:

Council Buildings, Dooradoyle
Newcastle West Area Office

Please note: Over the counter motor taxation services are no longer provided at Merchant's Quay, Limerick.

Support to use the online service is provided in Merchant’s Quay.

Taxing a New Vehicle

If your vehicle is new, you need a 'Motor Tax Application New or Import' Form RF100. This is available from the motor dealer or NCT if imported.

Taxing Other Vehicles

Other vehicles have additional requirements as follows:

PSV licence in the case of small and large public service vehicles
Article 60 licence for school buses
A certificate of roadworthiness / pass statement issued by an authorised tester for large public service vehicles and ambulances that are 1 year old or over
A recovery vehicle declaration Form RF111B for recovery vehicles

Taxing Light Goods/Own Goods Vehicles

Light goods vehicles are vehicles not exceeding 3,500kg Design Gross Vehicle Weight.

For the first taxation of a light goods vehicle in your name you will need the following:

Completed Motor Taxation Form RF100, RF100A or RF111
Goods Only Declaration RF111A (signed and stamped at your local Garda station)
Full certificate of commercial insurance
Log book/VRC (if the vehicle has been previously taxed)
Weight Docket
CRW - Certificate of road worthiness (if the vehicle is 1 year and over)
Proof from Revenue - Company/Self-employed or Employee working for a company

Company/Self-employed need to provide one of the following:
1. Revenue notice of assessment (Dated within the last 12 months)
2. Revenue Letter (Dated within the last 12 months)
3. Revenue P30 monthly PAYE/PRSI returns (Dated within the last 12 months)
4. Revenue VAT return (The last quarter returned but has to be dated within the last 12 months))
5. Revenue Tax clearance in a company name only (Dated within the last 12 months

Please note: The following documents are not accepted:
Tax clearance in an individual's name (self-employed)
Herd or flock number
CRO Certificate

Employee working for a company needs to provide a letter on company letterhead stating all of the following:
a. Employees name and address
b. Employees PPSN
c. Vehicle Registration
d. Vehicle is used solely for work purposes

The company letterhead must include: Company name, address, contact numbers, VAT number. If the VAT number is not on the letterhead, please provide company invoice showing VAT registration number.

Taxing Heavy Goods Vehicles

Heavy goods vehicles are vehicles exceeding 3,500kg Design Gross Vehicle Weight.

For the first taxation of a heavy goods vehicle in your name you will need to submit the following:

Completed Motor Taxation Form RF100 or RF100A
Weight docket from authorised weighbridge is required. A weight master certificate is required for vehicles over 7,500kg in respect of all articulated vehicles
CRW - Certificate of road worthiness (if the vehicle is 1 year and over)
Full certificate of commercial insurance
Appropriate fee

Please note that the Licencing Authority may require a weight docket on the change of ownership of a rigid truck in its absolute discretion.

To renew motor taxation on a heavy goods vehicle currently taxed in your name, you will need to submit the following:

Completed application form Reminder RF100B or Renewal RF100A
CRW - Certificate of road worthiness (if the vehicle is 1 year and over)
insurance details - Full certificate of commercial insurance
Appropriate fee

To renew motor taxation where any modifications have been made, e.g. change of unladen weight, since last taxation, you will need to submit the following:

Completed Change of Particulars form RF111
Registration book or vehicle registration certificate
Weight docket from authorised weighbridge
Appropriate fee
Insurance details

Note: An articulated vehicle, i.e. vehicle and trailer, is regarded as a single vehicle and motor tax is payable on the basis of the unladen weight of the tractor unit plus the unladen weight of the heaviest trailer which may be used at any time during the period of licence.

Applying for a Refund of Motor Tax

To apply for a refund of motor tax, you need to download and complete form RF120. Your completed application form should include the current tax disc, Vehicle Licensing/Registration Certificate or Registration Book, together with all other required documentation as outlined in the RF120 form.

Tax discs must be surrendered immediately as refunds are generally calculated from the first of the month following the surrender of the disc. A minimum of three unexpired whole calendar months must be left on the disc when surrendered.

Your completed application form should be returned to the Motor Tax Department, Council Buildings, Dooradoyle, Limerick.

