New vehicles | April | January - April | ||||||
2013 | 2014 | Change | 2013 | 2014 | Change | |||
New private cars | 8,113 | 11,757 | 3,644 | 44.9% | 39,115 | 51,123 | 12,008 | 30.7% |
New goods vehicles | 1,129 | 1,502 | 373 | 33.0% | 4,179 | 6,105 | 1,926 | 46.1% |
Total new vehicles | 10,057 | 14,178 | 4,121 | 41.0% | 46,343 | 61,051 | 14,708 | 31.7% |
The number of new private cars licensed for the first time increased by 44.9% to 11,757 in April 2014 compared to April 2013. Used (imported) private cars licensed for the first time were up 8.8% to 4,783 for the same period.
In total, there were 51,123 new private cars licensed in the year to the end of April 2014, a rise of 30.7% compared to the same period in 2013. The corresponding figure for 2014 in respect of used (imported) private cars was 18,154 and this was up 21.8% from 2013.
The licensing figures also show that:
The licensing figures refer to vehicles taxed for road use only and classified by taxation class.
Licensing differs from registration in that a vehicle is licensed when a valid motor tax disc is issued for the first time. Registration occurs when a vehicle gets its licence plate (registration number) for the first time.
Table 1: Number of vehicles licensed for the first time classified by taxation class | |||||||
Taxation Class | April | January - April | |||||
2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | ||
New vehicles | |||||||
New private cars | 9,388 | 8,113 | 11,757 | 45,469 | 39,115 | 51,123 | |
New goods vehicles | 1,047 | 1,129 | 1,502 | 4,739 | 4,179 | 6,105 | |
New tractors | 176 | 185 | 193 | 795 | 720 | 881 | |
New motorcycles | 101 | 99 | 104 | 370 | 325 | 344 | |
New exempt vehicles | 454 | 449 | 496 | 1,856 | 1,745 | 2,120 | |
New other | 97 | 82 | 126 | 391 | 259 | 478 | |
Total new vehicles | 11,263 | 10,057 | 14,178 | 53,620 | 46,343 | 61,051 | |
Used (imported) vehicles | |||||||
Used private cars | 3,193 | 4,398 | 4,783 | 12,771 | 14,909 | 18,154 | |
Used goods vehicles | 373 | 552 | 861 | 1,456 | 1,945 | 3,069 | |
Used tractors | 121 | 121 | 216 | 635 | 456 | 900 | |
Used motorcycles | 167 | 145 | 179 | 489 | 427 | 469 | |
Used other vehicles | 300 | 294 | 376 | 995 | 1,078 | 1,398 | |
Total used vehicles | 4,154 | 5,510 | 6,415 | 16,346 | 18,815 | 23,990 | |
Total all vehicles | 15,417 | 15,567 | 20,593 | 69,966 | 65,158 | 85,041 |
Table 2A: Number of new private cars licensed for the first time by CO2 emission band and fuel type, April 2014 | |||||||
Band | Fuel Type | Total | |||||
Petrol | Diesel | Petrol & electric | Petrol & ethanol | Electric | Other | ||
A | 1,513 | 6,222 | 98 | 0 | 17 | 2 | 7,852 |
B | 1,321 | 1,979 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3,300 |
C | 62 | 283 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 352 |
D | 5 | 94 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 99 |
E | 3 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 |
F | 3 | 107 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 110 |
G | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
Not available1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Total | 2,908 | 8,725 | 105 | 0 | 17 | 2 | 11,757 |
1 Emission bands unavailable at time of licensing |
Table 2B: Number of new private cars licensed for the first time by CO2 emission band and fuel type, January-April 2014 | |||||||
Band | Fuel Type | Total | |||||
Petrol | Diesel | Petrol & electric | Petrol & ethanol | Electric | Other | ||
A | 7,409 | 26,305 | 536 | 0 | 106 | 16 | 34,372 |
B | 5,013 | 9,091 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14,129 |
C | 218 | 1,211 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,447 |
D | 39 | 386 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 425 |
E | 16 | 181 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 197 |
F | 3 | 504 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 507 |
G | 8 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 |
Not available1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
Total | 12,706 | 37,716 | 579 | 0 | 106 | 16 | 51,123 |
1 Emission bands unavailable at time of licensing |
Table 3: Number of new and used (imported) private cars licensed for the first time by make, April 2014 | |||||||
