Govt grants instalment pay option for vehicle, vessel fees and fines

The government has granted an instalment payment option for vehicle and vessel annual fees and fines.

The government publicized a new regulation on Sunday aimed at facilitating ease of payment for individuals who owed vehicle and vessel fees and fines to the state. The regulation, which is now in effect, provides opportunities for individuals with financial complications to write to the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation requesting payment leniencies.

The ministry will be looking at the following conditions to consider leniencies:

• Outstanding payments in fees and fines exceed MVR 10,000
• Deadline for the payments have already expired
• Making requests for payment leniency in accordance with the new regulation
• Individuals who were not granted instalment payment options to settle vehicle or vessel fees and fines previously
• The applicant should be the owner of the vehicle

Such individuals, upon receiving approval, will have to enter into an instalment payment agreement with the ministry which should be preceded with a ‘commitment fee’. As per the regulation, individuals with an outstanding total between MVR 5,000 and MVR 10,000 in vehicle or vessel fees and fines must pay 18 percent of their outstanding payment as ‘commitment fee’.

The instalment payment agreement made following this ‘commitment fee’ grants individuals to settle their outstanding total in a total of 10 months.

Failure to pay for the instalment, and exceeding 30 days without a valid reason will be subject to a termination of the agreement which the ministry holds discretion of.