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Home » Road Tax Renewal Period: What You Need to Know

Road Tax Renewal Period: What You Need to Know

    Did you know that there are TWO road tax renewal periods? The Road Transport Department (JPJ) has set these periods for all car users. It’s important to keep in mind that you need to renew your road tax before it expires if you want to keep using your car on the road.

    Don’t worry if you’re not sure when your car’s road tax period ends – this article has got you covered, not just for those who struggle with renewing their roadtax, but also for those whose road tax has expired for over a year. Keep reading to find out more!

    What are the two road tax renewal periods?

    You have the option to choose between a 6-month or a 12-month road tax renewal period, depending on what suits you best. Now, you might be thinking – does it matter if I choose the 6-month or 12-month option? The answer is no, there’s no difference in how you renew your car’s road tax for either period. The renewal process is the same.

    But wait, there’s more. In some cases, you might not have a choice in which option to choose. For example, if you’re activating road tax for a deceased car owner, you can only do it for 6 months. So, you’ll have to renew the car’s road tax twice a year.

    But don’t worry, even if you choose the 6-month option voluntarily, you can still do it twice a year. This is a common choice for those on a tight budget due to their car’s engine capacity. Just remember that your car insurance still needs to be renewed annually for a full 12 months.

    Hope that clears things up for you!

    Is it possible to make early road tax from the expiry date?

    It’s true! Some people like to do it early just to be safe and avoid the stress of forgetting to renew it.

    And that’s not the only reason people choose to renew their car’s road tax early. Some folks do it to avoid running out of budget when the due date arrives. If you’ve got the funds available, why not get it done early and avoid any potential financial strain later on?

    Just keep in mind that you can only do your car’s road tax renewal up to the period of 2 months or 60 days before it expires or before your vehicle’s expiry date. So, if you want to get it done early, make sure you don’t jump the gun too soon!

    Does renewing early affect the road tax end period?

    Here’s a little something you might not know – if you renew your car’s road tax as early as 2 months before it’s due, your road tax expiry date won’t change for the following year. In other words, renewing early won’t affect the next deadline, so you don’t have to worry about any confusion or changes.

    Here is an example:

    Road tax start dateRoad tax end date
    1 May 202330 Jun 2024
    30 April 202430 Jun 2025

    Take a look at the table – your car road tax starts on May 1st, 2023 and expires on June 30th, 2024. Now, let’s say next year you decide to renew your road tax 2 months early, on April 30th, 2024.

    Well, here’s the cool part – your road tax expiry date will still be the SAME, but you’ll get an extra 14 months of road tax coverage before you need to renew again. How awesome is that? You get a little extra time to hit the open road without worrying about renewing your road tax.

    Disadvantages of renewing too early

    Listen up, because this is important! Renewing your car’s road tax during the initial period might seem like a good idea, but there are some drawbacks you need to be aware of – especially if you get into an accident. Here’s the deal: during those first 2 months, your previous insurance company is still responsible for covering your car. That means if something happens, you’ll need to make a claim with the old company.

    But here’s where things can get a little tricky: if you’ve already renewed new car insurance with a full No-Claim Discount (NCD) before making a claim, the price will be much cheaper than before. That’s great news, right? Well, not so fast. You’ll still need to pay the remaining balance on the new insurance company according to the remaining NCD.

    So, if you previously renewed the insurance and road tax NCD at 55%, you’ll need to pay the remaining 55% of the original insurance price. And here’s the kicker – if you don’t make that payment, you might not be able to make a claim at all. Yikes! Remember, your car’s road tax doesn’t really affect this situation – it’s more about the insurance company and making sure you’ve got all your ducks in a row.

    Renew car road tax after expired more than a month

    To renew your car road tax and insurance after a month of expiry, you must conduct a price survey and provide additional documents to the car insurance company. They now require a photo of your car before agreeing to renew your insurance and road tax.

    Failing to renew your road tax on time poses a risk to you as the car owner if you continue driving on the road. However, there’s no need for mandatory PUSPAKOM road tax inspection in this scenario. So, be sure to renew your road tax on time to avoid any inconvenience and risks.

    Renew car road tax after expired more than a year

    Gone are the days when renewing your car road tax for more than a year required a PUSPAKOM inspection. Now, you don’t have to worry about missing the 3-year period as you can still renew the road tax that has expired for more than a year. But if you’re concerned about your car’s safety due to the long period of expired road tax, you may opt for a PUSPAKOM inspection voluntarily.

    However, it’s advisable not to wait until the last minute as it may cause unexpected problems. 

    Renew car road tax after expired more than 3 years

    For those who have exceeded the 3-year renewal period for their car road tax, a PUSPAKOM inspection is necessary. But what if you’re unsure whether to renew the insurance or do the PUSPAKOM inspection first? Well, the answer is to renew the insurance first.

    Why? Because you need the insurance to obtain a temporary travel permit from JPJ. This permit ensures that you won’t face legal action while taking your car for a PUSPAKOM inspection.

    Moreover, having insurance can also help you to smoothly renew your car road tax directly at the PUSPAKOM, in case the inspection is successful.

    Renew car road tax after expired more than 20 years

    If you have an old car that’s more than 20 years old and you want to renew its road tax, you have to follow the same process as other cars that are over 3 years old. Here’s what you need to do:

    1. Renew your insurance
    2. Schedule an appointment with PUSPAKOM
    3. Obtain a temporary travel permit from JPJ
    4. Have your car inspected at PUSPAKOM
    5. Renew your car’s road tax at PUSPAKOM

    The good news is that there are no fines or extra payments for cars over 20 years old. However, it’s important to keep in mind that your car should be fully serviced before you take it for inspection at the PUSPAKOM. This will ensure that it meets the safety and roadworthiness requirements.

    In conclusion, renewing your car’s road tax might not be the most exciting thing in the world, but it’s definitely necessary if you want to keep cruising down the highway without any legal issues. So, keep this article in mind, and always remember to renew your road tax on time – your wallet and driving privileges will thank you!


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