Car Tax Registration and Blue Book after Extended Absence

[tomdfc]

We’ve been out of the country since January 2020, having travelled to the UK just at the wrong time – getting caught in the ensuing covid and lockdown periods.

Our car was left at our property in Chiang Mai in the gated driveway.  It never moved out of the driveway though the engine was given an occasional “run” by a friend.  It was insured throughout (rightly or wrongly) and remains insured just now.  And now we’re about to return.

I presume all we can/must do is get the car serviced, and then taken to an “MOT” testing station.  I recall part of that service was that the testing station people took the car documentation to the Land Transport office to pay the annual registration tax.  But I can now see questions being asked about why no annual tax has been paid (since November 2019).  I’m not sure if retrospective payments (and/or penalties) would be requested for the intervening period.  I can’t think of anything to do except share passport exit and re-entry stamps to prove driver absence.  But we can’t prove the recorded mileage of the day of our departure in Jan 2020.

An advice or suggestions would be gratefully received.  Thanks in advance.

[Crossy]

In my (somewhat limited, nothing like 2 years out) experience, they just want you to pay the back-tax plus a nominal fine.

 

[digbeth]

if the annual tax hasn't been paid for more than 3 years, the car is 'off-the-road' 

you'd have to surrender the current plate and re-register with a new number after fines has been paid

 

Service and mileage doesn't matter, if your car pass the 'MOT' it passes

 

nothing the MOT place can't handle for a fee of course, but it'd cost more than just to renew plus late fine, plus they might need an imprint of the VIN and engine number, 

[KhunBENQ]

33 minutes ago, tomdfc said:

since November 2019)

What's the exact date?

Asking because you are at the 3 year limit.

[tomdfc]

What's the exact date?  Asking because you are at the 3 year limit.

----------------

Didn't know about a 3 year limit but just checked the records -

8 October 2019 - paid MOT service station fee, mandatory insurance, and annual car registration as logged in the "Blue book"

The Blue book entry confirms the 8 Oct 2019 pay date and the next coumn (presumably the "valid to" date) is 24 November 2020.  This is the recurring date every year since inception in the Blue book, until this last 2020 entry.

We fly into Chiang Mai late in the evening of 23 November - but had not planned on getting to our home - and car - until 25 November.  And had anticipated the first priority to be to organise a full car check-up and service before re-registering, etc.

Fingers crossed awaiting your reply .... thanks.

[Kwasaki]

39 minutes ago, digbeth said:

if the annual tax hasn't been paid for more than 3 years, the car is 'off-the-road' 

you'd have to surrender the current plate and re-register with a new number after fines has been paid

 

Service and mileage doesn't matter, if your car pass the 'MOT' it passes

 

nothing the MOT place can't handle for a fee of course, but it'd cost more than just to renew plus late fine, plus they might need an imprint of the VIN and engine number, 

I don't think OP will find your happy post the fact, the covid period should give him leeway when he goes to his province DLT. 

 

The worse that can happen is that he may have to re-register the vehicle it will depend on the DLT. 

 

If so it's not a big deal.

[Kwasaki]

4 minutes ago, tomdfc said:

What's the exact date?  Asking because you are at the 3 year limit.

----------------

Didn't know about a 3 year limit but just checked the records -

8 October 2019 - paid MOT service station fee, mandatory insurance, and annual car registration as logged in the "Blue book"

The Blue book entry confirms the 8 Oct 2019 pay date and the next coumn (presumably the "valid to" date) is 24 November 2020.  This is the recurring date every year since inception in the Blue book, until this last 2020 entry.

We fly into Chiang Mai late in the evening of 23 November - but had not planned on getting to our home - and car - until 25 November.  And had anticipated the first priority to be to organise a full car check-up and service before re-registering, etc.

Fingers crossed awaiting your reply .... thanks.

Don't worry about it just sort it out what ever when you get back into Thailand. 

 My DLT didn't make a problem over my bike which was off road untaxed for nearly 7 years.

Welcome back. 

[DaRoadrunner]

Retrospective payments (and penalties) would be requested for the intervening period. 

I recall the fine is 7 Baht / day.

 

If you go over 3 years then you will need to have a new blue reg book.

 

I have done it, no problem.

[steve187]

5 minutes ago, DaRoadrunner said:

Retrospective payments (and penalties) would be requested for the intervening period. 

I recall the fine is 7 Baht / day.

 

If you go over 3 years then you will need to have a new blue reg book.

 

I have done it, no problem.

he fine is 1% per month

if the latest car tax sticker you have is nov 2020 then you will have no problem with re taxing , can be done in your absence just need the book or a copy, one year compulsory insurance , as well as an 'mot' and all back taxes and fines

[tomdfc]

Just to close out the thread, the car is now registered courtesy of the Testing station who were obviously authorised to deal with these situations - charging 3 years of tax, the compulsory insurance and their own fee of course.  There was also an unknown of 327 baht which I couldn't work out but which seemed a good deal, pre-empting a trip to the DLT and the possibility of a bigger fine.  Thanks for all the inputs.