Road Traffic (Plating and Speed Rating of Agricultural Vehicles) Regulations 2014.
Statutory Instruments
Source: Statutory Instruments

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paragraphs: (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Road Traffic (Plating and Speed Rating of Agricultural Vehicles) Regulations 2014.
(2) These Regulations shall come into operation on 1 January 2016.
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paragraphs: (1) In these Regulations:
“agricultural tractor”:
(a) means a tractor the main function of which lies in its tractive power and which:
(i) has at least two axles,
(ii) has a maximum design speed of not less than 6 kilometres per hour,
(iii) has been designed especially to pull, push, carry and actuate certain interchangeable equipment,
(iv) has been designed for and is used in the performance of agricultural, fisheries, forestry or horticultural work, or to draw agricultural trailers or equipment, and
(b) includes a tractor as is described in paragraph (a) that:
(i) has been adapted to carry a load in the context of agricultural, fisheries, forestry or horticultural work, or
(ii) is equipped with one or more passenger seats;
“agricultural trailer”:
(a) means a trailer intended mainly to be drawn by an agricultural tractor and intended mainly to carry loads or to process materials used in connection with agriculture, fisheries, forestry or horticulture and where the ratio of the design gross vehicle weight to the unladen weight of that vehicle is equal to or greater than 3.0; and
(b) does not include pieces of interchangeable towed equipment the ratio of the design gross vehicle weight to the unladen weight of which is equal to or greater than 3.0;
“authorisation plate” means an authorisation plate issued and fitted to an agricultural trailer consequent upon the issue of a plating certificate in respect of that vehicle in accordance with Regulation 5;
“authorised distributor” means a person who holds a franchise from a vehicle manufacturer to sell particular makes and models of vehicles manufactured by that manufacturer and who is authorised to represent the manufacturer and to act on its behalf in matters covered by these Regulations;
“centre-axle trailer” means a trailer where the axle is, or where there is more than one axle, the axles are, positioned close to the centre of gravity of the trailer, when uniformly loaded, so that only a small static vertical load, not exceeding 10% of that corresponding to the design gross vehicle weight of the trailer or a load of 1000 kilogrammes, whichever is the lesser, is transmitted to the drawing vehicle;
“combination of agricultural vehicles” means a combination of an agricultural tractor towing either an agricultural trailer or trailers or interchangeable towed equipment;
“Council Directive” means Council Directive 2009/144/EC of November 30, 2009 on certain components and characteristics of wheeled agriculture or forestry tractors;1
“design gross vehicle weight” in the case of a vehicle type to which these Regulations applies, means the gross weight of a vehicle laden with the heaviest load that it can reasonably carry having regard to the engine, brakes, tyres and general construction of such vehicle and shall, until the contrary is shown, be taken to be:
(a) its design gross weight as specified by the manufacturer, or
(b) where the design gross vehicle weight as specified by the manufacturer is not ascertainable, as specified by the authorised distributor;
“design speed” in relation to an agricultural tractor, a self-propelled agricultural machine, an agricultural trailer, or interchangeable towed equipment means the maximum permissible speed of the vehicle as specified by the manufacturer or authorised distributor of the vehicle having regard to the braking requirements prescribed by the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) Regulations 1963 ( S.I. No. 190 of 1963 ) as amended;
“drawbar trailer” means a trailer having at least two axles which is equipped with a towing device which can move vertically in relation to the trailer and which transmits a static vertical load less than 100 kilogrammes to the towing vehicle;
“first registered” means the date on which particulars of a vehicle are first entered in the register established and maintained by the Revenue Commissioners under section 131 of the Finance Act 1992 or the date when first registered in accordance with the laws of another jurisdiction;
“interchangeable towed equipment” means any vehicle that is used in agriculture, fisheries, forestry or horticulture and which is designed to be drawn by an agricultural tractor:
(a) which vehicle may include any or none of the following features:
(i) the ability to change or add to the functions of such agricultural tractor,
(ii) the incorporation, permanently, of an implement,
(iii) an ability, by design, to process materials,
(iv) a load platform that is designed and constructed to:
(A) receive any tools and appliances that are needed for any of the foregoing purposes, or
(B) store temporarily any materials that are produced or needed during work; and
(b) the ratio of the design gross vehicle weight to the unladen weight of which vehicle is less than 3.0;
“manufacturer’s plate” means the plate referred to in Annex V of the Council Directive;
“plate” means, in the case of an agricultural tractor, a manufacturer’s plate, and in the case of an agricultural trailer, an authorisation plate;
“plated” means, in the case of an agricultural tractor, such a tractor that is fitted with a manufacturer’s plate, and in the case of an agricultural trailer, such a trailer that is fitted with an authorisation plate;
