Auto tax checks: what you risk

It is probably, along with the stamp duty, that it is one of the least appreciated “taxes” by Italians but car tax It is a commitment that one cannot escape when one hasa car, both used and that it stays flat in the garage (as it did for a long time through 2020 and part of 2021).

But what is it and above all, when do they turn on and how do the controls work?

Let’s go in order.

What is it and when should it be paid?

that it regional tax Divided into motor vehicle tax (i.e. vehicle ownership tax) and road tax (i.e. the ability to travel with this vehicle). Therefore, the regions with the exception of Sardinia and Friuli Venezia Giulia where the jurisdiction of the Revenue Agency is handled and the Autonomous Provinces of Bolzano and Trento, which deals directly with paperwork related to car tax.

As for the payment, it must be made on the last day of the month following the day Expiration. For example, if the deadline is July 31, 2021, the stamp duty must be paid by August 31, 2022.

In the case of the first car tax, the terms are set in the months of April, August and December with the obligation to pay the tax in the months of May, September and January. However, if the vehicle is not purchased in the months of December, April and August, the stamp duty for the new registration will be paid in installments for the remaining months.

The only specificity concerns vehicles of persons residing in Lombardy or Piedmont, the conditions for which must be respected:

• May 31 if the tax expires in April;
• September 30 if the stamp expires in August;
• January 20 of the following year if the tax expires in December.

How do the controls work?

Controls can be implemented throughout the year (although usually intensified in the last quarter); It must be remembered that the car tax expires after 3 years, and therefore, at the end of 12 months from the reference, but in the case of sending a payment reminder, the terms start from the date of receipt.

So there are two ways to control:

• send the owner of the car on the irregularity of the position on the road tax;
• The revenue agency or the like assumes, on demand, the task of recovering the amount which will have an increase in interest due to the accumulated delay.

In the latter case ACI . Program It also counts any penalties and benefits.

Be aware, these checks also apply to vehicles with foreign license plates.