Vehicle registration and licensing

All motor vehicles used or kept on any public road in the Isle of Man must be registered on the Island and be licensed. Licences are issued for periods of 12 months.

At present there is no requirement for trailers to be registered, but draw-bar road-haulage trailers, and most other kinds of non-agricultural draw-bar trailers exceeding 2000kg maximum laden weight, are nevertheless required to be licensed annually.

Registration and licensing of all vehicles can be undertaken at any Post Office. The Department of Infrastructure, based at the Vehicle Test Centre, Tromode will register vehicles where there is insufficient documentation to support the registration. For any queries please contact either IOM Post Office on +44 1624 698525 or DOI, Vehicle & Driver Licensing on +44 1624 686827. 

Vehicle Duty is charged for the issue of a vehicle licence to enable a motor vehicle or large draw-bar trailer that is kept on the Island to be used on public roads. This charge is sometimes known as Vehicle Tax or Vehicle Licence Fee.

All United Kingdom, Channel Island, Irish or foreign registered motor vehicles brought into the Isle of Man from the United Kingdom, Ireland or any other country must be re-registered in the Island at the earliest opportunity if the owner is already resident in the Island, or as soon as possible after the owner takes up residence in the Island.

A vehicle registered elsewhere which accompanies a visiting driver during his/her visit here may remain for up to 12 months without being re-registered on the Island, provided that the visitor remains in charge of the vehicle and does not become resident here.

In order to register and licence a vehicle in the Isle of Man the following documents must be submitted to any Post Office along with completed application forms for both registration of the vehicle and its first licence:

• The current vehicle registration documents supplied by the manufacturer or his import concessionaire if the vehicle is new, or the appropriate registration documents from the country where the vehicle was most recently registered. If any such documentation is not available or is incomplete the vehicle will be inspected and there will be a delay while the particulars of the vehicle are being established to ascertain whether it may be registered. (The documentation must include type approval information for passenger cars and goods vehicles under 10 years old). The licensing office may refuse to register a vehicle if it is not satisfied that the vehicle will be mainly used and maintained on the Island or the owner is a Manx resident student.
• A current certificate of motor insurance for the vehicle.
• If the vehicle is more than 3 years old at the time of the application for its first licence on the Island, or if it is an annually certifiable vehicle, it will also be necessary to produce a road worthiness test certificate.
• Customs Clearance Certificate (NOVA2MAN)
  From 15 April 2013 all vehicles imported from outside of the UK, whether new or used, must be declared to Customs and Excise within 14 days of its arrival on the Island. It will not be possible to register and licence the vehicle for use on the road until Customs and Excise is satisfied that any charges due in respect of the vehicle have been secured. For further information contact Customs and Excise Tel +44 1624 648140, email customs@gov.im or visit www.gov.im/customs.
  N.B: Vehicles purchased from the UK which have been previously registered with the DVLA do not require Customs clearance

There is no periodic MOT for vehicles in general, though annual road worthiness tests are required for annually certifiable vehicles which include all articulated goods vehicles, large goods vehicles having more than 3 axles, goods vehicles over 7500kg, buses, minibuses, passenger cars that are to be used as public passenger vehicles (taxis or private hire cars), and hire and drive vehicles which are over 3 years old.

Vehicle tests are undertaken by: