Vehicle licence
Encyclopedia
A valid vehicle licence is required by law
in some countries to be displayed on any registered motor vehicle
if it is to be used or kept on a public road.
or Norway
, the owner will annually get a sticker to place on the registration plate
, if the vehicle is permitted for driving. In Australia
, a windscreen sticker is required. In the United States
and Canada
, an annual or biennial sticker is usually applied to the licence plate
, with a few exceptions. For example, the District of Columbia
and a few U.S. state
s use windscreen stickers, and some U.S. and Canadian jurisdictions issue permanent fleet licence plates. Also, some U.S. states, such as Virginia
, require that a motorist obtain a vehicle licence from the city
, county
, or town
government in addition to registering the vehicle with the appropriate agency of the state government
.
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In the UK
, the vehicle licence, which is more commonly known as a tax disc, comes in the form of a paper disc three inches in diameter to be displayed on the vehicle, and is evidence that the necessary vehicle excise duty
has been paid for the specific vehicle
. It should be placed on the left side of the windscreen if it is a four wheeled vehicle, but if it is a two wheeled vehicle then it should be placed in a holder fixed onto the bodywork.
The vehicle excise duty
was introduced in 1889, and since 1920 it must be evidenced by the display of a tax disc.
, a tax disc must also be displayed, which is of the same format as that in the UK. However, in addition, a square insurance 'disc' must also be displayed to show that the vehicle has the legally required third party insurance. Vehicles over 4 years old require a similar format 'disc' from the National Car Test
service to show roadworthiness.
, a revenue licence must be displayed on the vehicle, and is evidence that the necessary vehicle excise duty
has been paid for the specific vehicle
. It is normally placed on the left side of the windscreen if it is a four wheeled vehicle. A revenue licence is issued for a period of one year and must be renewed annually, during which an emissions test must be performed.
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
in some countries to be displayed on any registered motor vehicle
Motor vehicle
A motor vehicle or road vehicle is a self-propelled wheeled vehicle that does not operate on rails, such as trains or trolleys. The vehicle propulsion is provided by an engine or motor, usually by an internal combustion engine, or an electric motor, or some combination of the two, such as hybrid...
if it is to be used or kept on a public road.
Worldwide
In some countries, like GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
or Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, the owner will annually get a sticker to place on the registration plate
Vehicle registration plate
A vehicle registration plate is a metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle or trailer for official identification purposes. The registration identifier is a numeric or alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies the vehicle within the issuing region's database...
, if the vehicle is permitted for driving. In Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, a windscreen sticker is required. In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, an annual or biennial sticker is usually applied to the licence plate
US and Canadian license plates
In the United States, license plates are issued by an agency of the state or territorial government, and in the case of the District of Columbia the District government. Some Native American tribes also issue plates. The U.S. federal government issues plates only for its own vehicle fleet and for...
, with a few exceptions. For example, the District of Columbia
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and a few U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
s use windscreen stickers, and some U.S. and Canadian jurisdictions issue permanent fleet licence plates. Also, some U.S. states, such as Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, require that a motorist obtain a vehicle licence from the city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
, county
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
, or town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
government in addition to registering the vehicle with the appropriate agency of the state government
Department of Motor Vehicles
In the United States of America, a Department of Motor Vehicles is a state-level government agency that administers vehicle registration and driver licensing. Similar departments exist in Canada...
.
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the vehicle licence, which is more commonly known as a tax disc, comes in the form of a paper disc three inches in diameter to be displayed on the vehicle, and is evidence that the necessary vehicle excise duty
Vehicle excise duty
Vehicle Excise Duty is a vehicle road use tax levied as an excise duty which must be paid for most types of vehicle which are to be used on the public roads in the United Kingdom...
has been paid for the specific vehicle
Motor vehicle
A motor vehicle or road vehicle is a self-propelled wheeled vehicle that does not operate on rails, such as trains or trolleys. The vehicle propulsion is provided by an engine or motor, usually by an internal combustion engine, or an electric motor, or some combination of the two, such as hybrid...
. It should be placed on the left side of the windscreen if it is a four wheeled vehicle, but if it is a two wheeled vehicle then it should be placed in a holder fixed onto the bodywork.
The vehicle excise duty
Vehicle excise duty
Vehicle Excise Duty is a vehicle road use tax levied as an excise duty which must be paid for most types of vehicle which are to be used on the public roads in the United Kingdom...
was introduced in 1889, and since 1920 it must be evidenced by the display of a tax disc.
Ireland
In IrelandRepublic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, a tax disc must also be displayed, which is of the same format as that in the UK. However, in addition, a square insurance 'disc' must also be displayed to show that the vehicle has the legally required third party insurance. Vehicles over 4 years old require a similar format 'disc' from the National Car Test
National Car Test
The National Car Test is a roadworthiness test, which all cars in Ireland must undergo. It was introduced in 2000 The test must first be taken when the car is between 3½ and 4 years old and then once every two years after that...
service to show roadworthiness.
Sri Lanka
In Sri LankaSri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, a revenue licence must be displayed on the vehicle, and is evidence that the necessary vehicle excise duty
Vehicle excise duty
Vehicle Excise Duty is a vehicle road use tax levied as an excise duty which must be paid for most types of vehicle which are to be used on the public roads in the United Kingdom...
has been paid for the specific vehicle
Motor vehicle
A motor vehicle or road vehicle is a self-propelled wheeled vehicle that does not operate on rails, such as trains or trolleys. The vehicle propulsion is provided by an engine or motor, usually by an internal combustion engine, or an electric motor, or some combination of the two, such as hybrid...
. It is normally placed on the left side of the windscreen if it is a four wheeled vehicle. A revenue licence is issued for a period of one year and must be renewed annually, during which an emissions test must be performed.
External links
- How to license your vehicle from Directgov, UK government website
- Buy a tax disc online from Directgov, UK government website