The VRC number on your tax book is the short alphanumeric code labelled Certificate Number at the top-right of the front page of your Vehicle Registration Certificate.1Citizens Information. Change of Vehicle Ownership You need it mainly for two things: renewing your motor tax online and transferring ownership when you sell the vehicle. In both cases it’s used to generate the PIN that authenticates you on the government portal.2Motor Tax Online. Motor Tax Online
Where the Number Sits on the Certificate
The Vehicle Registration Certificate is the paper document issued by the Department of Transport when a vehicle is registered in Ireland. Most people call it the tax book or log book. Turn to the front page and look at the top-right corner. The VRC number is printed there under the heading “Certificate Number.”
Two other numbers appear on the same page, and it’s easy to grab the wrong one:
- The vehicle registration number is your licence plate.
- The chassis number (VIN) identifies the vehicle itself.
Both of those stay with the vehicle for its life. The VRC number is different. It identifies the certificate, not the car. If you’re ever issued a replacement certificate, it carries a new VRC number, and the old one stops working for online services.
Using the VRC Number to Renew Motor Tax
To renew through motortax.ie you need your vehicle registration number and a PIN. For a second-hand vehicle that has been taxed before, the PIN is the last six digits of your VRC number.2Motor Tax Online. Motor Tax Online So the VRC number on the front of the tax book is exactly what you reach for at renewal time.
Two situations don’t use the VRC number. If the vehicle is brand-new or an import being taxed for the first time, the PIN is the last six characters of the chassis number instead. And if you’ve received a motor tax renewal notice by post or email, the PIN is printed on it directly. If you’ve mislaid both the certificate and the notice, you can retrieve the PIN through motortax.ie.2Motor Tax Online. Motor Tax Online
Using the VRC Number to Transfer Ownership
The VRC number does the same authenticating job when a vehicle changes hands. For a private sale handled online through the Department of Transport’s vehicle services portal, the seller enters the vehicle registration number and the VRC number to generate a one-time transfer PIN. The seller shares that PIN with the buyer, who has 30 minutes to use it and complete the transfer through a verified MyGovID account.1Citizens Information. Change of Vehicle Ownership
For a postal transfer, buyer and seller sign the change of ownership section on the back of the certificate and send the completed VRC to the Department of Transport. A new certificate, with a fresh VRC number, is then posted to the new owner. Sales to a motor dealer use Form RF105 instead, and approved dealers can complete the notification online.1Citizens Information. Change of Vehicle Ownership
If you’ve bought a vehicle and the seller won’t hand over the VRC, contact the Department of Transport for a statutory declaration form. Have it witnessed by a Commissioner for Oaths or a practising solicitor, then send both documents to the Department to get the ownership recorded in your name.
If the Tax Book Is Lost or Damaged
If the certificate is lost, stolen, or too damaged to read, you can’t get at the VRC number, and you’ll need a replacement before renewing tax online or selling the vehicle. The process uses Form RF134, available from your local motor tax office.3gov.ie. Application for Replacement Documents A member of the Garda Síochána must witness your signature on the form at a Garda station. Send the witnessed form and the €12 processing fee to your local motor tax office, and the new certificate is posted to the registered owner’s address.4Sligo County Council. Replacement Documents
One thing to expect: the replacement carries a new VRC number, so your online motor tax PIN changes with it. Anything you’d previously saved based on the old certificate no longer works, and you’ll need to use the new number from that point on.