The deadline for renewing road tax has been extended to March 9 of each year on a permanent basis, under a law passed on Thursday.
The current law calls for road tax to be paid within 40 days from the expiry date; the new deadline is now 70 days, which falls on March 9.
The deadline for payment is usually the beginning of February but parliament traditionally extends it for a month.
In the House, MPs said the change is intended to ease the pressure on people, since the bulk of other levies – such as Immovable Property Tax – are payable in the November to December period.
Also on Thursday, legislators passed another law extending to March 31 the deadline for late payments of road tax on idle vehicles, and also slashed the late penalty from €30 to €10.
The arrears in question had been due in July 2014. An estimated 143,000 vehicles are affected, which amounts to €53m owed in unpaid road tax. The government has so far received a fraction of that amount.
Following a bill passed by parliament last November, owners of immobilised vehicles will be spared the road tax if they file an application to have the vehicle declared immobile.
Vehicle owners who have not paid their road tax for the last three years, on vehicles they are no longer using, will not be subjected to a road tax if they file an application with the Road Transport Department (RTD) or give a sworn statement in court verifying that the vehicle is no longer in use.
This applies to vehicles not in use, vehicles that were destroyed in accidents and even vehicles that were bought but the previous owner had neglected to pay the road tax.
Sparing owners of idle vehicles was deemed necessary by the RTD, due to the high number of people refusing to pay the circulation tax on vehicles they no longer use.
The relevant declaration and objection forms have yet to be prepared by the transport ministry.
AKEL MP Andreas Fakondis said that if the paperwork and procedures on idle vehicles are delayed further, then parliament might subsequently have to grant another extension to this category of motorists.
20 Comments
Argent
February 6, 2015 at 20:09Bollox, just paid mine.
justaboutcyprus
February 6, 2015 at 16:35RT @cyprusmail: The deadline for renewing road tax has been extended to March 9 of each year on a permanent basis: http://t.co/IL1AH64i7J #…
Jack Iacovou
February 6, 2015 at 13:05yeah right – extended to March eh? March of what year?
c0rall1cyprus
February 6, 2015 at 13:29RT @cyprusmail: The deadline for renewing road tax has been extended to March 9 of each year on a permanent basis: http://t.co/IL1AH64i7J #…
FionaMullenCY
February 6, 2015 at 13:22RT @cyprusmail: The deadline for renewing road tax has been extended to March 9 of each year on a permanent basis: http://t.co/IL1AH64i7J #…
CIFSACyprus
February 6, 2015 at 13:18RT @cyprusmail: The deadline for renewing road tax has been extended to March 9 of each year on a permanent basis: http://t.co/IL1AH64i7J #…
lstscy
February 6, 2015 at 13:18RT @cyprusmail: The deadline for renewing road tax has been extended to March 9 of each year on a permanent basis: http://t.co/IL1AH64i7J #…
cyprusmail
February 6, 2015 at 13:17The deadline for renewing road tax has been extended to March 9 of each year on a permanent basis: http://t.co/IL1AH64i7J #Cyprus
CostaConstanti
February 6, 2015 at 13:07#Cyprus Govt must pass REAL life-saving road laws -not this joke! Reducing late fees 10 euro is encouraging deviance! http://t.co/0SNnQWMFfr
Jim Leslie
February 6, 2015 at 11:58I am still getting threatening letters from the RTD about a car of mine that was legally disposed of through the Customs five years ago. Countless phone calls and emails (from me to them but unanswered) have not solved this. I will probably be dragged into court about this one day.
Argent
February 6, 2015 at 20:10Just keep all the paperwork inc, emails, then present it to the court.
xenonx
February 6, 2015 at 11:36What is the meaning of deadline?
To EU and the sane world – it is understood as the latest time or date by which something should be completed.
Why do Cypriots have to try to bend every rule the rest of us live by?
Stupidity or a god given right to disobey. Cypriot definition – DEADLINE PLUS 70 days – only in the RoC!
Smusy
February 6, 2015 at 11:02Hi all, it’s a welcome move by RTD, but I’m still not paying them €600 for my old Mitsubishi 2.5litre, they can all go and jump in a river.
disqus_ZPlOdQqScB
February 6, 2015 at 13:30Why?
ctrustglobal
February 6, 2015 at 10:09Road tax deadline extended to March: The deadline for renewing road tax has been extended to March 9 of each y… http://t.co/zWsjvIO3cj
AntiguaEmbassy
February 6, 2015 at 10:09Road tax deadline extended to March: The deadline for renewing road tax has been extended to March 9 of each y… http://t.co/2D9f4gf5tg
George Gee
February 6, 2015 at 09:0370 days is not enough! Give us at least 180..
Jim Leslie
February 6, 2015 at 11:59Why stop at 180? I expect it to be 365 soon, which is what some are taking as the norm anyway.
Anders Yuran
February 6, 2015 at 12:40Looking at BBC I see that a LOT of cars in UK also have the same problem. Tax, MOT and insurance not done or paid
Argent
February 6, 2015 at 20:14No you dont. Its all on computer. If they get stopped on a road, not only do they get a fine and points, but the vehicle gets taken also. They can and do more, but it would take to long to explain.
Basically, you are allowed 14 days grace on the road tax.