The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) will be introducing a new Motor Vehicle Licences (MVLs) system from January 1 where vehicle owners can purchase licences from the GRA office nearest their location, among other features.
In a press release, the GRA said the new system will see licences being valid for one year, effective from the anniversary date of registration of the motor vehicle, as opposed to the current system where MVLs are only valid for the year in which they were purchased. This means that if a motor vehicle was registered on January 15, 2011, then the anniversary date for renewal will be January 15, 2012.
Commissioner-General Khurshid Sattaur was quoted as saying that the new system will “improve the quality of service provided to the public and reduce the strains and frustrations felt by the staff of the GRA and the public we serve.”
Vehicle owners who renewed their licences during 2011 will only be required to produce a copy of their Motor Vehicle Registration Certificates when purchasing their 2012 licences. “Owners of ‘enclosed goods vehicles’ and ‘yellow cabs’ are still required to present their vehicles for mandatory inspection by the Licence Officer,” the GRA said. Persons whose vehicles were licensed prior to 2011, but failed to renew their licences in 2011, are required to check with the Motor Vehicle Licence Clerk before proceeding to the cashier.
Senior Manager at the Licence Revenue Office (LRO) Wayne Austin said, “it was difficult for us to ignore the frustration expressed by some taxpayers regarding our MVL process. The GRA expects that this staggered approach and other measures which will complement it, will manifest in a friendlier service delivered to the public.” Vehicle owners renewing their licences in 2012 will be notified via mail of the due date/s for the renewal for vehicles registered under their names. “This does not preclude persons from renewing their licences before the anniversary of the registration of their motor vehicles,” the GRA said, adding that any changes in mailing addresses and other personal data should be reported to the agency.
It noted too that businesses or individuals who own or control more than 20 vehicles will be assisted via a special facility that will allow them to schedule a date on which they can purchase or renew all of their MVLs at the same time. “As is customary, the MVL will possess security features geared at ensuring the integrity of the document and safeguarding against forgeries,” the release said. In addition, at the end of each month the GRA plans to provide the Guyana Police Force with the details of motor vehicles for which licences were not renewed.
Nearest point of sale
The GRA also said that as a result of the expected reduction in the total number of vehicle owners expected to be attended to each month under the new system, the LRO will only sell licences to motor vehicle owners in Georgetown. Persons residing outside of Region Four can renew or purchase their licences at their nearest GRA regional office. MVLs will no longer be sold at contingency outlets such as the Tax Operations and Services Department and the Customs and Trade Administration Department. These new measures are designed to reduce the number of vehicle owners visiting the LRO during the peak licensing period, the release said.
