vehicle

Before you Drive

Cockpit Drill / Systems Check

Your tutor will ask you to learn this drill and use it at the beginning of every training session. There is a reason for everything you are asked to do whilst being taught advanced driver training techniques.

By carrying out this procedure you are making sure:-

The vehicle is safe.
All of the systems are working properly.
Focusing your mind on the fact that you are about to drive a vehicle, which has the capability of being a lethal weapon.
So stick with it and it will soon become second nature. As you check each control say:
The handbrake is on, the gear lever is in neutral.
There is good pressure on the footbrake.
The seat, mirrors and steering wheel are adjusted to my satisfaction.
Please check that your seatbelts are fastened, work correctly and are not damaged or frayed and that your doors are closed properly but not locked.
I am aware of the layout and function of the controls.
Switching on the ignition, the warning lights are illuminated and the gauges are working correctly.
I am depressing the clutch and starting the engine. Those warning lights that should be extinguished are no longer lit.
I have enough fuel for my journey.
Checking around the vehicle, selecting 1st gear, releasing the handbrake and moving off. On moving off, conduct a running brake test between 35 and 50 kph to check for straight-line operation.
Automatics keep footbrake depressed while engaging DRIVE.

Importing a used vehicle

Customs formalities when importing a vehicle

The Customs and Excise website now has all the customs information that you will require to import a vehicle into Cyprus from within the EU and third countries.

Registering the vehicle with the Department of Road Transport.

Details of how to register an imported used vehicle with the Department of Road Transport can be found here in Greek.

I recomend you use Google Translate in Google Chrome to translate the page to your language.

There is a standard registration fee of €150 for most private vehicles.

The article below may be of help.

Rules issued for car imports from UK post-Brexit | Cyprus Mail

Used imported vehicles require

A Vehicle Test Certificate (MOT – Roadworthiness).

All vehicles require

Insurance.

If your vehicle is fitted with a speedometer marked only in miles per hour (MPH), it may have to be replaced by one marked in kilometers per hour (kph).

Change Ownership of Vehicle

Form TOM 9 has to be completed.

You can download a printable form TOM 9 in Greek for completion here.

Take the completed form to a Department of Road Transport Office or a Citizens Service Center in person or by proxy.

With the registration document (logbook)
a valid certificate of insurance for the current owner
and the new owner.
the fee of €8.54.The Muktar or Certifying Officer will charge a nominal fee for certification of both seller and buyers signatures. However, if both parties are present, with identification documents, certification can be done at the Department of Road Transport Office or a Citizens Service Center by one of their officers.A number of companies exist that will carry out all of the work for you for a fee.

Note: You may be asked if you own any other vehicles. If you have you will be required to produce the registration (log) books for all of the vehicles.

Change of Ownership by Proxy

The above documents must be taken along with an authorization (power of attorney) from the owner giving permission for another to sell the vehicle.

The authorization must be properly signed and stamped by a Cyprus Certifying Officer.

If the owner is in another Country then the Embassy, High Commission or Consulate in that country has to certify the authorization (power of attorney).

Contact them for instructions. In the UK it is likely that you may be instructed to have the authorization (power of attorney) signed and stamped by a Notary Public and then sent to the Embassy for verification. They will then add their stamp to the document.

You should however check with them at Tel.: +44 (0) 2073214-101/102/103/104, Fax: +44 (0) 2073214-160/165, E-mail : cyprusconsulate@btconnect.com, to ascertain the current procedure.

Change of ownership must be notified to the Department of Transport within 30 days by the buyer and the seller. To fail to comply is an offence.

To change the address of the registered owner of a vehicle:

Take the registration document (logbook) and a note of the new address to your local DoRT or CSC office. They will update the details on the computer.

Biennial Vehicle Inspection (M.O.T. Test – Roadworthiness Test)

If a vehicle is FOUR years old it is required to be tested, then tested every two years after that.

The vehicle inspection is similar to the MOT test in the UK and is carried out at authorized garages. The test is computerized and takes about 30 minutes.

The test covers:

exhaust emissions
brakes
suspension
steering
a visual check of lights, tyres, brake pipes etc.

You will not be able to renew your Road Tax without the vehicle passing the test.

The Procedure.
If your vehicle is properly registered and the Department of Transport has your current address, and you have failed to submit the vehicle for testing, you may receive a notification, in Greek, that the test was due.

The form includes information on the current fees and the date by which the test must be carried out. It may be a month or so after the anniversary of first registration.

You will be given a limited time in which to comply with the requirement.

It has been proposed that a text message may be sent to the owner prior to the test becoming due.

If you do not receive notification, you should go through the same procedure. Non receipt of the reminder will not let you off the hook should it come to a prosecution.

Take the vehicle registration document and the fee (currently €35.25) to a testing station authorized to carry out the test.

If a vehicle fails the test a temporary certificate is issued which allows 30 days to rectify the faullts.

The re-test fee is €10.

The result is entered on the DoRT database immediately and a certificate is issued. The certificate is valid for TWO years from the date of issue.

If your vehicle does not have a valid vehicle test certificate the road tax becomes invalid. You are likely to be prosecuted for both offences.
Insurance companies may refuse to cover damages to the vehicle if the driver of such a vehicle is involved in an accident.

Information regarding Cyprus tyre law is available on this site.

To download detailed information on the MOT Test with a rough English translation click here.

Currently motorcycles are not being tested.
However the law is in place (from the 6th July 2012) to test:

Motorcycles
Tricycles
Electric vehicles
Motor vehicles hired without drivers

Under the amendments to the legislation the above categories of motor vehicles will be invited to undergo inspection at a time to be decided by the Commissioner.

Breakdown Rescue and Recovery

Vehicles must by law

carry a reflective warning triangle at all times. Larger vehicles should carry two.

Currently items such as First Aid Kit, Fire Extinguisher, Fluorescent Jacket, although advisable are not compulsory.

24 hour Vehicle breakdown, rescue and recovery.

Many insurance companies in Cyprus include a full rescue, breakdown and recovery service as part of the insurance package.

One of the biggest and used by several companies is RescueLine (00357 22 44 66 00) and includes a recovery service for motorcycles.

If this cover is not offered to you by your insurance company you can subscribe directly with them or there are other options, for example,

Cyprus Automobile Association (CAA).

The CAA is a member of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and the Alliance Internationale de Tourisme (AIT).

Breakdown Cover only applies to the Republic of Cyprus.