What's going on with this van's tax?

What's going on with this van's tax?

I bought a commercial car van 1.4cc and applied to tax as commercial by post. But was taxed as private. It was for a number of years taxed as private before I bought it without my knowledge as I never looked at tax book. I was charged € 385.00 for the year. When I questioned this was told it was too late and I would have to wait until tax ran out before I could revert to commerical , then I would have to weigh the van again to get it re registered as commerical. It is taxed as private but not registered wit the NCT so not classed as private with nct so cannot test with Nct. Now it's neighter private or commerical ( a half breed ). By law all private vehicles to be tested by NCT . And commericles to be tested by DOE. Where does mine fit in not commericle not private as only half registered as private. If registered as private tax price should be € 180.00 , not € 385.00. What is going on with motor tax office , ripping people off when they go to tax their car. Confusing them . Leaving them with nighters private or commerical car. Cannot tax it as private as only half registered as private and can't test it as private. Have to pay double test fee for DOE if I test it as commerical . If its registered as private it should be tested as private. ( Another .Government rip off ).

Our answer:

Hi Jim,

I'm not sure we can do anything to make you happier other than explain what appears to have happened. The vehicle must once have been registered as a commercial, presumably when new. From that point on it has to have a 'DOE' test (nowadays called the CVRT (Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness Test) for the rest of its days even if the vehicle changes over to private use, as it appears to have.

The tax system is very strange, but clear. If you change the use of a commercial vehicle to private use, the motor tax is not based on the emissions, but on the engine size, even if it's a post-2008 model. The vehicle you refer to must have an engine of between 1,301- and 1,400cc to come with an annual bill of €385.

There isn't anything you can do to change this, unfortunately. 

Shane O'Donoghue

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