Explainer: Why Irish motorists will no longer need to display a motor tax disc

The Irish government has taken the first formal step toward ending the requirement for motorists to display a paper motor tax disc as part of new legislation now being drafted.

Here’s what Irish drivers need to know:

What’s happening?

Cabinet has approved the drafting of the National Vehicle and Driver File Bill 2025, which includes a provision to abolish the legal requirement to display a physical motor tax disc on your windscreen.

Motor tax will still be required, obviously, but the paper disc may soon be a thing of the past.

Why the change?

With Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology now widely used, An Garda Síochána already has digital access to motor tax records through the National Vehicle and Driver File (NVDF). Ministers say the physical disc is now unnecessary.

What is the National Vehicle and Driver File?

It’s Ireland’s central register of vehicles and licensed drivers, used by gardaí, the Road Safety Authority (RSA), and other state bodies. The new Bill also includes updates to make access to the database fully GDPR-compliant.

Will I still need to display insurance and NCT discs?

Simply, yes. However, the Department of Transport says similar digital reforms for insurance discs and NCTs are being worked on separately.

What else is in the Bill?

The legislation aims to improve road safety by allowing local authorities to directly access road collision data from the RSA and gardaí, helping councils identify high-risk areas and target investment. It will also remove end dates for off-the-road declarations and update parts of the Road Traffic Acts, including rules around speed limits.

Has the law changed yet?

Not yet. The Bill is currently in the drafting phase and will need to pass through the Oireachtas before becoming law. Both the Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien and Minister of State Seán Canney have said the legislation will be prioritised.

If passed, it will mark the end of a tradition dating back more than 100 years and signal the beginning of a wider move toward fully digital vehicle compliance on Irish roads.

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