9,000 cars re-registered to save on cheaper tax

ALMOST 9,000 private cars have been re-registered as commercial vehicles for motor tax purposes since 2008, with more than 2,300 alone so far this year, it has emerged.

The Department of Environment explained yesterday that the reclassification of so many vehicles – which could save individual owners up to €900 per annum – had prompted its recent decision to instruct local authorities to carry out greater checks on vehicles being declared for commercial use.

Figures released by the department show that 3,553 private vehicles were re-registered for commercial use last year and 3,058 in 2008. A total of 2,345 vehicles have switched from private to commercial status in the first eight months of this year.