“plating certificate” means a certificate issued in respect of an agricultural trailer by the manufacturer of the vehicle or its authorised distributor following the inspection of the vehicle in accordance with Regulation 5;
“rigid drawbar trailer” means a trailer which:
(a) has one axle or one group of axles;
(b) is fitted with a drawbar which, due to its construction, transmits a static load not exceeding 4000 kilogrammes to the towing vehicle;
(c) is fitted with a coupling other than one consisting of a king pin and a fifth wheel; and
(d) does not meet the definition of a centre-axle trailer;
“self-propelled agricultural machine” means a machine capable of being driven under its own power which is designed specifically to perform agricultural, fisheries, forestry or horticultural work;
“speed disc” means a speed disc fitted in accordance with Regulation 8;
“tonne” is the weight executed by a mass of 1,000 kilogrammes;
“unladen weight” means:
(a) in the case of an agricultural tractor, the weight excluding the driver and optional accessories such as front or rear weights, tyre ballast, mounted implements, mounted equipment or any specialised components but including coolant, oils, fuel, tools and the roll-over protective structure,
(b) in any other case, the weight when not carrying passengers or a load; and
“vehicle identification number” means a fixed combination of characters assigned to a vehicle by the manufacturer or its authorised distributor for identification purposes which is marked on the chassis, frame or other similar structure and also on:
(a) the manufacturer’s plate in the case of an agricultural tractor, or
(b) the authorisation plate in the case of an agricultural trailer.”
(2) In these Regulations, save where the context otherwise requires, a reference to the weight laden of a vehicle or combination of vehicles, or to the weight transmitted to the surface of a road by a vehicle or combination of vehicles, shall be construed as a reference to the weight of such vehicle or combination together with its load, if any, and any reference to the weight transmitted to the surface of a road by any part of a vehicle or combination of vehicles shall be construed accordingly.
(3) In these Regulations, the weight transmitted by an axle of a vehicle is taken as the weight transmitted by all the wheels of that vehicle the centres of which lie in a vertical plane extending across the full width of the vehicle at right angles to its longitudinal axis.
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paragraphs: (1) An agricultural tractor shall, when used in a public place, be fitted with a manufacturer’s plate which shall conform to the requirements laid down in Annex V of the Council Directive.
(2) An agricultural trailer shall, when used in a public place, be fitted with an authorisation plate.
(3) The requirement specified in Regulation 3(2) shall apply irrespective of whether the agricultural trailer has been fitted with a manufacturer’s plate.
(4) Subject to Regulation 5, a manufacturer’s plate or an authorisation plate may only be fitted by the manufacturer of the vehicle or its authorised distributor.
(5) This Regulation shall not apply to:
(a) an agricultural tractor first registered prior to 1 January 2016, unless it:
(i) has a maximum design speed exceeding 40 kilometres per hour, or
(ii) is being used to draw either a tandem or a triaxle rigid drawbar agricultural trailer with a weight laden exceeding 19 or 22.5 tonnes respectively,
(b) an agricultural trailer manufactured prior to 1 January 2016 unless it is a rigid drawbar trailer which:
(i) has a maximum design speed exceeding 40 kilometres per hour, or
(ii) is capable by design of operating at a weight laden exceeding:
(I)19 tonnes in the case of a tandem axle trailer, or
(II)22.5 tonnes in the case of a triaxle trailer.
(6) A plated vehicle shall not be used in a public place, if it or its plate has been modified or altered in any way thereby rendering the information on its plate inaccurate.
(7) The requirements of this Regulation shall be deemed to be have been complied with if a vehicle is being taken unladen and by appointment for inspection to have a plate fitted or amended.
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paragraphs: (1) Subject to Regulation 4(2), the weight laden or the weight transmitted to the surface of a road by any of its axles shall not exceed:
(a) for an agricultural tractor, its total permissible weight or the permissible axle loads as set out on the manufacturer’s plate,
(b) for an agricultural trailer, its maximum weight laden or the maximum weight appropriate to each axle as set out on the authorisation plate in the column headed “Weights Not to be Exceeded in Ireland”.
(2) Regulation 4(1) shall not apply to an agricultural trailer being drawn by an agricultural tractor where that combination of vehicles is operating under a permit issued under the Road Traffic (Special Permits for Particular Vehicles) Regulations 2007 ( S.I. No. 283 of 2007 ) or under Regulation 60 of the Road Traffic (Construction & Use of Vehicles) Regulations 2003 ( S.I. No. 5 of 2003 ) both as amended.
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paragraphs: (1) Subject to Regulation 5(5), the manufacturer of an agricultural trailer, or its authorised distributor, in this Regulation referred to as “the examiner”, may issue a plating certificate in respect of an agricultural trailer to a person who presents the said vehicle for inspection by the examiner.