As of now, nearly 365,000 private persons and 55,000 legal persons are required to pay a total of approximately €41 million in motor vehicle tax by the first due date, on 15 June. The due date for the second instalment is 15 December.
In light of the rise in scam messages, the ETCB recommends signing in to the e-services environment e-MTA only through the ETCB’s official website emta.ee by selecting “E-services”. After logging in, you can view your tax notice by navigating to Taxes – Motor vehicle tax – Motor vehicle tax notices. On the page that opens, you can open the tax notice, see an overview of claims and information about payment.
Sign in to e-MTA to open tax notice
The amount of tax in the notice includes the annual tax for all the vehicles in the name of the owner or authorised user as of 1 January 2026. The calculation of the tax amount for each vehicle is shown in the annexes to the tax notice.
The ETCB asks vehicle owners to make sure that at least 50% of the total tax amount is transferred to the e-MTA prepayment account by 15 June at the latest. “Taxpayers who do not have the required amount in the prepayment account yet are sent reminders via text messages and emails. The day after the tax payment deadline, the necessary amount will be automatically deducted from the funds available in the prepayment account,” said Avely Raid-Lelov, Service Owner at the ETCB’s Income Tax Department.
Motor vehicle tax is also payable by vehicle owners or authorised users of leased vehicles who have transferred their vehicle after 1 January. If a vehicle is transferred in Estonia, the law stipulates that the tax liability remains entirely with the former owner. The tax liability of the new owner arises as of 1 January of the following year.
If it is not possible to pay the tax liability by the due date, the ETCB recommends applying for payment in instalments. The easiest way to apply for payment in instalments is to submit an application and payment schedule in the e-services environment of the ETCB.
The Transport Administration reminds the public that there are still close to 139,000 vehicles with suspended registration in the motor register that fall into taxable categories. If the owners do not temporarily or permanently delete these vehicles from the register, they will be subject to motor vehicle tax next year. “Only properly updated data ensures that people will not face financial obligations next year that could have been avoided by acting in time,” explained Märten Surva, Head of the Vehicle Registration Department at the Transport Administration.
A certificate of destruction is required to deregister a vehicle from the motor register free of charge. To obtain the certificate, the vehicle must be delivered to a waste handler authorised by the Transport Administration, who will automatically remove the vehicle from the register. If a vehicle has been lost, destroyed, or illegally dismantled, it is also possible to deregister it without a certificate of destruction, although a state fee must then be paid. This year, the state fee for this procedure is €15, which will increase to €800 starting next year.
Frequently asked questions and answers concerning motor vehicle tax can be found on the website of the ETCB.
Answers to frequently asked questions
How can I check if the notification is actually from the Tax and Customs Board?
Due to the spread of scam emails, it is recommended to check whether the notification has been received via the national mailbox. This can be done by logging in to the State Portal eesti.ee or the Eesti app. To view the tax notice, please log in to e-MTA only via the official website emta.ee by selecting “E-services”.
What should I do if the vehicle or owner information in the motor register is incorrect? What should I do if the vehicle no longer belongs to me?
Vehicle data in the motor register can be checked in the e-services environment of the Transport Administration, where you can also conveniently report the transfer of ownership of a vehicle. If you have any further questions, please contact the Transport Administration at [email protected].
Do I have to pay motor vehicle tax on a vehicle that has been destroyed?
If your vehicle is destroyed, please notify the Transport Administration as soon as possible. For a vehicle that has been destroyed, tax is calculated only for the period during which it was registered in the motor register. We will recalculate the tax liability as soon as the vehicle has been removed from the motor register and the Transport Administration has forwarded the information to us. The owner does not need to contact us or submit any additional documents.
Where can I find the bank details and reference number for payment of motor vehicle tax?
You can find the payment details and reference number on your tax notice, which is available in the e-services environment e-MTA. After signing in, please navigate to Taxes – Motor vehicle tax – Motor vehicle tax notices; you will see your tax notice on the page that opens. By clicking the “Pay” button, you can conveniently pay the tax.
How can I check whether my tax reduction has been applied?
To view information about your tax reduction, sign in to the e-services environment e-MTA and go to Taxes – Motor vehicle tax – Motor vehicle tax notices – Reduction of tax liability.
What should I do if I cannot pay the tax by the due date?
It is recommended to apply for rescheduling and to pay the tax liability in instalments. You can submit an application for payment in instalments in the e-services environment e-MTA. From the due date of payment of the tax until full payment of the tax arrears, interest is charged at a rate of 0.06% per day, i.e. 21.9% per year. When tax arrears are paid in instalments, it is possible to apply for a reduction in the interest rate of up to 50% as of the approval of the decision on rescheduling. More information on the payment of tax liabilities in instalments is available on the website of the ETCB.
Where do I turn if I have additional questions about motor vehicle tax?
Answers to frequently asked questions can be found on the ETCB website. If you have any further questions regarding tax calculation or payment, please contact us at [email protected] or [email protected]. You can receive responses to your inquiries faster if you write to us in the e-services environment. Select Communication – Correspondence – New message. For questions regarding vehicle data and registration fees, please contact the Transport Administration at [email protected].
