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fine for not registering the car within 20 days

Fcar

I arrived in Malta at the end of 2013. Been driving my Italian car knowing I could do so for 6 months as a tourist. I applied for Maltese residency in mid march, and yesterday I picked up my ID card. Today I started to check what I should do to register my car, hoping to get an exemption on registration tax, but reading here and elsewhere I found out that not only I'm late according to the terms provided for the exemption, but that I'm also late for registering the car. I should have done it soon after applying for the ID card (which carries as official issue date March the 28th) or within 20 days from my new status as resident. So basically I have to pay something like 2000 euros for the registration, plus 30 euro per day starting from the 21st day after I became officially a resident. Big trouble also because I don't even have a damn bank account yet here, banks wouldn't open one without the maltese ID (can I make a wire from Italy to pay for the registration tax??). I'll call Friday to get more info from the trasport malta authority and fix an appointment to register the car. Does anyone have a similar experience? Are they strict on the 20 days? Or I can just get away with it and pay only the 2000 registration fee, which is a big hit anyway?

See also

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georgeingozo

I suggest stop driving the car, or you risk making it worse, as its illegal for a resident to drive a foreign plated car (unless have an exemption)

georgeingozo

on what basis are you hoping to get an exemption on the registration tax ?

Rocky1965

On the same subject of registering a vehicle. Does anyone know the cost of registering a transit van. Is this also 2000 euro. Thanks

georgeingozo

the registration tax on a vehicle can be hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands, depending on emissions age etc - you need to put the details of your vehicle in the TM website to see

MovingToTheMed

Rocky1965 wrote:

On the same subject of registering a vehicle. Does anyone know the cost of registering a transit van. Is this also 2000 euro. Thanks


Hi Rocky1965 - I haven't moved yet but did write up a blog (as a reminder for myself) about getting a vehicle across when we move later in the year - you should find the links you need at this 

movingtothemed.com/importing-registering-and-taxing-a-car-from-uk-to-malta/

Of course, if you (or anyone else) find anything wrong, please let me know! Thanks

Rocky1965

Thanks very much for the info

tearnet

MovingToTheMed wrote:
Rocky1965 wrote:

On the same subject of registering a vehicle. Does anyone know the cost of registering a transit van. Is this also 2000 euro. Thanks


Hi Rocky1965 - I haven't moved yet but did write up a blog (as a reminder for myself) about getting a vehicle across when we move later in the year - you should find the links you need at this 



Of course, if you (or anyone else) find anything wrong, please let me know! Thanks


Pretty good write up on what's required but a warning.
One thing to remember is that to claim exemption from the registration tax you will have to prove that you have resided outside of Malta  and owned the car for at least two years.
So if you bring the vehicle over and pretend you are a tourist for 6 months then decide to register the vehicle and start the residency procedure you will have to have proof that you were only a tourist for those six month!
They are very pedantic about this and require bank statements, household bills etc for every month covering the two year requirement.


Terry

georgeingozo

tearnet wrote:

.
So if you bring the vehicle over and pretend you are a tourist for 6 months


plus you cant be a tourist for a continuous 6 months, only 3 months at a time

Fcar

Tomorrow I'll call to schedule an appointment to have the car inspected and then registered, let you know how it goes. Anyway this registration fee it's probably the most absurd and idiotic tax in Malta. Totally outrageous even in the way the manage it (they could at least inform you about this ILLEGAL thing you may incur in the same application for the residency: if you have a car, please be aware that you have to register it within 20 days from this application!).

georgeingozo

I agree, it would be a courtesy for them to do so even if legally they dont have to. However, similar laws apply in other EU countries, including the UK

MovingToTheMed

Thanks Terry, hadn't thought of that

tearnet

Your_Europe wrote:

Hi FCar,
as a new resident, you should be exempt from the registration tax. The exact conditions are here:
This also has a link to the Maltese government site containing even more detailed information.


The information on the link does not say you are exempt from registration tax in Malta, it directs you to the TM website where the conditions we have explained for being eligible for exemption are explained.


Terry

georgeingozo

its not just a matter of missing a deadline - even if you apply within 20 days, you are only exempt under certain conditions, the main one being ownership of the vehicle outside of Malta for the last 2 years and residence outside  of Malta for the last 2 years

Fcar

the car has been registered under my name since I bought it over 3 years ago, and I had the residency out of Malta in the last 2 years. I'll ask when I'm there but I think the exemption can't be granted because I missed the 20 days deadline. Today I insured the car for 250 euro (full cover), at least here it's a huge saving compared to italy where the same costs over 1000 euro.

Fcar

on the examption form the following sentence is key:

"A vehicle that has already arrived in Malta, the application has to be made by the person transferring his residence within 30 days from the date on which that person had transferred his residence to Malta".

now which one is that date?? the day I applied for residency? the day I phisically received the card? the date printed on the card?

georgeingozo

As an EU citizen you dont apply for residency, you inform the authorities you consider yourself resident, so I would say from the day you hand over the forms

Fcar

this morning I applied for the exemption, assuming as the start of my residency here in Malta the date printed on the card issued by the department of foreign affairs to go and collect the ID card. Hope it'll be accepted.

Fcar

and my exemption request has been accepted. I was within the 30 days (not 20) since the start of my residency!

georgeingozo

excellent :-) by start of residency do you mean the start date on your eResidence card, or the date you applied for your card

MovingToTheMed

georgeingozo wrote:

excellent :-) by start of residency do you mean the start date on your eResidence card, or the date you applied for your card


Yes, I too am very interested in when the 20 or 30 days is said to have started. Thanks  :)