HELP! Forgot to register car but paid for CTP. Pulled over and received 2 fines - one for unreg car, one for no insurance? $1214

[Deactivated] on 11/10/2013 - 12:28

Before I explain what happened - my car was registered in NSW.

I remember paying for CTP green slip and must have somehow forgotten to pay for my rego as well.

This all happened while I was moving house - and among piles of documents and paperwork I must have forgotten to also pay for rego on top of the CTP.

When I was pulled over - I received 2 infringements.

One was for driving an unregistered car, the other for driving an uninsured car.

The highway patrol officer said that "Because your registration has lapsed, and it has been more than 2 weeks of it lapsing, your insurance has also lapsed"

Is this true? Even if I paid for CTP to insure me until Sept next year? I have the document which clearly says that. I guess the better worded questions is: "Is my CTP invalid if my registration lapses?"

Hope to get some help from you guys.

Cheers.

Automotive

Comments

  • retiredfeline on 11/10/2013 - 12:43

    How lapsed was your rego? Maybe you've exceeded the use-by date of the CTP? Is it on the CTP slip? See here:

    http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/registration/regorenewal/greenslip…

  • _Bruce_ on 11/10/2013 - 12:44
    +1

    Why not ring your insurer and ask?

  • RandomNinja on 11/10/2013 - 12:48
    +6

    http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/registration/downloads/unregistere…

    'Your compulsory third party (CTP) insurance (also known as a green slip) is not valid when your vehicle is unregistered.'

    edit: 'You can only drive an unregistered light vehicle to renew or obtain registration' Depending on where you got pulled over, maybe you could argue that you were going to your nearest motor registry to get rego?

    • [Deactivated] on 11/10/2013 - 14:35

      I like this - but I think it's too late because the guy recorded me saying I'm on my way to a client.

      • fb255 on 12/10/2013 - 08:49

        This permission to drive a unregistered car on NSW roads includes not only driving to the RTA (RMS) but also
        driving to the blue and Pink slip station or driving to a repairer to get repairs done in connection to the registration.
        This I know aplies definitely when a failed slip is issued and you are on the way to rectify the faults listed
        but
        it might also include (you need to check with a Solicitor) repairs which are are obvious and you want to rectify before you go to the Blue and pink slip station.

        Be aware though that this permission to drive an unregistered car applies only to road worthy issues and not if you vehicle is unsafe!

        For example if you see your tyres are worn to the point that they will not pass and you drive to the Tyre shop on "dry roads" - that is fine with the exception of the canvass being visible.

        ergo

        a "bald tyre" is fine (considered safe but un-roadworthy) on dry roads but considered unsafe on wet roads.
        a tyre showing canvas is considered unsafe on dry and wet roads.

        You cannot drive an unsafe car on the road registered or un-registered!!

        Hope that helps and is not confusing

  • one man clan on 11/10/2013 - 13:08

    Yep, the cops/authorities take this pretty seriously. I think you're SOL

  • holdenmg on 11/10/2013 - 13:23

    Hi,

    Here in South Australia the latest trick is to have no Registration Sticker on
    the inside of the Front Windscreen.

    As a consequence of this people were unable to see the month due and were forgetting.

    They have introduced free E-mail/SMS Reminders though…
    http://www.sa.gov.au/subject/Transport,%20travel%20and%20mot…

    So, worth checking out if there is a similar reminder system for N.S.W.

    • retiredfeline on 11/10/2013 - 13:42

      Same in NSW, no more rego stickers. Worth putting in a recurring reminder in your calendar for this and other things if you're the forgetful type.

      • MATTDAMON on 11/10/2013 - 14:03
        +1

        If you have your mobile number listed with the RMS they already send you a reminder SMS, ontop of the usual letter.

        there is also apps available that check your license plate to show when the rego expires.

    • emibel19 on 11/10/2013 - 19:16

      Also here in SA, you can't pay CTP without registering the vehicle, as we don't have choice of insurer and the CTP is part of the registration process; it's all on the same bill.

  • [Deactivated] on 11/10/2013 - 14:36

    Thanks for the help people - it appears I cannot claim that the car had insurance =(

  • Scrooge McDuck on 11/10/2013 - 15:08
    +1

    Take it to court and explain your story and circumstances to the judge. If you deserve leniency you'll be granted it.

  • John on 11/10/2013 - 15:09

    Had similar experience 7 years ago. But only get fined $60 for driving unlicensed car (plus court fee etc). There was no fine for driving uninsured car.. either I was lucky or the law was different back then. This was in WA.

  • clockon on 11/10/2013 - 19:28

    awww thats not good especially if your doing it tough.I hope you have money or youll be in a hole for a long time!

  • baybeans on 11/10/2013 - 23:57
    +3

    Oh no, I feel your pain. Thats an expensive fine - sorry you got nabbed.
    but, it could have been possible you would have been driving for the rest of this year (at least) without rego or insurance, and if you did have an accident, this post could have been;

    HELP! Forgot to register car but paid for CTP. Bumped into a Merc 300sl 2 bills - one for the damaged car, one for his hospital bills. $1,214,666

    you got a bargain at only $1214.

    If you have the time and inclination, complete the nomination to take it to court. Don't be a cheeky, do be polite, and explain what happened - maybe point out that your intention was to register your car as demonstrated by paying the CTP (as an aside, did you get the roadworthy already?). Worst case is the fine will stand - maybe some court fees, but the chance is you get a discount, perhaps and you come away feeling like you at least gave it a good shot. (just check what court fees could apply if you got the Grinch. -or- pay the fine and move on.

