THE cost of obtaining a driving licence and taking a driving test will increase in price from today (Monday).
The October sitting of Tynwald approved the changes to the fees charged for driving licences, driving tests, trade licences, vehicle registration and road worthiness tests.
Prices have gone up to cover the increased costs of services provided by the Department of Infrastructure.
Infrastructure Minister Phil Gawne MHK said: "A high level of development has been seen at the Vehicle Test Centre over the past five years and I would like to commend the team there for all their hard work and effort to help improve the service we offer to the general public.
"The increases also reflect inflation over the period since they were last revised some seven or eight years ago and we hope that people will appreciate why these increases in fees are necessary."
From Monday, November 1:
- A provisional driving licence will increase from £13 to £15 and from £20 to £25 for a full licence.
- Fees for driving tests will increase across all categories from £25 to £35.
- The cost of an annual trade plate will increase from £12 to £20.
- Registration fees for vehicles have been increased from £9 to £20.
- The change of ownership fee has increased from £6 to £10.
The price of testing a private vehicle at the Vehicle Test Centre has also risen from £30 to £40 – following an increase in the number of inspections carried out on imported vehicles.
3,040 vehicles were inspected in 2009/2010 compared to 2,375 inspections in 2004/2005.
The combined number of inspections, including examinations requested by the Police and Trading Standards, has increased from 4,405 to 6,980 over the same period.
Despite the increased volume of tests the income from testing is still less than the expenditure. The increases are proposed to help address the difference as well as to reflect inflationary increases since 2003/2004 when the prices were last increased.
Cherished number plates will also increase in price after the Department concluded that they had a much greater market value than previously thought.
The Department is proposing to release almost all of its stock of retained numbers in ten newly defined bands ranging from £100 to £7,500.
The bands are broadly defined on the basis that the less numbers and letters in the registration the more expensive the plate is.
The re-assignment of special registration plates will also increase in price from £67 to £70.
Phil Gawne continued: "I also hope that the new vastly wider range of registrations available will enable individuals to add that personal touch to their vehicle if they wish whilst at the same time raising revenue for the public purse."
Information about the availability and prices of cherished numbers can be obtained on the Post Office website here or by calling 01624 698525.