Make | April | January - April | |||||
New | Used (imported) | Total | New | Used (imported) | Total | ||
Audi | 514 | 438 | 952 | 2,268 | 1,610 | 3,878 | |
BMW | 335 | 361 | 696 | 1,895 | 1,329 | 3,224 | |
Chevrolet | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 14 | |
Citroen | 277 | 223 | 500 | 765 | 826 | 1,591 | |
Fiat | 91 | 19 | 110 | 318 | 87 | 405 | |
Ford | 958 | 737 | 1,695 | 4,851 | 2,795 | 7,646 | |
Honda | 151 | 102 | 253 | 715 | 375 | 1,090 | |
Hyundai | 755 | 157 | 912 | 4,280 | 571 | 4,851 | |
Kia | 573 | 77 | 650 | 2,347 | 275 | 2,622 | |
Lexus | 39 | 10 | 49 | 210 | 48 | 258 | |
Mazda | 230 | 68 | 298 | 975 | 258 | 1,233 | |
Mercedes-Benz | 176 | 107 | 283 | 1,105 | 437 | 1,542 | |
Mitsubishi | 65 | 15 | 80 | 341 | 70 | 411 | |
Nissan | 1,183 | 163 | 1,346 | 3,957 | 783 | 4,740 | |
Opel | 787 | 6 | 793 | 3,315 | 15 | 3,330 | |
Peugeot | 369 | 239 | 608 | 1,692 | 971 | 2,663 | |
Renault | 744 | 169 | 913 | 2,457 | 648 | 3,105 | |
Seat | 370 | 53 | 423 | 1,338 | 200 | 1,538 | |
Skoda | 775 | 106 | 881 | 3,545 | 407 | 3,952 | |
Subaru | 15 | 0 | 15 | 67 | 11 | 78 | |
Suzuki | 85 | 19 | 104 | 383 | 56 | 439 | |
Toyota | 1,051 | 393 | 1,444 | 5,634 | 1,547 | 7,181 | |
Vauxhall | 0 | 467 | 467 | 0 | 1,754 | 1,754 | |
Volkswagen | 1,542 | 619 | 2,161 | 6,102 | 2,162 | 8,264 | |
Volvo | 179 | 70 | 249 | 616 | 281 | 897 | |
Other | 493 | 163 | 656 | 1,947 | 624 | 2,571 | |
Total | 11,757 | 4,783 | 16,540 | 51,123 | 18,154 | 69,277 | |
1 The information in this table is available in much greater detail in Databases (see Statbank link below) |
The vehicle licensing figures are compiled from data supplied by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Driver and Vehicle Computer Services Division. The data provide details on the number of private cars, goods vehicles, motor cycles and other vehicles licensed for the first time in each city and county council, classified by make and size, during a given month.
The release titled 'Vehicles licensed for the first time' commenced in January 1993. It replaced the series previously published as 'Particulars of vehicles registered and licensed for the first time'.
In January 1993, separate systems for vehicle registration and licensing were introduced. The Office of the Revenue Commissioners became responsible for the compilation of vehicle registrations while the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government retained responsibility for vehicle licensing. In January 2008, responsibility for vehicle licensing was transferred to the Department of Transport (which later became the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport).
For new cars registered from 1 July 2008 motor tax charges are determined on the basis of the CO2 emission level, based on seven CO2 bands. Tables with CO2 emission data were added to this release from July 2008. A further such table was added in November 2008.
The licensing process where applicable follows the registration process.
Registration and licensing figures may differ in a given month for a number of reasons, some of which are outlined below:
The question is often asked, which reflects better vehicle sales, licensing figures or registration figures?
In practice, on a monthly basis, the licensing data is probably a better reflection of sales. In some cases, a vehicle may be registered by a dealership in advance of a sale. Whereas, typically, vehicles are only licensed at the point of sale. However, if a vehicle is purchased towards the end of a month, the buyer may wish to defer collecting and licensing it until the start of the following month. So the issue is not clear-cut.
From 31 October 1999, detailed information on agricultural vehicles is no longer published in accordance with Commission Decision 92/157/EEC as upheld on 28 May 1998.
Exempt: The term 'exempt vehicles' in this release, refers to vehicles which are licensed for the first time but are exempt from liability to pay road tax.
Exempt vehicles can be divided into four main categories:
Machines or contrivances: Vehicles included under this category are mobile machines, forklifts, excavators and diggers.
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