Most farmers who use their quad on the road don’t have it taxed, according to the results form a recent Agriland poll.
When readers were asked if they used their quad on the Road? Over 80% of respondents said ‘yes’.
However, of the 80% of respondents who said they did use their quad on the road only 3% had their quad taxed.
The IFA says the current interpretation of the EU directives on road safety standards has resulted in a situation whereby it is effectively impossible to register and tax farm quads for limited use on public roads.
In its pre-budget submission the IFA has set out its proposals to remove the difficulties surrounding the taxation of farm quads.
Farmers looking to tax their quad must do so as a general haulage tractor, with a tax of €333 per annum applying, or as a private vehicle and taxed based on the cc of the engine, according to the IFA.
The IFA says the current tax situation is completely a disproportionate level of tax for a small utility vehicle whose main purpose on any farm is as an off road vehicle.
In addition, it says many quads cannot be registered and taxed for use on public roads, as they are not deemed to meet road safety standards.
IFA proposals
The IFA is proposing a system similar to that which operates in the UK:
- Quads should be registered as light agricultural vehicles, with a ‘nil value’ tax disc, whereby the quad can be used on the road, where a very small distance is travelled between sites.
- Farms in Ireland are very fragmented, and therefore limited road use is required for these vehicles.
- In addition, farm quads, which are used primarily as off-road vehicles, should be categorised as Category T Vehicles (e.g wheeled tractors), thereby removing the requirement for an EC certificate of conformity of registration.