NewsWhore
01-26-2011, 04:00 PM
Why are there so many motorcycles without license plates circulating on the streets of the country? According to data from the Department of Taxes (DGII), 1,352,720 motorcycles are registered in the country, of which 1,2543,230 do not have license plates. But part of the problem is that in the import of the disassembled motorcycles that arrive from China, which are later assembled and sold without any documentation, because they do not enter the country in a normal fashion. It so happens that these "importers" are not even registered on the lists of importers at the Department Customs (DGA).
All this has to be added to the fact that many companies sell on credit, and do not pay the 17% tax on the first license plate at the DGII nor do they give clients any documentation that says that they are the owners, until they pay off the credit and they recover their investment. The biggest problem with the motorcycles without license plates occurs in provincial towns and villages and in the rural areas, since in the capital it happens less frequently because of the pressure applied by AMET with fines of up to RD$1,000 and the hauling of the motorcycles to the Dog Track (a defunct dog track now used as an impound yard).
When an importer brings a number of vehicles into the country, they are paid for in Customs and registered at the DGII. From there forward the DGII has a chassis number, or it is sent via the Internet and the importers pay the 17% tax for the license plate, which can be anywhere between RD$2,000 and RD$3,000 for each unit.
However, many of the "gray" market importers bring in motorcycles in pieces, assemble them here and sell them; all without any paperwork as to the registration of the machine or any documents beyond a payment receipt that says the vehicle belongs to the person riding it.
The long article in the Diario Libre says that this could be easily solved by issuing temporary tags for newly arrived vehicles, just like they do for cars and trucks. However, it is apparent that the frequent changes in the AMET leadership have been a hindrance to the process going forward.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#5)
All this has to be added to the fact that many companies sell on credit, and do not pay the 17% tax on the first license plate at the DGII nor do they give clients any documentation that says that they are the owners, until they pay off the credit and they recover their investment. The biggest problem with the motorcycles without license plates occurs in provincial towns and villages and in the rural areas, since in the capital it happens less frequently because of the pressure applied by AMET with fines of up to RD$1,000 and the hauling of the motorcycles to the Dog Track (a defunct dog track now used as an impound yard).
When an importer brings a number of vehicles into the country, they are paid for in Customs and registered at the DGII. From there forward the DGII has a chassis number, or it is sent via the Internet and the importers pay the 17% tax for the license plate, which can be anywhere between RD$2,000 and RD$3,000 for each unit.
However, many of the "gray" market importers bring in motorcycles in pieces, assemble them here and sell them; all without any paperwork as to the registration of the machine or any documents beyond a payment receipt that says the vehicle belongs to the person riding it.
The long article in the Diario Libre says that this could be easily solved by issuing temporary tags for newly arrived vehicles, just like they do for cars and trucks. However, it is apparent that the frequent changes in the AMET leadership have been a hindrance to the process going forward.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#5)