Application Forms

Additional Motor Tax Information

Change of Vehicle Ownership and Motor Tax
Replacing a Lost Tax Disc
Vehicle off the Road
Changing a Vehicle's Use
Motor Tax Rates
Lost your pin or didn't get a reminder in the post

Change of Vehicle Ownership and Motor Tax

If you sell your vehicle or trade it in for a replacement, you must register the change of ownership. This is done in one of two ways and depends on whether the vehicle was first registered before or after 1 January 1993. You cannot tax your new vehicle until the registration of the change of ownership has gone through. You can check the status of the vehicle on Motor Tax Online.

You then renew the motor tax on the vehicle online or using Form RF100A. If the motor tax on your new vehicle has already expired, you are not liable for the arrears period from the expiry of the last tax disc to the end of the month immediately preceding the date you bought it.

It is an offence to drive without paying motor tax, so you should not drive until you have received confirmation that the registration has occurred and you have paid the motor tax.

Replacing a Lost Tax Disc

It is possible to obtain replacement documents associated with motor tax. List of documents and the cost of their replacement are as follows:

Document	Replacement cost
Tax disc	€6
Registration book/certificate	€12
Vehicle licensing certificate	€12

To obtain replacement documents, complete Form RF134 and have this form witnessed by a member of the Garda Síochána at a Garda Station. Forward your completed form with the appropriate fee to your Motor Tax Office.

Vehicle Off the Road

If you vehicle is temporarily off the road, you do not have to pay motor tax for that period. You are required to make a declaration in advance that your vehicle will be off the road. To do this, you must complete a Declaration of Non-Use of a Motor Vehicle Form RF150, and submit it to your local Motor Tax Office, or it can be done online at www.motortax.ie in the same month that your current motor tax disc expires. You can take the vehicle off the road for a minimum of 3 months - maximum 12 months.

In the event of the purchase of a vehicle form RF150 must be submitted to the Motor Tax Office within 21 days of the date of sale. Where a vehicle is imported from RF150 must be submitted within 21 days of the date vehicle is registered in the state. Similarly, a brand new vehicle must be notified within 21 days of the date of registration.

In the event of the vehicle going back on the road anytime during the off-road period, you may tax as normal for the first day of the month. this will terminate the period of non-use.

Changing a Vehicle's Use

If you wish to change a vehicle’s use from commercial use to private use or vice versa, you should contact your nearest Motor Tax Office to see if they will accept your vehicle’s change of classification and find out what documentation they require. Changing the classification of the vehicle may also change the amount of motor tax you need to pay.

Motor Tax Rates

A motor tax disc is issued for 3, 6 or 12 months and how the rate is calculated depends on the type of vehicle.

There are now two systems under which road tax is calculated for passenger cars, engine size and CO2 emission levels. Commercial vehicles taxed privately are always taxed on engine cc. For more information or to calculate your motor tax rate go to Motor Tax Online.

Motor tax rates January 2021 are available here.

Lost your pin or didn't get a reminder in the post

Your PIN is included in your renewal notice which is posted (or sent by email if enrolled for electronic correspondence) in the month of tax expiry. If you have lost your pin or did not receive your renewal notice follow the instructions as follows:

Log onto www.motortax.ie
Input your vehicle registration number in the box provided
Click on PIN Retrieval Option
Follow the online instructions

Alternatively, your PIN can be found on your VRC (Vehicle Registration Certificate). It is the last six digits of the Serial Number.

Driver Licence/Learner Permit

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has responsibility for driver licensing and the National Driver Licence Service (NDLS) delivers the service.

Any query you may have about driving licences (driver record/endorsements/penalty points etc), including applications for a licence or learner permit, must be made to the National Driving Licence Service (NDLS).

National Driving Licence Service (NDLS)
29 Parkway Shopping Centre
Dublin Rd
Limerick
V94 FX92
Phone: 0761 087880

Vehicle Testing

National Car Test (NCT)

The National Car Test (NCT) is carried out for the Government by the National Car Testing Service Ltd. (NCTS)
The NCT conducts car (EU Category M1) road-worthiness testing.

For further details, including booking a test, click here.