Road tax deadline looms

Kathimerini.com.cy

There are only a few days left until the deadline for renewing registration licenses and, as a result, drivers who fail to renew will face a charge or even a fine if they are caught by the police. It is noted that the last day for renewal is Saturday 11 March at 12:00 midnight. Licenses can be renewed for a period of three, six, nine and twelve months.

The procedure

Traffic permits can be renewed throughout the year, online, at Banks, CCPs, Provincial offices of the Department of Postal Services and provincial offices of the TOM. It is clarified that renewal through banks can only be done online and not at the counters of bank branches. A certificate of eligibility and security is needed to complete the process. It is noted that no renewal notices will be sent to vehicle owners.

The fine

Citizens who do not renew their registration permit by Saturday will be charged, as a penalty, the sum of 10 euros and an amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the registration permit corresponding to the amount due for the current year. The extrajudicial fee issued by the Police shall amount to EUR 85.

The trend

According to the Officer of the Road Transport Department, Vladimiros Zavros, the vast majority of Cypriots prefer to renew their license online and on an annual basis. He also anticipated that, based on past trends, renewals will total around 240,000 in the first ten days of March. However, the Road Transport Department advises everyone to renew their vehicle registrations on time and not to wait until the last few days to avoid possible system overloading and inconvenience.

Immobilization and damage to vehicles

According to the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works, those who had renewed their vehicle registration for the year 2022 but do not intend to renew it for the year 2023 should submit a vehicle immobilization or an "inoperative vehicle" notice to the TOM. Immobilization can also be done online through the TOM website.  Otherwise, the obligation to pay the amount corresponding to the registration fee will continue to exist. 

Furthermore, vehicles for which the registration for the year 2022 has not been renewed and which have not been declared immobilized will be deleted from the TOM register if the amount due for the year 2022 is not paid and the vehicle registration for the year 2023 is not renewed by midnight on Saturday 11.3.2023.

In the event of vehicle destruction, an application for cancellation of vehicle registration (form TOM 98A) should be submitted to the TOM, along with a "Certificate of Destruction" issued by a licensed vehicle waste treatment facility, which will exempt the vehicle owner from the obligation to pay registration fees from the date of vehicle destruction.