# Very Important Notice for Irish Members



## Jean-Luc

The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport has signed Regulations which include provision for the mandatory testing, from 1 March, 2012, of motor caravans.

See page 4 of this publication for full announcement.

note to mod, perhaps you could make this a sticky if possible please.

Stickied as requested


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## Jean-Luc

Thanks mod.


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## jiwawa

Are motor caravans not already MOT'd in the South? They are in the north - from 4yrs old.


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## finyar

JeanLuc
Many thanks for the update and thanks also to the MODS for putting this items up as a sticky.

Do you know if you will need to have a cert for the next tax disc renewal or have you have any idea how this will work in practice?

Thanks
Raymond


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## Yaxley

Thank you Jean Luc for highlighting this change which has been signalled for some time. 
My motorhome is first registered in 2006 and it was first tested in Ireland in Aug 2011. I have a certificate valid for one year and recently had correspondence with the Road Safety Authority as it was anticipated that vehicles between 4 and 10 years old would be tested every two years and every year thereafter.
This is the reply I got.....
Since the introduction of penalty point offences in May 2009 for using a vehicle in a public place without a Certificate of Roadworthiness (CRW), the RSA has been advising motor caravan owners to get their vehicles tested at the VTN under the existing regime. All vehicles currently tested at the VTN, on exchange of the ‘pass statement’ given by the vehicle tester are issued with a CRW by their local motor tax office which is valid for one year only.



Therefore, it is the case that there are some motor caravan owners with vehicles which are under ten years old that would need to have the period of validity of their current CRW’s extended under the new test regime, i.e. first test due when the vehicle is four years old and thereafter every two years until the vehicle is ten years old, after which annual testing will apply. 



Hence we have included a provision in the draft regulations to cater for these vehicles, i.e. vehicles which have been tested prior to the making of the new regulations which already have a valid CRW will not be required to be re-submitted for a test, even if a relevant anniversary of registration is reached until the earlier of either the expiration of their current CRW, or 31st December 2013, whichever occurs first.



These vehicles will then revert to having their relevant test due dates based upon their anniversary of registration.



However please note that the situation outlined above is not a legal interpretation as the Regulations have yet to be signed into law by the minister and hence may be subject to change.................................

I have now asked if my one year certificate will be extended for two years and await a reply.
Ian


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## Jean-Luc

JWW said:


> Are motor caravans not already MOT'd in the South? They are in the north - from 4yrs old.


They were 'forgotten' by the law drafters when the original legislation was being drafted.
Until now motor caravans, as a category of vehicle, where not listed in legislation requiring roadworthiness testing of road going vehicles.


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## Glandwr

Jean-Luc said:


> They were 'forgotten' by the law drafters when the original legislation was being drafted.
> Until now motor caravans, as a category of vehicle, where not listed in legislation requiring roadworthiness testing of road going vehicles.


Loved my trip to Ireland. Thank you for your help

Dick


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## DaveL123

Ant idea how this will affect older camper vans such as bay window VW's or T25's 20 over 20 years of age?? :?:


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## Jean-Luc

DaveL123 said:


> Ant idea how this will affect older camper vans such as bay window VW's or T25's 20 over 20 years of age?? :?:


The answer is on page 4/5 of the regulations, see link in original post

_"Regulations apply to-
(e) motor caravans first registered on or after 1 January 1980 (special purpose vehicles in category M)."_


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## DaveL123

Fantastic...........any idea if owners will be sent notifications telling them to have the motorhome tested or will you need to do it yourselves


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## Jean-Luc

DaveL123 said:


> Fantastic...........any idea if owners will be sent notifications telling them to have the motorhome tested or will you need to do it yourselves


The admin process will be a manual one, a variation of the DoE commercial vehicle system.
The RSA are currently developing an automated system with a disc for the commercial vehicle/motor caravan sector, like the NCT, to be rolled out next year :roll:. In the meantime it looks like, as with most things, it's up to the individual to know the law and comply


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## DaveL123

*Got my letter from the RSA about the campervan MOT*

Well I recieved a letter in the post informing me that I need to have my Camper van MOT'd around 100 euro & to make things even better its a yearly test.

Have any Irish members booked their campers in yet ??

I'll be curious to see how alot of the old VW campers get on


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## Jean-Luc

*Re: Got my letter from the RSA about the campervan MOT*



DaveL123 said:


> Well I recieved a letter in the post informing me that I need to have my Camper van MOT'd around 100 euro & to make things even better its a yearly test.
> 
> Have any Irish members booked their campers in yet ??
> 
> I'll be curious to see how alot of the old VW campers get on


A T25, or any other MH not over 3,500kg is €70 plus vat. The testing frequency is the same as the NCT (a private car), 4:2:2:2:1, so if a vehicle is 0ver 10 years old a test will be required every year.

The test and the cost of the test is the same as the LGV test, even if the MH is over 3,500Kg, however MH's with double rear axles will cost €84+vat (it's for the extra work/axle)


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## Yaxley

Connect with my post dated 28th February under the heading of Certificates of Road Worthiness in the Tech/Mech Chat section.
I have a copy of the RSA Notice of New Regulations dated 17th Febl. If any one wants a copy pm me with your email address and I will send you a copy.
Ian


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## Jean-Luc

Yaxley said:


> Connect with my post dated 28th February under the heading of Certificates of Road Worthiness in the Tech/Mech Chat section.
> I have a copy of the RSA Notice of New Regulations dated 17th Febl. If any one wants a copy pm me with your email address and I will send you a copy.
> Ian


LINK to RSA notice of 17th. Feb


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## Gerry2284

*Doe Test*

Got my 1985 Mercedes 307 Autotrail tested a couple of weeks ago had to change flexi brake pipes and do a bit of welding nothing major


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## finyar

Hi All, 
Like everyone else I got the dreaded letter last Thursday informing me that i needed to get a test asap as the regulation had come into law on the 1st of March.

Anyway I took my van (10 year old 747) for the test last saturday, its LHD and I wondered would my beam benders suffice for the lights?

They did and the van passed the test, it took about an hour.

Mine is tag axle and cost me €108.30 in total (incl VAT) and only last a year as my van is 10.


One reminder youy can't do the test without having original of your Vehicle Owner cert

The tester also told me that it was likely that a gas cert will also be required in 2013

Hope this helps

Raymond


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## Jean-Luc

finyar said:


> ......................Mine is tag axle and cost me €108.30 in total (incl VAT)....................


Remember that the 'pass statement' you got needs to be exchanged for a Certificate of Roadworthiness at your local Motor Tax Office, where they will relieve you of another €13 (over 3.5t), afaik it's €6 for vehicles not over 3.5t.
It's not at all like the NCT which it is supposed to be according to the relevant EU Directive.


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