The renewal period for vehicle road tax licences for 2026 officially opened on January 7, the Road Transport Department (RTD) announced. Motorists have until midnight on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, to complete the process without incurring penalties.
Renewal Period And Duration Options
According to the Road Transport Department of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works, vehicle licences may be renewed for periods of:
- 3 months
- 6 months
- 9 months
- 12 months
Late Renewal Penalties
If the licence is not renewed by the March 11 deadline, a surcharge will apply. The penalty consists of:
- A fixed €10 fee, plus
- 10% of the road tax amount corresponding to the outstanding period for the current year.
What Is Required For Renewal
To renew a vehicle’s road tax licence, motorists must ensure that:
- A valid roadworthiness certificate (MOT) is in place
- The vehicle has valid insurance cover
Both are mandatory prerequisites for completing the renewal.
Online And In-Person Renewal Options
The RTD notes that motorists who face difficulties using online services may renew their licence in person at:
- District Offices of the Road Transport Department
- Citizen Service Centres (KEP)KEP
- Post Offices (KEPO)
For online renewals, the process is considered complete only once the screen titled “Print Road Tax Licence” appears. This screen displays, among other details, the expiry month and year of the licence and the vehicle’s registration number.
If the process is interrupted before this screen appears, the renewal is not completed and must be repeated.
Improved Payment System
The department has upgraded its electronic payment system, introducing an additional level of verification to ensure that licences are issued strictly on the basis of completed payments.
Advice To Motorists
Motorists are urged to renew their road tax licences well in advance and avoid leaving the process until the final days, in order to prevent inconvenience due to potential system overload.
Vehicle Immobilisation For 2026
Owners who renewed their vehicle licence for 2025 but do not intend to renew it for 2026 must submit a vehicle immobilisation notification to the RTD.
Failure to declare immobilisation means the obligation to pay road tax continues to apply.
Immobilisation can also be declared online via the RTD website.
Vehicles At Risk Of Deregistration
Vehicles for which the 2025 road tax licence was not renewed and which have not been declared immobilised will be removed from the RTD register, unless:
- The outstanding amount for 2025 is paid, and
- The road tax licence for 2026 is renewed by midnight on March 11, 2026.
Procedure In Case Of Vehicle Destruction
In cases where a vehicle has been destroyed, owners must submit an application for cancellation of registration (Form TOM 98A), accompanied by a Certificate of Destruction issued by a licensed end-of-life vehicle treatment facility.
This process releases the owner from the obligation to pay road tax from the date of destruction.
Vehicles Excluded From Online Renewal
While road tax licences can generally be renewed online throughout the year, the following categories are excluded and must be handled in person at RTD district offices:
- Vehicles belonging to embassies
- Private buses owned by large families
- Vehicles belonging to quarries
- Vintage vehicles with special licences (€25 fee)
- Vehicles belonging to the United Nations
- Vehicles belonging to organisations with exemption code 04 that do not have system access credentials
No Renewal Notices To Be Sent
The RTD confirmed that no reminder notifications will be sent to vehicle owners. Motorists are therefore responsible for monitoring renewal deadlines themselves.
Owners are also reminded to keep their contact details up to date in the RTD registry in order to receive important information, such as safety recall notices, related to their vehicles.