How much is motor tax in Ireland and how are the bands worked out?
The short answer
Motor tax is an annual charge paid to renew your car's tax disc, and for post-2008 registrations it follows CO2 emissions across a series of bands. The cleanest cars pay least: a fully electric car is €120 a year, the lowest band. The more CO2 a petrol or diesel car emits, the higher the band and the bill. Plug-in hybrids still emit CO2, so they are charged on that figure rather than treated as zero.
Related questions
How much is motor tax on an electric car in Ireland?
A battery-electric car pays €120 per year, the lowest motor tax band in Ireland.
Is motor tax based on engine size or emissions?
For cars registered from July 2008 onwards it is based on CO2 emissions. Older cars registered before then are still taxed on engine size (cc).
Do plug-in hybrids pay zero motor tax?
No. Plug-in hybrids are taxed on their CO2 emissions like any petrol or diesel car. Only fully electric cars sit in the €120 lowest band.
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