Trade Plates are special registration plates obtained by motor traders/repairers. Each County Council obtain their own supply of trade plates on an annual basis.
The uses of the plates by motor traders/repairers are restricted to legitimate uses in connection with the motor trade e.g. not used after 6pm or at weekends & public holidays. They are issued for a period of one calendar year. The bulk of trade plates are issued in the first three months of the year.
The Department of the Environment advised all Motor Tax Offices in October 2005 that they can no longer issue Trade Plates (to garages) unless the registered owner of the vehicle supplies good title.
Motor Tax Offices can only accept applications in the names of:
- Human Beings,
- Name with Limited Company, PLC, Limited/Teoranta, Ltd/Teo
A check may be carried out by the Motor Tax Office on the Companies Registration Office website www.cro.ie for all vehicles that do not come under one of the above criteria
If the Motor Tax office are unsuccessful in their search of the CRO website than the application will be rejected until such time as the owner of the vehicle supplies the name of a person who will then become the registered owner.
The following is required to apply for trade plates:
- Form R700 must be completed.
- Garage Code must be given, this code is obtained from VRU, Shannon by the motor trader/repairer.
- V.A.T number must be included on the form
- Rate Account number or Planning permission number and date permission granted
- Application must be accompanied by Irish certificate of insurance (copy of cert is not acceptable) and appropriate fee.
Renewal of Trade Plates (garage must surrender old plates, if lost completed declaration Form RF 134 to be submitted together with the above mentioned details).
If applying for a second set of plates the garage must prove they are necessary, i.e. prove increased usage.
Motor dealers are not licensed to use Trade plates outside the Republic of Ireland (The State). Therefore they are not legally covered whilst driving thru Northern Ireland. See DOE Guide for Motor Traders (Trade Licence/Plate) for more information on the limitations, lawful uses, display, fines etc. Trade plates are not transferrable. There is no reduction in duty where part of the year has expired before the date of issue of a trade licence and there is no refund of duty paid under any circumstances.
Further information can be obtained by contacting your Local Public Service Centre.