Non-payment of road licences

Reference is made to the letter Losing Money On Road Licences (February 6). Motorists, in particular vehicle owners, are reminded that they are legally bound to pay their road licence on an annual basis as per Article 14 of Legal Notice 476 of 2004.

The Licensing and Testing Directorate's duty to collect contraventions from vehicle owners before renewing their vehicle licences is regulated by Article 56 of the Traffic Regulation Ordinance. In-house information reveals that the "alarming figure of 20,000 unlicensed vehicles", which has now been reduced to 15,000, is not the result of accumulated fines but the result of transferring, scrapping and garaging of vehicles for which the official process as defined in the law was not carried out, and hence our records not updated. Vehicle owners are reminded that they are legally obliged to inform the Licensing and Testing Directorate of any vehicle sale/transfer to a new owner, scrapping and garaging within seven days from the date of sale/transfer and the like.

Allow me to take the opportunity to inform all vehicle owners that the Licensing and Testing Directorate will no longer be sending letters of reminder to the 15,000 vehicle owners who have not paid their vehicle's licence, to regularise their position. As per Legal Notice 405 of 2003, ADT will be informing the police and the wardens of all unlicensed vehicles so they will clamp and tow these vehicles.

Further information may be sought from the customer care unit at the Licensing and Testing Directorate on 8007 23909.