  • peter000 on 12/10/2013 - 09:01

    Get advice from the NRMA

    • Peck on 12/10/2013 - 09:41

      I agree. If an NRMA member, contact NRMA Legal services branch. Ask them to write a letter of explanation, requesting leniency. If you have a good driving record, then reference that as well. I think you will then have extra time to pay whilst the matter is under consideration.

  • justjules on 12/10/2013 - 17:29
    +12

    Saw your post and had to register for ozb, I feel for you. I'm in the legal game and have had clients with similar situation to your own. Your best course is to appeal the matter in the local court, show evidence of having paid the CTP and evidence of your recent move which will explain why you missed the final step of actually paying the rego. Court fee for the appeal is $85 or thereabouts and you will likely get either no fine or a token $100-200. Run the matter yourself and pay the rego ASAP so you can say to the Court that you rectified it as soon as you were aware. Good luck.

    • kobrien456 on 13/10/2013 - 09:01
      +1

      Good man Just Jules. Welcome to Oz Bargain.

  • MATTDAMON on 12/10/2013 - 18:42

    Also OP each one of those offenses have 3 demerit points each, so you will also loose 6 demerit points. So depending on your previous offenses (if you have any) you could also loose your license.

    • 4wd on 13/10/2013 - 09:26

      If it happened on the recent long weekend then all offences attracted double demerit points.

      So that's 12 demerit points - you've won big time.

      I'd seriously recommend taking it to court in that case.

      • MATTDAMON on 13/10/2013 - 09:30

        Double demerits are only for speeding and seatbelt offenses last time i checked.

    • [Deactivated] on 14/10/2013 - 11:58

      The offenses do not carry demerit points.

  • tko6070 on 13/10/2013 - 13:46

    The only reason acceptable to be driving an unreg vehicle is to and from inspection (pink/blue)
    you can always check your rego on the MAA website to see if its current.
    Your CTP will expire after 3 months if its a 12m term and 21 days if its 6 months.

  • lookalive on 04/01/2014 - 12:45

    How much is the fine for driving unlicensed? I was very fortunate to have been given a warning by a kind-hearted constable. It was DD weekend last year, yes I know, DD only applies to speeding and seatbelt offences, and I realised that my license was due to expire sometime in December. My license renewal letter arrived and my wife placed it in a drawer and forgot to tell me.

    I'd been driving around undetected for 2 good days, then after seeing the notice, I immediately contemplated how I was going to drive to work and my daughter to childcare. I decided to risk it! driving the inside streets, boy oh boy was I wrong, busted big time! I approached a roundabout and noticed a nice and shiny white holden commodore approaching from the right side, I immediately suspected it was a copper, I slowed down and allowed him to go first, he kept looking at me the whole time going through the roundabout, and I proceeded after him, going straight, he did another fast turn and followed me with his lights on, no siren. I talked nicely to him (as you do to any officer of the law), he asked if he could see my license, I knew there and then his license plate recognition system (capable of reading 6 license plates in a second) had picked me up, so I pulled out my license, he asks "do you have another one", I replied no, he asks "why has licensed expired?" I replied, "sir, I've moved houses and my letter was misplaced, but here it is, and I'm going to RMS to renew it now", he replied "oh I don't know", I pleaded with him, please sir, I have the money in my wallet, look. He then said "let me look at your registration, alright, you can go and pay your registration now", I was happy, I said thank you sir quite a few times. I dodged a bullet, an expensive one.

    RMS was closed! but he didn't know, and there was still 2 days left before it reopened. I didn't risk it, I called a taxi to work, costed $50 one way, but better than hundreds of dollars.

    • baybeans on 04/01/2014 - 12:58
      +1

      I contemplated how I was going to drive my daughter to Childcare and to work…

      You knew you were driving unlicensed - that affects your registration and insurance coverage, but thought it was ok to drive your infant, to a Childcare centre, then off to work, and back again?

      I decided to risk it

      And put others at risk of insurance complications if there was an event (chances were higher with you driving backstreets and perhaps more chance of local cars/kids being less alert)

      Yes, you dodged a bullet and I'm glad you didn't get a heavy fine, that would be depressing. Please take more care in the future. Rules are rules and you knew you were breaking them.

      • lookalive on 04/01/2014 - 16:22

        you're absolutely right, and I will be more careful in the future. Sometimes though, rules are made to be broken, you can live your life trying your best to never break rules/laws, but you'll find yourself inadvertently breaking them, e.g. driving just 1km/h over the limit IS breaking the law, or failing to signal just because the car in front of you didn't.

        A mother had to watch her child die because a chemist in the UK refused to sell the critical adrenaline injection required because she didn't have a prescription, you can't sit there and tell me rules are rules?

        A police officer issued a fine to a man in queensland for not closing his window entirely because he wanted to keep his car cool when he had to return to it after picking up his daughter. He had his best interest in his daughter, if his car happened to be a target, that shouldn't be his problem, he shouldn't be regarded as an "accessory" to the crime. Even if the window was up, what's to stop a real thief from getting inside? Oh, and the police officer was quoted saying "revenue raising".

        The main gist of my post was to show that the police officer was kind enough to let me off with a warning, how many stories do we hear of police letting people off with a warning? it wasn't about me flouting the law, yes I made an error in judgement, but I did mention that I took a taxi the next day, and that I dodged a bullet, meaning no one should do what I've done, not many people can dodge bullets ;)

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