New vehicle taxation rules: single payment upon sale and simplified procedures for pensioners

The Government is preparing significant amendments to the Fiscal Code that will affect how vehicle tax is paid — measures set to bring concrete benefits for pensioners and senior vehicle owners.

The main change involves the introduction of a simplified payment system: vehicle tax will be collected just once, directly at the point of sale, for cars that change ownership within the same year. This amendment eliminates the current confusion and reduces bureaucracy for older people wishing to sell their vehicles.

Advantages for seniors selling vehicles

Under the current system, pensioners who bought, registered and resold vehicles within the same calendar year frequently encountered difficulties. Tax was owed by whoever held the vehicle on 31 December, creating unclear situations and unexpected costs for older owners.

The new regulation resolves this issue by introducing a clear tax obligation at the point of transaction. Seniors selling vehicles will no longer be caught off guard by subsequent charges, and buyers will know exactly what costs they need to cover.

Stricter deregistration procedures

The amendments also include firmer rules for deregistering vehicles from circulation. Owners will have a maximum of 30 days to submit a deregistration declaration to the tax authority following the vehicle's actual removal from the records.

For pensioners wishing to permanently deregister a vehicle, tax liability will cease from January of the year following deregistration — but only once all outstanding tax obligations have been settled in full. This measure brings clarity and predictability to the deregistration process.

The proposed changes are designed to simplify administrative procedures and remove ambiguities from the current vehicle tax system, making them particularly beneficial for seniors who have no wish to navigate excessive bureaucracy.