Roads and Transport

Motor tax

If you want to drive your car in a public place, you must have motor tax and display the tax disc in the car. This is a legal requirement. Motor tax is collected by the local authority on behalf of the government. 

There are three ways to pay for motor tax. You can:

• Pay online at MotorTax.ie
• Pay in person at your local motor tax office
• Request forms from your local motor tax office to fill out and return by post 

Motor tax discs are issued for periods of three, six or 12 months. The rate of tax you must pay depends on the vehicle being taxed. 

What do I need to pay for motor tax?

To pay your motor tax, make sure you have the following details to hand:

• Vehicle registration number
• Insurance details for the vehicle
• Your payment details (usually a credit or debit card)
• If you're paying online at MotorTax.ie you will also need an email address and a Personal Identification Number (PIN). You can get instructions for finding your PIN at MotorTax.ie.

You will need to confirm which of the following categories your vehicle falls under:

• Private vehicle
• Goods/commercial vehicle
• Agricultural tractor
• Motorcycle
• Other 

For further information on applying for motor tax, visit your local authority website.

Motor Tax Office

Your local motor tax office manages motor tax for your local authority and they are responsible for:

• Issuing motor tax discs
• Replacing lost documents and tax discs
• Refunding motor tax for eligible vehicles
• Issuing trade plates to car dealers

To find out more about the services offered by your local motor tax office, visit your local authority website.

Declaring a vehicle off the road

If you are not planning on using your vehicle on public roads for a period of time, you can declare the vehicle off the road within a month of your current tax disc expiring, which means you will not need to pay motor tax on it. However, you must apply for motor tax before using it on a public road again.

If you wait until after your current tax disc has expired to declare the vehicle off the road, you will need to pay tax on the vehicle for a minimum of three months before it can be declared off-road. Make sure to submit your application before your current tax disc expires to avoid paying the additional three months’ tax. 

You can declare a vehicle off-road for a minimum of three months, up to a maximum of 12 months. If you reach the end of the period and you want to keep the vehicle off-road, you can submit another application. 

You can cancel your declaration any time by renewing the motor tax on the vehicle. 

Parking

Towns and cities have rules around where you can and cannot park to ensure the safety of drivers, cyclists and pedestrians and prevent obstructions on roads and footpaths. It’s important to know the rules around parking in any area you drive to. Not following these rules could result in a fine, being clamped, or your car being towed. 

Your local authority creates bye-laws outlining where people can park, the fees for parking and the rules for parking in different areas and at different times. 

To find out where you can park and the fees associated with parking, visit the local authority website of the area you are visiting. 

How to pay for parking

When parking in a public area, look for signs that tell you whether you must pay to park there, and how long you can park there for. Some areas allow free parking during certain hours, and paid parking the rest of the time. Other areas always require paid parking. 

There are a number of ways you can pay for parking:

• Pay and display, which involves paying at a meter using card or coins and displaying the parking receipt with the time you have paid up until in a visible place in the car
• Paying by text through services like ParkingTag.ie and ApcoaConnect.ie
• Paying for a disc in local newsagents or shops to display in the windscreen. 

Residential parking permits

If you live in an area with on-street parking, you can apply for a residential parking permit from your local authority. This allows you to use the on-street parking where you live. There is a fee for residential parking permits.

To apply for a residential parking permit, contact your local authority. 

Visitor parking permits

If you live in an area with on-street parking, you may be able to purchase visitor parking permits from your local authority. 

You do not need to have a residential parking permit to apply for visitor permits. You will need to provide proof of address to show that you live at that address.

To apply for a visitor parking permit, contact your local authority. 

Accessible parking

Accessible parking spaces improve access to services and amenities by providing a safe space for drivers and/or passengers with a disability to park. 

To use a disabled parking space, you must have a Disabled Person’s Parking Permit. This can be displayed in your car to show that you can use the accessible space. This permit also allows you to park for free in any parking space, for any length of time. 

To apply for a disabled person’s parking permit, contact the Disabled Drivers’ Association or the Irish Wheelchair Association.

Disabled parking bay outside your home

If you have on-street parking outside your home, and you require a space outside your house due to a disability, you can apply for a disabled person’s parking bay to be placed outside your home. This will prevent others from being able to park there without a disabled person’s parking permit. 

Penalties for illegal parking

Traffic wardens are responsible for monitoring parking in the local authority area. These wardens can issue fines. If you park illegally or if you don’t pay for parking in a paid zone, you can be issued a fine or your car can be clamped. 

Traffic wardens are employed by the local authority and can issue fines. Clamping services, where provided, are operated by private companies working on behalf of the local authority. 

For dangerous parking offences, An Garda Síochána can issue a fine and five penalty points. 

