Finance Act 2011

Remission or repayment in respect of vehicle registration tax on certain hybrid electric vehicles, certain flexible fuel vehicles, certain plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, certain electric vehicles and certain electric motorcycles.

53.— Chapter IV of Part II of the Finance Act 1992 is amended by substituting the following for section 135C:

“(1) (a) Where a person first registers a category A vehicle or a category B vehicle during the period from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2012 and the Commissioners are satisfied that the vehicle is—

(i) a series production hybrid electric vehicle, or

(ii) a series production flexible fuel vehicle,

then the Commissioners shall remit or repay to that person an amount equal to the lesser of—

(I) the vehicle registration tax which, apart from this subsection, would be payable in respect of the vehicle in accordance with paragraph (a) or (c) of section 132(3), or

(II) the amount specified in the Table to this subsection which is referable to the vehicle having regard to its age.

(b) In this subsection ‘age’, in relation to a vehicle, means the time that has elapsed since the date on which the vehicle first entered into service.

TABLE 1

Age of vehicle

Maximum amount which may be remitted or repaid

New vehicle, first registration

€1,500

Not a new vehicle but less than 2 years

€1,350

2 years or over but less than 3 years

€1,200

3 years or over but less than 4 years

€1,050

4 years or over but less than 5 years

€900

5 years or over but less than 6 years

€750

6 years or over but less than 7 years

€600

7 years or over but less than 8 years

€450

8 years or over but less than 9 years

€300

9 years or over but less than 10 years

€150

10 years or over

Nil

(2) (a) Where a person first registers a category A vehicle or a category B vehicle during the period from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2012 and the Commissioners are satisfied that the vehicle is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, then the Commissioners shall remit or repay to that person an amount equal to the lesser of—

(i) the vehicle registration tax which, apart from this subsection, would be payable in respect of the vehicle in accordance with paragraph (a) or (c) of section 132(3), or

(ii) the amount specified in the Table to this subsection which is referable to the vehicle having regard to its age.

(b) In this subsection ‘age’, in relation to a vehicle, means the time that has elapsed since the date on which the vehicle first entered into service.

TABLE 2

Age of vehicle

Maximum amount which may be remitted or repaid

New vehicle, first registration

€2,500

Not a new vehicle but less than 2 years

€2,250

2 years or over but less than 3 years

€2,000

3 years or over but less than 4 years

€1,750

4 years or over but less than 5 years

€1,500

5 years or over but less than 6 years

€1,250

6 years or over but less than 7 years

€1,000

7 years or over but less than 8 years

€750

8 years or over but less than 9 years

€500

9 years or over but less than 10 years

€250

10 years or over

Nil

(3) (a) A category A electric vehicle or a category B electric vehicle first registered during the period from 1 January 2011 to 30 April 2011 is exempt from vehicle registration tax where the Commissioners are satisfied that such vehicle is a series production electric vehicle.

(b) Where a person first registers a category A electric vehicle or a category B electric vehicle during the period from 1 May 2011 to 31 December 2012 and the Commissioners are satisfied that the vehicle is a series production electric vehicle, then the Commissioners shall remit or repay to that person an amount equal to the lesser of—

(i) the vehicle registration tax which, apart from this subsection, would be payable in respect of the vehicle in accordance with paragraph (a) or (c) of section 132(3), or

(ii) €5,000.

(4) An electric motorcycle first registered during the period 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2012 is exempt from vehicle registration tax where the Commissioners are satisfied that such vehicle is a series production electric motorcycle.”.