Road tax renewals for 2026 began today, 7 January, with the Department of Road Transport (RTD) setting a deadline of 23:59 on Wednesday, 11 March 2026.
According to the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works, certificates can be renewed for periods of three, six, nine or twelve months.
Late renewals will incur a penalty of €10 plus 10% of the certificate fee owed for the current year.
Renewal requires a roadworthiness certificate and insurance.
The renewal process is complete when the “Print Road Tax Certificate” screen appears, showing the certificate expiry month and year within a circular border, along with the vehicle registration number. If the process is interrupted for any reason before this screen appears, it is not considered complete and must be repeated.
RTD has improved its payment system with an additional layer of verification for certificate issuance based on actual payments made.
The department advises owners to renew early and not wait until the final days to avoid potential system overload that could cause disruption.
Owners who renewed their vehicle road tax certificate for 2025 but do not intend to renew for 2026 must submit an immobilisation notice to RTD. Immobilisation can be done online through RTD’s website. If immobilisation is not declared, the obligation to pay the circulation fee continues.
Vehicles whose road tax certificates were not renewed for 2025 and have not been declared immobilised will be deleted from RTD’s registry, unless the amount owed for 2025 is paid and the certificate renewed for 2026 by 23:59 on 11 March 2026.
In cases of vehicle destruction, owners must submit a cancellation of registration application (form RTD 98A) to RTD, accompanied by a destruction certificate issued by licensed vehicle waste processing facilities, to be released from circulation fee obligations from the date of destruction.
Certificates can be renewed online throughout the year.
Exemptions apply to embassy vehicles, private buses owned by large families, quarry vehicles, vintage vehicles with special certificates (paying €25), United Nations vehicles, and vehicles belonging to organisations with exemption code 04 without RTD system access codes. Owners of exempt vehicles must visit RTD district offices to pay certificate fees.
People who have difficulty using the internet can visit RTD district offices, Citizen Service Centres (KEP) or Citizen Centres (KEPO) for certificate renewal.
RTD will not send reminder notices to vehicle owners about certificate renewals.
Vehicle owners are reminded to keep their contact details updated in RTD’s registry so they can receive information about their vehicles, such as recall notifications.