Cars that have been abandoned or illegally parked on a public road or in a local authority car park can be towed by the local authority. If your car is towed, it will be taken to the car pound and you must pay a fee to have it released. 

Making a complaint or appeal for a parking ticket or clamp

If you receive a parking ticket or your car is clamped and you feel this was done unfairly, you can appeal the fine to the local authority. 

When doing so, make sure to include as much documentation, including pictures, as you can to show why you feel the fine or clamp was unfair.

Complaints and appeals are usually handled by the traffic or parking division of your local authority.

Electric vehicle charging points

Many local authorities provide charging points for electric vehicles. Before using an electric vehicle charging point, make sure you know the rules around using the space. 

If it is located in a pay-and-display area, you may be required to pay for parking for the duration of time that you plan to use the charger. The car should be actively charging during the time is it parked in the space. 

You cannot park in an electric charging space if you do not own an electric vehicle, or if you are not actively charging the vehicle while parked there. 

Roads maintenance

Road, footpath, and cycle lane maintenance

Keeping roads, footpaths, and cycle lanes in good condition helps to keep people safe, prevent disruption, and provide more ways to move around our cities, towns, and villages. 

Local authorities are responsible for maintaining roads, footpaths, and cycle lanes. Road maintenance services provided by the local authority include:

• Repairing potholes or damage to footpaths and cycle lanes
• Resurfacing roads
• Managing weeds on roads and footpaths
• Maintaining hedges and trees on the roadside
• Removing debris and other obstructions from roads and footpaths
• Addressing flooding issues on roads and attending to damaged or blocked gullies
• Winter road maintenance including salt or grit on the roads
• Fixing public lighting and traffic lights that may be out of order
• Reviewing applications to modify footpaths (known as dishing) for vehicles to enter driveways
• Issuing road opening licences to utility companies, contractors or developers who wish to excavate a public road or footpath

If you are aware of an issue with a public road, footpath, or cycle lane, you can report it to your local authority.

Public lighting maintenance

Making sure that roads, footpaths, and other public spaces are properly lit with good visibility is important for public safety. If a public light is out of order, this can be reported to the local authority. 

 Local authorities are currently in the process of switching public lighting to energy efficient LED lights. This switch will reduce energy and maintenance costs, save CO2, and allow for improved lighting across Ireland. Many local authorities are doing the switch through the National Public Lighting Energy Efficiency Project (PLEEP). Learn more PLEEP at PublicLighting.ie. 

Harbour maintenance

Maintaining harbours, piers and slipways is important for public safety. The development and maintenance of public harbours and piers is the responsibility of the local authority. This includes repairs, dredging, improving infrastructure, addressing issues with litter and debris, and looking after the general upkeep of the area. 

Active travel projects

Active travel means travelling in a physically active way, often by walking or cycling, or using a self-propelled wheelchair. Investing in active travel means making sure our footpaths and cycle lanes are in good condition, are safe to use, and allow people to comfortably travel in an active way. 

Local authorities around Ireland are investing in active travel projects to increase the number of options people have for moving around our towns, villages, and cities. This includes planning active travel schemes, adding new cycle lanes, expanding existing cycle lanes, altering the flow of traffic to make active travel safer, and improving footpaths and walkways. Local authorities also design greenways which combine walking and cycling routes to encourage more people to enjoy the outdoors. Towns and villages are often connected through the greenway network. 

Active travel is a healthier way to move around and can help local authorities to reach climate targets by encouraging people to walk or cycle instead of using their car.

Traffic management

Proper maintenance and management of the road network helps to improve the flow of traffic, increase road safety, and provide a better experience to drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, and public transport users. 

Your local authority manages traffic through:

• Implementing speed limits in different areas
• Using CCTV to monitor the flow of traffic 
• Communicating plans for roadworks and planned road closures
• Providing updates on road closures and collisions
• Updating electronic road signs to inform road users of any delays or closures

Road safety

Many local authorities promote road safety in their areas through: 

• Education and awareness campaigns
• Providing road safety materials like high-vis vests and arm bands
• Installing electronic speed signs
• Introducing traffic calming measures
• Carrying out road safety improvement works in areas where accidents or near misses causing injury have taken place

School wardens

School traffic wardens are available to help school children cross public roads to get to and from school safely, and they are employed by your local authority. School wardens will work in designated crossing areas during set times before and after school to make sure all school children are safe. Drivers must stop when the school traffic warden tells them to do so. 

Other measures to keep school children safe on the roads include:

• Introducing school crossings
• Installing school warning lights
• Running primary school cycle training schemes

Road Management Office (RMO)

The Road Management Office (RMO) is a shared service supporting local authorities to improve and maintain their road network. To learn more about road maintenance in local authorities visit RMO.ie.