On November 1, the Transport Administration removed more than 70,000 vehicles with suspended registrations, including long-abandoned vehicles, missing vehicles, and vehicles that had been destroyed, whose registry status had remained unchanged for at least seven years.

"Over the summer, we sent notifications to about 100,000 people, and around 30,000 decided they did not want to remove their vehicles from the registry after all," said Siim Sarapuu, director of the Transport Administration's Traffic Services Department.

Those 30,000 vehicles, along with about 56,000 vehicles that have had suspended registrations for less than seven years, will become subject to the motor vehicle tax starting next year.

"There are three options: return the vehicle to use by obtaining insurance and passing a roadworthiness inspection, take it to a waste handler for dismantling, or, if you do not wish to use it or scrap it, apply for temporary removal from the registry," Sarapuu said.

Owners of vehicles with suspended registrations have increasingly been taking them to scrapyards. Kuusakoski, a metal recycling company, accepts 15 to 20 vehicles a day in Tallinn and pays about €200–€400 for each one.

"We have definitely seen an increase. Since mid-September, volumes have been about 50 percent higher than during the same period last year," said Urmo Viisitamm, chairman of Kuusakoski's management board.

The state has also organized a campaign allowing owners to have vehicles collected from their properties for dismantling through November 8.

As a result, 150 vehicles have already been handed over to Kuusakoski this year. Arranging collection requires a vehicle registration certificate, but during the campaign the Transport Administration is issuing missing documents free of charge.

To temporarily remove a vehicle from the registry, owners must submit an application to the Transport Administration. Processing times have lengthened because of the large number of requests. The agency is still handling applications submitted before the November 1 deadline.

"A large number of customers woke up during the final two weeks. Previously we received 2,000 to 3,000 applications per week, but during the last two weeks we were processing about 1,000 applications per day," Sarapuu said.

According to car collector Raido Notton, submitting digital evidence related to vehicles proved difficult, and some people received additional instructions by email only a week before the deadline.

"For older people, especially retirees with old Moskvich and Zhiguli cars in their garages, it was certainly difficult. That likely caused stress and contributed to everything being left until the last minute," Notton said.

Sarapuu stressed that people whose suspended-registration vehicles no longer exist should have them removed from the registry before the end of the year.

"This year the procedure costs €15. Next year that same procedure will cost €800," Sarapuu said.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and X and never miss an update!